LESSON XVI.
Note the following peculiarities:
1. Nouns used only in the plural:—
| aborigines, | antipodes, | annals, | banns, | bellows, | breeches, | ||
| matins, | measles, | news, | nuptials, | oats, | pincers, | ||
| scissors, | shears, | tidings, | trousers, | vespers, | victuals. |
2. Nouns that have the same form in both numbers:—
| deer, | trout, | sheep, | heathen, | perch, | ||
| grouse, | salmon, | swine, | cannon, | pike. |
3. Nouns with two plurals, differing in meaning:—
| Singular. | Plural. | Plural. | ||
| penny, | pennies (a number.) | pence (a sum.) | ||
| pea, | peas (a number.) | pease (a quantity.) | ||
| brother, | brothers (same family.) | brethren (same society.) | ||
| die, | dies (for stamping.) | dice (for gaming.) | ||
| cloth, | cloths (kinds of cloth.) | clothes (garments.) | ||
| index, | indexes (to a book.) | indices (in algebra.) | ||
| genius, | geniuses (men of talent.) | genii (spirits.) |
4. Nouns with a different meaning in the plural:—
| compass, | compasses, | ||
| iron, | irons, | ||
| good, | goods, | ||
| salt, | salts, | ||
| corn, | corns. |
5. Nouns with two meanings in the plural:—
| Singular. | Plural. | Plural. | ||
| custom, | customs (habits.) | customs (revenue duties.) | ||
| letter, | letters (alphabet.) | letters (literature.) | ||
| number, | numbers (in counting.) | numbers (poetry.) | ||
| part, | parts (divisions.) | parts (abilities.) |