A mere (margin of) 20 votes?
https://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/mere
"She lost the election by a mere 20 votes."
I don't understand why "a" is used before "votes", a plural noun.
Does it mean "a mere (margin of) 20 votes", where "margin" is singular?
Top answer
Interesting question. This pattern occurs when an adjective precedes a number: a mere 20 people a massive two thousand calories an impressive 78 new businesses The explanation for it is not very obvious to me. I do not perceive any implied words along the lines of your "margin of" suggestion.
- Interesting question.
- This pattern occurs when an adjective precedes a number: a mere 20 people a massive two thousand calories an impressive 78 new businesses The explanation for it is not very obvious to me.
- I do not perceive any implied words along the lines of your "margin of" suggestion.
- " / "A mere twenty" is possible, I wondered whether the article belonged to the number, but in the full phrases it doesn't really feel that way to me.
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Interesting question. This pattern occurs when an adjective precedes a number:
a mere 20 people
a massive two thousand calories
an impressive 78 new businesses
The explanation for it is not very obvious to me. I do not perceive any implied words along the lines of your "margin of" suggestion. Since something like
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