- (1) The earth’s surface,
- the sun’s rays,
- the moon’s reflection,
- the pit’s mouth,
- a rope’s end,
- his journey’s end,
- at his wit’s end,
- the ship’s keel,
- the water’s edge,
- the cannon’s mouth,
- out of harm’s way,
- at swords’ points,
- for pity’s sake,
- for conscience’ sake;
- (2) a moment’s pause,
- a year’s time,
- a hand’s breadth,
- a boat’s length,
- a month’s salary,
- a week’s notice,
- a night’s rest,
- a day’s work,
- a stone’s throw,
- a feather’s weight,
- an hour’s delay,
- a dollar’s worth,
- not a foot’s difference.
In the second group of phrases (“a moment’s pause,” etc.), the possessive denotes not ownership, but measure or extent.
IV. The possessive case of certain pronouns (my, our, your, his, her, its, their) is more freely used than that of nouns in expressions that do not denote actual ownership.
- I know him to my sorrow. [Compare: to his loss, to our detriment, to his advantage.]
- The brass has lost its polish.
- This question must be decided on its merits.
- His arguments did not fail of their effect.
For the inflection of these pronouns, see [§ 115]. For the use of whose, see [§ 152].
94. When a thing belongs to two or more joint owners, the sign of the possessive is added to the last name only.
- Brown, Jones, and Richardson’s factories. [Brown, Jones, and Richardson are partners.]
- It is George and William’s turn to take the boat. [George and William are to go in the boat together.]
- On the other hand, in order to avoid ambiguity we should say, “Brown’s, Jones’s, and Richardson’s factories,” if each individual had a factory of his own; and “George’s and William’s answers were correct,” if each boy answered independently of the other.
95. In compound nouns the last part takes the possessive sign. So also when a phrase is used as a noun.
- My father-in-law’s home is in Easton.
- We had a quarter of an hour’s talk.