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# singular

adjective (singular); noun (the singular)

«singular» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. In grammar, singular means one: «cat» is singular and «cats» is plural. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/singular/#m1)
2. (formal) Singular means very unusual or special, one of a kind. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/singular/#m2)
3. The singular is the form of a word for just one thing. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/singular/#m3)

### In the lessons

In grammar lessons, pupils change singular nouns into plurals and make verbs agree: «he runs» (singular), «they run» (plural). In maths and science writing, «unit» is singular. In stories, «a singular man» means very strange or remarkable.

### Examples

- «Mouse» is singular and «mice» is plural. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/singular/#x1)
- Use a singular verb with «everyone». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/singular/#x2)
- Write the singular of «children». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/singular/#x3)
- She showed singular bravery. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/singular/#x4)
- «Is» goes with a singular subject. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/singular/#x5)
- «Sheep» is the same in singular and plural. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/singular/#x6)
- They were of the most singular shapes, and glittered like diamonds. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/singular/#x7)

### Note

Opposite: plural. Traps: some words look plural but are singular (news, maths); some are the same in both (sheep, fish). «They» can be used for one person whose gender is unknown.

## In Jewish tradition

In the Tanakh "singular" means unique, one of a kind. The prophet Ezekiel speaks of "a singular evil," a disaster like no other. In Sefer Yetzirah it is used in the grammar sense, as the one form of the word God.

**Interpretation.** The tradition reads Ezekiel's "singular evil" as a warning of a terrible and unmatched punishment coming on Israel.

### Examples

- AL ChI H OULMIM; ''the Living God of Ages," here the word God really is in the singular. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/singular/#x1)
- Thus saith the Lord GOD: An evil, a singular evil, behold, it cometh. (Prophets EZK.7.5, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/singular/#x2)

### Note

Opposite: plural. Traps: some words look plural but are singular (news, maths); some are the same in both (sheep, fish). «They» can be used for one person whose gender is unknown.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «singular» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/singular/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«singular» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/singular.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «singular» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/singular/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«singular» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/singular.html) on Mova free.