Don’t say `a pants’ or `a shorts’. You can say a pair of pants or a pair of shorts. It doesn’t take long to choose a pair of pants. He is wearing a pair of shorts and a T-shirt.
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Is a pair of shorts 1 or 2?
Senior Member. Shorts like trousers do not have a singular and always referred to as “a pair”.
Why are shorts called pairs?
“Pair,” from the Latin, means two like things. And pants (pantaloons) were originally two like things. You put them on one leg at a time because they actually came in two pieces. You put on one leg, tied it around your waist, then put on the other.
What is a pair of shorts mean?
Two body parts go into a ”pair of shorts”—your legs. A pair of shoes is for two feet; a pair of gloves is for two hands; a pair of earmuffs goes over two ears. A coat fits over one trunk; a hat goes on one head; a sweater goes over one trunk. Related questions (More answers below)
What clothing comes in pairs?
Knickers, Pants, Trousers, Shorts, Glasses, etc. I can see that a pair of shoes are two items, and a pair of socks are. Even, with some bending of the rules, a pair of braces, but how can you say that one item is a pair? A bra is one item, and as such has been sensibly named as such!
What can be a pair?
Things that commonly come in pairs (two separate items)
- a pair of shoes.
- a pair of socks.
- a pair of slippers.
- a pair of boots.
- a pair of shoe laces.
- a pair of gloves.
- a pair of cuff links.
- a pair of earrings.
What is a singular of shorts?
It can be used with the, which can refer to singular or plural nouns. You can say. I want to buy the shorts (a particular pair) I want to buy shorts (in general) I want to buy some shorts (which may be one or more pair), or.
Do we say pair of pants?
According to some, the phrase “pair of pants” harkens back to the days when what constituted pants—or pantaloons, as they were originally known—consisted of two separate items, one for each leg. They were put on one at a time and then secured around the waist.
What are short shorts for guys called?
Chubbies are the OG men’s short shorts, so they had to get a spot on this list. They make tons of thigh-squeezing bathing suits, but this chino option is great if you want some hoochie daddy shorts that you can dress up a little. Wear these to brunch with a nice top or throw them on for a summer happy hour.
Is a pair of jeans one or two?
To talk about one piece of clothing we say “a pair of jeans“. For more than one we say “pairs of jeans”. You can also just say “jeans” for one pair. To call it “a jean” is incorrect.
What are shorts called in America?
The American English term, short pants, is probably the nearest equivalent in the U.S., where they might now be called dress shorts, a term that has not gained much currency in Britain.
What is plural of shorts?
Noun. shorts pl (plural only)
Can I call shorts pants?
Shorts are worn either as outer garment or as underwear. They are called “shorts” because they are a shortened version of trousers (as they are called in British English, or pants in American English) which cover the entire leg.
How many is a pair?
two
Definition of pair. noun, plural pairs, pair. two identical, similar, or corresponding things that are matched for use together: a pair of gloves; a pair of earrings.
What is one of a pair called?
Noun. A person or thing that is a matching counterpart to another, typically forming a pair. twin. counterpart. complement.
Can a pair be more than 2?
After a number other than one, pair itself can be either singular or plural, but the plural is now more common: I bought six pairs (or pair) of shoes.
Which is correct short or shorts?
In both British and American English, shorts are also trousers with very short legs that people wear in hot weather or for taking part in sports. I usually wear shorts and a T-shirt when I play tennis. Both pants and shorts are plural nouns. You use a plural form of a verb with them.
Why are pants and shorts plural?
Pants are part of a very small subset of plural English words in which they have no real singular counterpart. Almost all are similar examples of things that look like two objects that have been fused together to create one thing, but keeping their plurality, grammar-wise. For example: clothes, goggles, and panties.
Why do we say a pair of scissors?
We began calling an individual scissors a pair to emphasize the matched cutting blades. There’s precedent for it. Before we called them scissors, we called them shears, and pair was used with shears for about 100 years before scissors arrived on the scene.
Why are shorts plural?
There’s another, much simpler reason that these words, and other related ones such as shorts, jeans, tights, knickers, and drawers are all plural: originally each leg was a separate garment, put on individually, and tied together with a belt or rope.
Why is it a pair of sunglasses?
Pair-of-sunglasses definition
A pair of glasses with tinted lenses designed to protect the eyes from sunlight.