[Sidenote:  One plural, two meanings.]

49.  Other words have one plural form with two meanings,—­one corresponding to the singular, the other unlike it.

  custom—­customs:  (1) habits, ways; (2) revenue duties.

  letter—­letters:  (1) the alphabet, or epistles; (2) literature.

  number—­numbers:  (1) figures; (2) poetry, as in the lines,—­

     I lisped in numbers, for the numbers came.—­POPE.

     Tell me not, in mournful numbers.—­LONGFELLOW.

Numbers also means issues, or copies, of a periodical.

  pain—­pains:  (1) suffering; (2) care, trouble,

  part—­parts:  (1) divisions; (2) abilities, faculties.

[Sidenote:  Two classes of compound words.]

50.  Compound words may be divided into two classes:—­

(1) Those whose parts are so closely joined as to constitute one word. These make the last part plural.

courtyard dormouse Englishman fellow-servant fisherman Frenchman forget-me-not goosequill handful mouthful cupful maidservant pianoforte stepson spoonful titmouse

(2) Those groups in which the first part is the principal one, followed by a word or phrase making a modifier. The chief member adds _-s_ in the plural.

aid-de-camp attorney at law billet-doux commander in chief court-martial cousin-german father-in-law knight-errant hanger-on

NOTE.—­Some words ending in _-man_ are not compounds of the English word man, but add _-s_; such as talisman, firman, Brahman, German, Norman, Mussulman, Ottoman.

51.  Some groups pluralize both parts of the group; as man singer, manservant, woman servant, woman singer.

[Sidenote:  Two methods in use for names with titles.]

52.  As to plurals of names with titles, there is some disagreement among English writers.  The title may be plural, as the Messrs. Allen, the Drs. Brown, the Misses Rich; or the name may be pluralized.

The former is perhaps more common in present-day use, though the latter is often found; for example,—­

     Then came Mr. and Mrs. Briggs, and then the three Miss
     Spinneys, then Silas Peckham.—­DR. HOLMES.

     Our immortal Fielding was of the younger branch of the Earls of
     Denbigh, who drew their origin from the Counts of
     Hapsburgh.—­GIBBON.

     The Miss Flamboroughs were reckoned the best dancers in the
     parish.—­GOLDSMITH.

     The Misses Nettengall’s young ladies come to the Cathedral
     too.—­DICKENS.

     The Messrs. Harper have done the more than generous thing by
     Mr. Du Maurier.—­The Critic.

53.  A number of foreign words have been adopted into English without change of form.  These are said to be domesticated, and retain their foreign plurals.