The hair on his legs stands on end...

[nq:1]or is it The hair on his legs stand on end... or The hairs on his legs stand on end...[/nq]
Grammatically, it would have to be one these:
The hair on his legs stands on end.
The hairs on his legs stand on end.
In the first, "hair" is a mass noun and takes a singular verb.

In the second, "hairs" is plural.
The second one is probably better, but out of
context,

[nq:2]or is it The hair on his legs stand on end... or The hairs on his legs stand on end...[/nq]
[nq:1]Grammatically, it would have to be one these: The hair on his legs stands on end. The hairs on his ... the second, "hairs" is plural. The second one is probably better, but out of context, it is difficult to say.[/nq]
If called upon for a ruling, I'd say that when it's the hair of your h

[nq:2]Grammatically, it would have to be one these: The hair ... better, but out of context, it is difficult to say.[/nq]
[nq:1]If called upon for a ruling, I'd say that when it's the hair of your head, it's "my hair stood ... "The hairs on my xx stood on end". Most commonly, I think, "The hairs on the back of my neck...".[/nq]
I think with "palms" though, it's in the mass-noun category.

[nq:2]If called upon for a ruling, I'd say that when ... I think, "The hairs on the back of my neck...".[/nq]
[nq:1]I think with "palms" though, it's in the mass-noun category.[/nq]
No time to debate that.
Mike.

[nq:2]I think with "palms" though, it's in the mass-noun category.[/nq]
[nq:1]No time to debate that.[/nq]
"I'm pleased to see that hairy palms are not a sign of lycanthropy," he growled.

wrmst rgrds
Robin Bignall
Hertfordshire
England

[nq:1]Wait! What was that thing Einstein told Alistair Cooke about shaving in cold water? Or have I got it totally garbled? (And did the beloved, if sometimes irritating, Cooke ever actually meet these people anyhow? My already enormous admiration would only increase.)[/nq]
What was that thing E told AC about s in cw? Google let me down.

Edward

The reading group's reading gro

[nq:2]Wait! What was that thing Einstein told Alistair Cooke about ... these people anyhow? My already enormous admiration would only increase.)[/nq]
[nq:1]What was that thing E told AC about s in cw? Google let me down. Edward[/nq]
I'm a ****** sight less reliable even than Google on some things; but I thought I gathered it was something to do with cold water erecting the follicles more t

The more I think about it, the less happy I am with the idea of a hair standing on end. A domino can stand on end, though not without assistance, because it has two ends; but surely a hair has only one end plus a root. Once it is cut it has two ends, obviously (there's a riddle here somewhere), but then it can't stand on end because it is dead and, after the passing of any rigor mortis such as hai

[nq:2] What was that thing E told AC about s in cw? Google let me down. Edward[/nq]
[nq:1]I'm a ****** sight less reliable even than Google on some things; but I thought I gathered it was something ... I await confirmation or squelching, with an equanimity born of sincere interest and beardedness. "...those two impostors just the same."[/nq]
Surely Mr Cooke was not too blinded by the celeb

[nq:2] What was that thing E told AC about s in cw? Google let me down. Edward[/nq]
[nq:1]I'm a ****** sight less reliable even than Google on some things; but I thought I gathered it was something ... I await confirmation or squelching, with an equanimity born of sincere interest and beardedness. "...those two impostors just the same."[/nq]
It seems to make sense, since coldness causes yo