The hyphen is also used to connect compound words, which are formed of two substantives, as, _bird-cage_, _love-letter_, &c.; also what are termed compound adjectives, as, _well-built_ house, _handsome-faced_ child, &c. The prepositions _after_, _before_, _over_, &c. are often connected with other words, but do not always make a proper compound: thus, _before-mentioned_ is a compound when it precedes a substantive, as, in the _before-mentioned_ place; but when it comes after a noun, as, in the place _before mentioned_, it should be two distinct words.[11] PARENTHESIS AND BRACKET. The use of the PARENTHESIS ( ) is to enclose interpolated words or sentences which serve to strengthen the argument, although the main sentence would be complete without the interpolated matter. Parentheses are not as much used as formerly: authors place their intercalations between commas,—frequently with a dash at the beginning and ending,—which make them quite as intelligible as though they were enclosed between parentheses. Brackets [ ] are seldom made use of, except to indicate that the word enclosed within them had been carelessly omitted in the old MS. or copy, and was now inserted by the editor. REFERENCES. References are marks and signs employed to direct the attention of the reader to notes in the margin or at the bottom of a page. The characters technically known by printers as references are the following, which are used in the order here given:— Asterisk * Dagger † Double Dagger ‡ Section § Parallel ∥ Paragraph ¶ In Roman church-books, the Asterisk divides each verse of a psalm into two parts, and marks the place where the responses begin: this in the Book of Common Prayer is denoted by a colon placed between the two parts of each verse. Asterisks also denote an omission, or an hiatus in the original copy; the number of asterisks being multiplied according to the extent of the omission. The Dagger, originally termed the Obelisk, or Long Cross, is frequently used in Roman Catholic church-books, prayers of exorcism, at the benediction of bread, water, and fruit, and upon other occasions, where the priest is to make the sign of the cross; but the square cross (✠) is the proper symbol for the purpose. The square cross is used, besides, in the pope’s briefs, and in mandates of archbishops and bishops, immediately before the signature of their names. It is not placed among references. Besides its use as a reference mark, the Paragraph is now employed chiefly in Bibles, to show the parts into which a chapter is divided. In Common Prayer Books, paragraphs are put before the lines that direct the order of the service, and which are called the Rubrics because they were formerly printed in red.