Exceptions.—The only exceptions to this rule are dragoman, Mussulman, Ottoman, talisman, Turcoman, German, Norman, and landamman, which accept of s.
RULE XVIII.
Of the terminations eive and ieve, and of the derivatives of each, the former are found after c, and the latter after other letters; as, conceive, conceit, receive, receipt; relieve, relief, relieving, thieve, thievish.
ILLUSTRATIONS.
- achieve
- aggrieve
- bas-relief
- belief
- believe
- conceit
- conceivable
- conceive
- deceit
- deceitful
- deceive
- disbelief
- disbelieve
- grief
- grieve
- inconceivable
- lief
- lieve
- misbelief
- misconceive
- perceive
- preconceive
- receipt
- receive
- relief
- relieve
- relievo
- reprieve
- retrieve
- sieve
- thief
- thieve
- unbelief
- unbeliever
- undeceive
Plurals of Nouns which change F or FE into VES.
- beeves
- calves
- elves
- halves
- knives
- leaves
- lives
- loaves
- selves
- sheaves
- shelves
- thieves
- tipstaves
- wharves
- wives
- wolves
All other nouns ending in ff conform to Rule X. Wharfs prevails in Great Britain, wharves in America.