Fully-Fledged Vs. Full-Fledged

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Thedynamix

#494593 Sun, 30 Mar 08 04:17 PM

Perhaps an easy question, but I can't figure out whether to use "full-fledged" or "fully-fledged" in the sentence below:

· Creating and managing automated and full-fledged conference websites

That is from a bullet list, which is why it doesn't sound like a stand alone sentence.

Thanks again guys!

Thedynamix

Joined on Sun, Oct 28 2007

New Member (46)

Avangi

#494618 Sun, 30 Mar 08 04:54 PM

"Full-fledged" is a fixed idiom. Don't mess with it.

Avangi

Joined on Mon, Nov 19 2007

Senior Member (3,301)

". . . le plaisir delicieux et toujours nouveau d'une occupation inutile." - Henri de Regnier

Idioms

Thedynamix

#494625 Sun, 30 Mar 08 05:12 PM

So I shouldn't use either?

Thedynamix

Avangi

#494632 Sun, 30 Mar 08 05:21 PM

Thedynamix
Creating and managing automated and full-fledged conference websites

This is fine. Sorry if I wasn't clear.

Avangi

Thedynamix

#494641 Sun, 30 Mar 08 05:41 PM

Thanks so much :).

Thedynamix

Feebs11

#494685 Sun, 30 Mar 08 08:20 PM

I hate to disagree, but the collocation is "fully fledged".

Feebs11

Joined on Thu, Nov 23 2006

Senior Member (4,937)

Grammar Geek

#494718 Sun, 30 Mar 08 10:52 PM

This must be another one of those differnces of the right and left shores of the Atlantic Ocean, then. As an American, I'd say "full-fledged."

But I wouldn't used it for a Web site.

Grammar Geek

Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006

Pennsylvania, USA

Veteran Member (15,625)

Barbara, who answers in American English.

Avangi

#494727 Sun, 30 Mar 08 11:43 PM

Ouch! Sorry again, Dynamix. First time in 71 years I've heard "Fully-fledged." "Full-blown" is another common synonym. They mean fully developed; full rank; full status. My American Heritage Dictionary lists "full-fledged / -blown" but not "fully-fledged / -blown." Must be pondial, as GG says. It's applied to anything which is not reduced in some way or in an early stage of development. I should think if the web site were typical, full(y)-fledged would apply, although I'm not sure of an example of a web site with fractional status. I expect a full(y)-fledged "conference web site" would be capable of supporting a full(y)-fledged conference.

The expression derives from fully developed bird plumage.

I'm wondering now if UK also uses "fully-blown." (from "in full blossom")

Edit. Feebs, We use a hyphen on this side. I notice you did not. Is that typical?

Avangi

Expressions, Synonyms, Hyphens

Avangi

#494729 Mon, 31 Mar 08 12:26 AM

It gets curiouser and curiouser. MW Unabridged online lists full-blown, full-fledged, fully fledged but not fully blown or fully-blown or fully-fledged.

Main Entry: fully fledged Pronunciation Guide
Function: adjective
chiefly Britain : FULL-FLEDGED

Citation format for this entry:

"fully fledged." Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged. Merriam-Webster, 2002. http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com ( 30 Mar. 2008)

Edit. This entry confused me. I guess, on reflection, that "chiefly Britain" refers to "fully fledged," and FULL-FLEDGED is the definition.

Avangi

Pronunciation

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