Can **compasses** stand alone?
Just wondering, does compasses can stand on its own? Or should it be accompanied by a pair of?
word-choice
asked 2 days ago
sophie
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Just wondering, does compasses can stand on its own? Or should it be accompanied by a pair of?
word-choice
asked 2 days ago
sophie
111
New contributor
sophie is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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What is the context you're considering? "Pass me those compasses" may well be more acceptable than "Pass me that pair of compasses"; other situations may require "pair of".
– Andrew Leach♦
2 days ago
One might say that one e.g. constructed a figure, or measured a distance on a map "using compasses".
– Michael Harvey
2 days ago
2
Possible duplicate of Is "Compasses" a typo?
– TimLymington
2 days ago
According to my dictionary, the instrument for drawing circles is called either compass or pair of compasses. I presume compasses alone would be plural, i.e. same as pairs of compasses.
– michael.hor257k
2 days ago
add a comment |
Just wondering, does compasses can stand on its own? Or should it be accompanied by a pair of?
word-choice
asked 2 days ago
sophie
111
New contributor
sophie is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Just wondering, does compasses can stand on its own? Or should it be accompanied by a pair of?
word-choice
word-choice
asked 2 days ago
sophie
111
New contributor
sophie is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 2 days ago
sophie
111
New contributor
sophie is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 2 days ago
sophie
111
New contributor
sophie is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 2 days ago
sophie
111
asked 2 days ago
sophie
111
111
New contributor
sophie is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
sophie is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
sophie is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
What is the context you're considering? "Pass me those compasses" may well be more acceptable than "Pass me that pair of compasses"; other situations may require "pair of".
– Andrew Leach♦
2 days ago
One might say that one e.g. constructed a figure, or measured a distance on a map "using compasses".
– Michael Harvey
2 days ago
2
Possible duplicate of Is "Compasses" a typo?
– TimLymington
2 days ago
According to my dictionary, the instrument for drawing circles is called either compass or pair of compasses. I presume compasses alone would be plural, i.e. same as pairs of compasses.
– michael.hor257k
2 days ago
add a comment |
What is the context you're considering? "Pass me those compasses" may well be more acceptable than "Pass me that pair of compasses"; other situations may require "pair of".
– Andrew Leach♦
2 days ago
One might say that one e.g. constructed a figure, or measured a distance on a map "using compasses".
– Michael Harvey
2 days ago
2
Possible duplicate of Is "Compasses" a typo?
– TimLymington
2 days ago
According to my dictionary, the instrument for drawing circles is called either compass or pair of compasses. I presume compasses alone would be plural, i.e. same as pairs of compasses.
– michael.hor257k
2 days ago
What is the context you're considering? "Pass me those compasses" may well be more acceptable than "Pass me that pair of compasses"; other situations may require "pair of".
– Andrew Leach♦
2 days ago
What is the context you're considering? "Pass me those compasses" may well be more acceptable than "Pass me that pair of compasses"; other situations may require "pair of".
– Andrew Leach♦
2 days ago
One might say that one e.g. constructed a figure, or measured a distance on a map "using compasses".
– Michael Harvey
2 days ago
One might say that one e.g. constructed a figure, or measured a distance on a map "using compasses".
– Michael Harvey
2 days ago
2
2
Possible duplicate of Is "Compasses" a typo?
– TimLymington
2 days ago
Possible duplicate of Is "Compasses" a typo?
– TimLymington
2 days ago
According to my dictionary, the instrument for drawing circles is called either compass or pair of compasses. I presume compasses alone would be plural, i.e. same as pairs of compasses.
– michael.hor257k
2 days ago
According to my dictionary, the instrument for drawing circles is called either compass or pair of compasses. I presume compasses alone would be plural, i.e. same as pairs of compasses.
– michael.hor257k
2 days ago
add a comment |
1 Answer
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Today, people generally use the singular compass rather than pair of compasses for the instrument for drawing circles.
However, back when people used pair of compasses, it could be shortened to compasses, the same way we shorten pair of scissors to scissors or pair of pliers to pliers today.
For evidence, consider this Ngram. It shows that ruler and compasses was not that much less frequent than a pair of compasses, and much more frequent than either ruler and a pair of compasses or ruler and pair of compasses
answered 2 days ago
Peter Shor
61.7k5117221
add a comment |
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Today, people generally use the singular compass rather than pair of compasses for the instrument for drawing circles.
However, back when people used pair of compasses, it could be shortened to compasses, the same way we shorten pair of scissors to scissors or pair of pliers to pliers today.
For evidence, consider this Ngram. It shows that ruler and compasses was not that much less frequent than a pair of compasses, and much more frequent than either ruler and a pair of compasses or ruler and pair of compasses
answered 2 days ago
Peter Shor
61.7k5117221
add a comment |
Today, people generally use the singular compass rather than pair of compasses for the instrument for drawing circles.
However, back when people used pair of compasses, it could be shortened to compasses, the same way we shorten pair of scissors to scissors or pair of pliers to pliers today.
For evidence, consider this Ngram. It shows that ruler and compasses was not that much less frequent than a pair of compasses, and much more frequent than either ruler and a pair of compasses or ruler and pair of compasses
answered 2 days ago
Peter Shor
61.7k5117221
add a comment |
Today, people generally use the singular compass rather than pair of compasses for the instrument for drawing circles.
However, back when people used pair of compasses, it could be shortened to compasses, the same way we shorten pair of scissors to scissors or pair of pliers to pliers today.
For evidence, consider this Ngram. It shows that ruler and compasses was not that much less frequent than a pair of compasses, and much more frequent than either ruler and a pair of compasses or ruler and pair of compasses
answered 2 days ago
Peter Shor
61.7k5117221
Today, people generally use the singular compass rather than pair of compasses for the instrument for drawing circles.
However, back when people used pair of compasses, it could be shortened to compasses, the same way we shorten pair of scissors to scissors or pair of pliers to pliers today.
For evidence, consider this Ngram. It shows that ruler and compasses was not that much less frequent than a pair of compasses, and much more frequent than either ruler and a pair of compasses or ruler and pair of compasses
answered 2 days ago
Peter Shor
61.7k5117221
answered 2 days ago
Peter Shor
61.7k5117221
answered 2 days ago
Peter Shor
61.7k5117221
answered 2 days ago
Peter Shor
61.7k5117221
61.7k5117221
add a comment |
add a comment |
sophie is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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What is the context you're considering? "Pass me those compasses" may well be more acceptable than "Pass me that pair of compasses"; other situations may require "pair of".
– Andrew Leach♦
2 days ago
One might say that one e.g. constructed a figure, or measured a distance on a map "using compasses".
– Michael Harvey
2 days ago
2
Possible duplicate of Is "Compasses" a typo?
– TimLymington
2 days ago
According to my dictionary, the instrument for drawing circles is called either compass or pair of compasses. I presume compasses alone would be plural, i.e. same as pairs of compasses.
– michael.hor257k
2 days ago