Discussion » Questions » Language » Can you think of any words that only have a plural form? I can only think of two.
Element 99

Can you think of any words that only have a plural form? I can only think of two.

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Posted - March 4, 2017
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Responses


  • 53504
    Are the two words you're thinking of "theirs" and "ours"?


    P.S. I like this question. 
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      March 4, 2017 10:49 AM MST
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  • 44604
    Well...I was looking for different ones.
      March 5, 2017 6:41 AM MST
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  • Sheep  ???? 
      March 4, 2017 10:58 AM MST
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  • 53504
    Deer. 


    But technically, sheep and deer don't count because they're not always plurals. They can also denote singular. 
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      March 4, 2017 11:03 AM MST
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  • Dear Element99,

    I read that the pronoun 'you' is actually the plural form...originally used as a way of showing respect for a person; kinda like when kings refer to themselves as 'we.'

    Back in the day, the singular was 'thee,' which of course is seldom used now...but THEE has a tender intimate sound, and I wish it would come back!

    * * *
    You will give us your two examples, if you please? This post was edited by Benedict Arnold at March 6, 2017 7:17 AM MST
      March 4, 2017 11:56 AM MST
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  • 44604
    Suds and smithereens.
      March 6, 2017 7:14 AM MST
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  • ...and two fine words they are!
      March 6, 2017 9:20 AM MST
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  • 7280
    Too much effort involved in my trying to come up with a list, so here's one.

    For those who want to see what they can think of, you can check the link later.


    http://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/grammar/british-grammar/about-nouns/nouns-singular-and-plural
      March 4, 2017 11:57 AM MST
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  • I think you got it Tom, this prolly what Element99 is asking!
    To this list, I can now add "secateurs."
      March 4, 2017 12:02 PM MST
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  • 7280
    My wife does the gardening---she might have know that.  I didn't, but I do now.
      March 4, 2017 12:06 PM MST
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  • I don't now if I ever told this story on another site but I was once helping my father-in-law fix his garage roof. He was in his sixties at the time and as we squatted on the roof he said, "I've lost my sex." I was kind of startled for a moment because he and I didn't get along very well and that wasn't something you'd share with somebody you didn't like. I thought it was safer to say something non-committal and tried, "That's not so good." So he added, "I put them down somewhere this morning and can't find them." That's when I realised that he'd spelt it "secs". He'd lost his secateurs. 
      March 4, 2017 1:04 PM MST
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  • Dozy, you know where I learned the word...and as you see, I use it as often as possible...not sure however I will EVER refer to them as "my secs."
      March 4, 2017 1:11 PM MST
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  • I knew I'd given you the word. Wasn't sure I'd told that story with it.

    I'm probably gonna keep away from here for a couple of hours. We now have another poster adding to the Trump spam. It isn't that he doesn't deserve whatever criticism he gets but I come here for fun, not to indulge in hate posts. Any questions posted now are likely to be lost in the rubbish.
      March 4, 2017 1:16 PM MST
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  • Thank you for the heads-up, Dozy.
    I feel uncomfortable with the hate posts...I grieved when that was happening with Obama, and I don't like the trend with anyone...not a good way to address the concerns.
    See you in a few hours, I hope.
      March 4, 2017 1:19 PM MST
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  • I certainly agree Didge!
      March 4, 2017 2:01 PM MST
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  • "scissors" and "clothes" are the ones I thought of right away. Other tools that have two inseparable pieces as well, like "shears" and "pliers".


    "shorts" is another, "pants", "pajamas", other clothing items that are seen as an inseparable pair of something. 




      March 4, 2017 1:09 PM MST
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  • 10997
    Themselves
      March 4, 2017 1:22 PM MST
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  • Ha ha, hi Jane S, maybe sometime I will try to work in 'themself' somewhere...just for variety!
      March 6, 2017 9:24 AM MST
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  • The obvious one.. pants ... The  singular leaves me breathless!
    Aw come on... It was funny!
      March 4, 2017 1:59 PM MST
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