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DEFECTIVE NOUNS.

54.  Here belong—­

  1.  Nouns used in the Singular only.

  2.  Nouns used in the Plural only.

  3.  Nouns used only in certain cases.

  4.  Indeclinable Nouns.

Nouns used in the Singular only.

55.  Many nouns, from the nature of their signification, are regularly used in the Singular only.  Thus:—­

1.  Proper names; as, Cicero, Cicero; Italia, Italy.

2.  Nouns denoting material; as, aes, copper; lac, milk.

3.  Abstract nouns; as, ignorantia, ignorance; bonitas, goodness.

4.  But the above classes of words are sometimes used in the Plural.  Thus:—­

  a) Proper names,—­to denote different members of a family, or specimens
  of a type; as, Cicerones, the Ciceros; Catones, men like Cato.

  b) Names of materials,—­to denote objects made of the material, or
  different kinds of the substance; as, aera, bronzes (i.e. bronze
  figures); ligna, woods.

  c) Abstract nouns,—­to denote instances of the quality; as, ignorantiae,
  cases of ignorance.

Nouns used in the Plural only.

56.  Here belong—­

1.  Many geographical names; as, Thebae, Thebes; Leuctra, Leuctra; Pompeji, Pompeii.

2.  Many names of festivals; as, Megalesia, the Megalesian festival.

3.  Many special words, of which the following are the most important:—­

angustiae, narrow pass. manes, spirits of the
arma, weapons_. dead_.
deliciae, delight. moenia, city walls.
divitiae, riches. minae, threats. 
Idus, Ides. nuptiae, marriage.
indutiae, truce. posteri, descendants.
insidiae, ambush. reliquiae, remainder.
majores, ancestors. tenebrae, darkness.

          
                                                      verbera, blows.

Also in classical prose regularly—­

cervices, neck.               nares, nose.
fides, lyre.                  viscera, viscera.

Nouns used only in Certain Cases.

57. 1.  Used in only One Case.  Many nouns of the Fourth Declension are found only in the Ablative Singular as, jussu, by the order; injussu, without the order; natu, by birth.

2.  Used in Two Cases.

  a.  Fors (chance), Nom.  Sing.; forte, Abl.  Sing.

  b.  Spontis (free-will), Gen. Sing.; sponte, Abl.  Sing.

3.  Used in Three Cases.  Nemo, no one (Nom.), has also the Dat. nemini and the Acc. neminem.  The Gen. and Abl. are supplied by the corresponding cases of nullus; viz. nullius and nullo.