Adjective

tkacka15Can a noun, noun phrase or a noun clause modify an adjective?

A noun can, but I don't know about the others. It's not likely.

The liquid was completely frozen. It was rock solid.

CJ

CalifJimA noun can, but I don't know about the others. It's not likely.

Thanks for the reply.

She was afraid he might be upset if she told him.

Is the noun clause he might be upset if she told him a modifier of the adjective afraid in the above sentence?

I think along this line: the afraid he might be upset

tkacka15noun phrase

Yes:

Aspara GusYes

Thanks for the reply.

Re: stone cold.

Compound adjective?

This seems greatly at odds with the ferocious outbursts on this forum regarding "brick wall", which is to be regarded as a noun modifying another noun (or else!). Nothing about "compound noun" ever seems to be mentioned in the "brick wall" discussions. In fact, I get the impression that anyone advancing such an analysis might find himself up

I can see examples like stone cold as compound adjectives for two reasons: they can be hyphenated (stone-cold, rock-solid) and, as far as I can think, the noun component never takes dependents of its own (*Her love was a rock solid).

My love for her was rock solid, but hers was an ice cream.