ADJECTIVES OF QUANTITY.
145. Adjectives of quantity
tell how much or how many. They have these three
subdivisions:—
How much.
(1) QUANTITY IN BULK: such words as little,
much, some, no, any, considerable, sometimes
small, joined usually to singular nouns to express an indefinite measure
of the thing spoken of.
The following examples are from Kingsley:—
So he parted with much
weeping of the lady.
Which we began to do with great
labor and little profit.
Because I had some
knowledge of surgery and blood-letting.
But ever she looked on
Mr. Oxenham, and seemed to take no
care as
long as he was by.
Examples of small an adjective of
quantity:—
"The deil's in it but I bude to anger him!" said the
woman, and walked away with a laugh of small satisfaction.—Macdonald.
'Tis midnight, but small thoughts have I of
sleep.—Coleridge.
It gives small idea of Coleridge's way of
talking.—Carlyle.
When some, any, no, are used with
plural nouns, they come under the next division of adjectives.
How many.
(2) QUANTITY IN NUMBER, which may be expressed exactly by
numbers or remotely designated by words expressing indefinite amounts. Hence
the natural division into—
(a) Definite numerals; as, "one blaze
of musketry;" "He found in the pathway fourteen Spaniards;" "I have lost
one brother, but I have gained fourscore;" "a dozen
volunteers."
(b) Indefinite numerals, as the following
from Kingsley: "We gave several thousand pounds for it;" "In came some
five and twenty more, and with them a
few negroes;" "Then we wandered for many days;" "Amyas had evidently
more schemes in his head;" "He had lived by hunting for some
months;" "That light is far too red to be the reflection of any beams of
hers."
Single ones of any number of
changes.
(3) DISTRIBUTIVE NUMERALS, which occupy a place midway
between the last two subdivisions of numeral adjectives; for they are
indefinite in telling how many objects are spoken of, but definite in referring
to the objects one at a time. Thus,—
Every town had its fair; every village,
its wake.—Thackeray.
An arrow was quivering in each body.—Kingsley.
Few on either side but had their shrewd scratch
to show.—Id.
Before I taught my tongue to
wound
My conscience with a sinful sound,
Or
had the black art to dispense
A several sin to
every sense.
—Vaughan.
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