A relic which, if I recollect right, he pronounced to have been a tongs.—Irving.
Besides this, it is furnished with a forceps.—Goldsmith.
The air,—was it subdued when...the wind was trained only to turn a windmill, carry off chaff, or work in a bellows?—Prof. Dana.
In Early Modern English thank is found.
What thank have ye?—Bible
47. Three words were originally singular, the present ending -s not being really a plural inflection, but they are regularly construed as plural: alms, eaves, riches.
two plurals.
48. A few nouns have two plurals differing in meaning.
- brother—brothers (by blood), brethren (of a society or church).
- cloth—cloths (kinds of cloth), clothes (garments).
- die—dies (stamps for coins, etc.), dice (for gaming).
- fish—fish (collectively), fishes (individuals or kinds).
- genius—geniuses (men of genius), genii (spirits).
- index—indexes (to books), indices (signs in algebra).
- pea—peas (separately), pease (collectively).
- penny—pennies (separately), pence (collectively).
- shot—shot (collective balls), shots (number of times fired).
In speaking of coins, twopence, sixpence, etc., may add -s, making a double plural, as two sixpences.