If pants are called a "pair of pants," why aren't bras?
Question #35674. Asked by elizabethmc.
mochyn
Answer has 2 votes
mochyn 22 year member
1206 replies
Answer has 2 votes.
In American English "a pair of pants" means trousers but in British English, pants as in underpants is singular,so bra and pants go together as they are underwear ,both singular,not a pair of underpants
Jun 30 2003, 11:54 AM
riotgrrl
Answer has 2 votes
riotgrrl 23 year member
113 replies
Answer has 2 votes.
Really? I'm British and I'd say "pair of [under]pants".
Jun 30 2003, 12:02 PM
sequoianoir
Answer has 2 votes
sequoianoir 22 year member
2091 replies
Answer has 2 votes.
I am also familiar with the phrase " a pair of pants" or " a pair of underpants", just like a "pair of knickers".
If you think about it, you can't have "a pants" only a pant. The same can be said of "a knicker"
Pants is(are) plural.
Then again you also have a "pair of trousers"
I believe it stems from the times when they were 2 separate garments, 1 for each leg, and it was only later that they became joined at the crotch and became a single item.
Jun 30 2003, 12:25 PM
sequoianoir
Answer has 2 votes
sequoianoir 22 year member
2091 replies
Answer has 2 votes.
I just checked in the dictionary and "pants", "knickers" and "trousers" are all PLURAL NOUNS.
However bra is singular, bras are several of them.
Jun 30 2003, 12:31 PM
Roget
Answer has 3 votes
Currently Best Answer
Roget 22 year member
55 replies
Answer has 3 votes.
Currently voted the best answer.
Don't forget that bra is short for brassiere, which itself is singular.