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COMMONLY FOUND IDIOMATIC COMPOUNDS IN MALAYALAM NEWSPAPERS
Compound
Meaning
Constituent’s meaning
Compound with kai ‘hand’ as first constituent
KaimaNi
sycophancy
Cymbal
kaikku:li
bribe
ku:li – wage
Kainanaykkuka
pretend to have eaten enough food
nanaykkuka – to wet
Kaivaykkuka
manhandle
vaykkuka-to put
kaitta:ŋŋ∂
help
ta:ŋŋ∂ ‘support’
KaimalaRttuka
abandon
malaRttuka ‘bring inside out’
Compound with ka:l ‘leg’ as first constituent
ka:luva:ruka
betray
to drag the leg
ka:lupiTikkuka
beg humbly
to hold one’s leg
KaliTaRuka
ka:luma:Ruka
ditch one party and join another
to change the leg
Compound with kaNN∂ ‘eye’ as first constituent
KaNNaTaykkuka
to ignore
aTaykkuka ‘to close’
KaNNukaTi
jealousy
kaTi ‘itching’
KaNNuruTTuka
frighten
uruTTuka ‘to roll’
KaNNupaRRuka
be affected by evil eye
paRRuka ‘to stick’
KaNNuvaykkuka
speak enviously about
vaykkuka ‘to put’
kaNNo:Tikkuka
glance at
o:Tikkuka ‘to make something run’
kaNNiluNNi
beloved
kaNN∂ ‘eye’ uNNi ‘infant’
Compound with tala ‘head’ as first constituent
TalamaRakkuka
forget one’s roots or moorings
maRakkuka ‘to igonore’
Talapukayuka
worry too much
pukayuka ‘emit smoke’
Talatiriyuka
go astray
tiriyuka ‘rotate’
TalayiTuka
interfere in
iTuka ‘drop’
talayu:ruka
escape
u:ruka ‘to take out’
talave:dana
irritation
ve:dana ‘pain’
Compound with mukham ‘face’ as first constituent
Mukhamrakshikkuka
to keep the esteem
rakshikkuka ‘to save’
Mukhamminukkuka
to uplift
minukkuka ‘to decorate’
MukahamkaRukkuka
to disagree
kaRukkuka ‘to become black’
MukhammaRaykkuka
to hide
maRaykkuka ‘to cover’
Other compounds
agnipari:ksha
severe test
agni ‘fire’ pari:ksha ‘examiniation’
ańńa:Tippa:TT∂
open secret
ańńa:Ti ‘market’ pa:TT∂ ‘song’
anca:mpatti
a person who is an opportunist or a cheat
anca:m ‘fifth’ patti ‘row’
ARRakai
last resort
aRRa ‘wounded’ kai ‘hand’
iraTTatta:pp∂
double dealing
iraTTa ‘twin’ ta:pp∂ ‘a measure’
IruTTaTi
unexpected blow
iruTT∂ ‘darkness’ aTi ‘blow’
iruTTil tappuka
useless action
iruTTu ‘darkness’ tappuka ‘to search’
urukkumuşTi
harsh or merciless attitude
urukk∂ ‘steel’ muşTi ‘fist’
u:nnuvaTi
dependence
u:nn∂ ‘prop’ vaTi ‘stick’
ottukaLi
tricky play with mutual understanding
ottu ‘together’ kali ‘play’
OLiyambu
hidden criticism
OLi’hidden’ambu ‘arrow’
o:TtapRadakşiNam
any hasty or casual action
o:TTam ‘running’ pRada kşiNam ‘circumambulation’
kaNNi:roppuka
to pacify
kaNNi:r∂ ‘tears’ oppuka to wipe’
karite:ykkuka
to defame
kari ‘coal’ te:ykkuka ‘to smear’
kallukaTi
some unpleasant happening
kall∂ ‘stone’ kaTi ‘bite’
kase:rakaLi
the tricky play of power holders to retain their position
kase:ra ‘chair’ kaLi ‘play’
KaRavappasu
source of income
kaRava ‘milking’ pasu ‘cow’
ki:Ra:muTTi
a problem too difficult to solve
ki:Ra: ‘cannot break’ muTTi ‘log’
kutirakkaccavaTam
pay bribe to win over
kutira- ‘horse’ kaccavaTam ‘business’
kuzhalppaNam
illegal transaction in foreign exchange
kuzhal ‘a pipe’ paNam ‘money’
ku:tta:TTam
behave wantonly
ku:tt∂ ‘a kind of dance’ a:TTam ‘stage performance’
ke:LikoTTu
beginning
announcemnt of Kathakali performance
CaraTuvali
controlling from behind the scenes.
caraT∂ ‘thread’ vali ‘pullining’
caviTTitte:kkuka
disregard and insult
caviTTi te:kkuka
TaRavila
minimum price (as fixed by the government)
taRa ‘floor’ vila ‘price’
ti:vila
exorbitant price
ti: ‘fire’ vila ‘price’
ToTukuRi
something which is noble or distinguishing
toTu ‘put on’ kuRi ‘an ornamental mark on the forehead’
dhavaLa vipLavam
large scale production of milk and milk products
dhavaLa‘ white’ vipLavam ‘revolution’
neTumtu:N
an integral part
NeTum ‘main’ tu:N ‘pillar’
no:TTamiTuka
watching with certain intention
to watch
paccapiTikkuka
become prosperous
pacca ‘green’ piTikkuka ‘hold’
paccamanuşyan
frank person
pacca ‘green’ manuşyan ‘person’
pa:ravaykkuka
to cheat
pa:ra
piTippuke:T∂
inability
piTip∂ ‘hold’ ke:T∂ ‘
pinva:til
something improper
pin ‘back’ va:til ‘door’
PukamaRa
mask
puka ‘smoke’ maRa ‘mask’
pustakappuzhu
a person who is deeply interested in reading books
pustakam ‘book’ puzhu ‘worm’
poTTitteRikkuka
‘to become emotional’
Explode
poLicceluttu
to change totally
poLicc∂ ‘destroy’ elutt∂ ‘writing’
bLe:Dukambani
money lending institutions
bLe:d∂ ‘razor blade’ kambani ‘company’
maňňapatRam
indecent publications
maňňa ‘yellow’ patRam ‘newspaper’
MaNiyaTi
Mukhavila
accepting all the things said in the same meaning
mukham ‘face’ vila ‘price’
muTTumaTakkuka
admit defeat or failure
mutt∂ ‘knee’ maTakkuka ‘to fold’
mutaleTupp∂
exploitation
mutal ‘wealth’ eTupp∂ ‘taking’
vaLaccoTikkuka
to misinterpret
vaLacc∂ ‘bent’ oTikkuka ‘to cut’
valiteLiyuka
getting a start
vali ‘way’ teLiyuka ‘to become clear’
vayaRRattaTikkuka
‘make one starve or cheat’
vayaRu ‘ belly’ aTiykkuka ‘to hit’
viluppalakkuka
to make the secrets public or widely known
vilupp∂ ‘soiled clothes’ alakkuka ‘to wash’
veeruRappikuka
‘fixing the position’
veer∂ ‘root’ uRappikuka ‘to fix’.
veLLamkuTippikkuka
make confused
veLLam ‘water’ kuTippikkuka ‘make to drink’
svarabhe:dam
disagreement
svaram ‘tune’ bhedam ‘difference’
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