Nouns are just names. A noun is the name of a thing. They are, as for most languages, the basis of the English language.

A Noun is the name of any person, place, or thing, that can be known or mentioned: as, George, York, man, apple, truth.

An example of a noun is the word "chair", as in the sentence "I sat on the chair." The word "chair" can be associated to a well known thing but a noun is a language aspect and the word is the noun.

There are different groups of nouns:

• Common Nouns; "chair"
• Proper Nouns; "Fred"
• Collective nouns; "gaggle"
• Abstract nouns; "love"

Each of these different groups of nouns has different properties, each making them different in how we use them.

So nouns are names of objects, places, people and things. They're used with adjectives> to describe something, and with verbs to show an action.

• Common nouns; objects, like the word chair, for example. These are generally things we can see, touch and feel. Example: I sat at the table.

A common noun is the name of a sort, kind, or class, of beings or things; as, Beast, bird, fish, insect, creatures, persons, children.

• Proper nouns; names of places, people and dates. Almost always have a capital letter on their first letter. Example: Timmy is not someone to be toyed with.

A proper noun is the name of some particular individual, or people, or group; as, Adam, Boston, the Hudson, the Romans, the Azores, the Alps.

• Collective nouns; naming a group of objects as one group, giving it a name. Example: They are a group.

A collective noun, or noun of multitude, is the name of many individuals together; as, Council, meeting, committee, flock.

• Abstract nouns; Names things that we can't touch or see, but are there all the same. Example: I think I've fallen in love!

An abstract noun is the name of some particular quality considered apart from its substance; as, Goodness, hardness, pride, frailty.

• A verbal or participial noun is the name of some action, or state of being; and is formed from a verb, like a participle, but employed as a noun: as,

"The triumphing of the wicked is short."--Job, xx, 5.

• A thing sui generis, (i. e., of its own peculiar kind,) is something which is distinguished, not as an individual of a species, but as a sort by itself, without plurality in either the noun or the sort of thing; as, Galvanism, music, geometry.

Adjectives made nouns.

"The Ancient of days did sit."--Bible.

"Of the ancients."--Swift.

"For such impertinents."--Steele.

"He is an ignorant in it."--Id.

"In the luxuriance of an unbounded picturesque."--Jamieson.

"A source of the sublime;"--Burke.

"The vast immense of space:"--Murray.

"There is none his like."--Job, xli, 33.

"A little more than a little, is by much too much."--Shakspeare.

"And gladly make much of that entertainment."--Sidney.

"A covetous man makes the most of what he has."--L'Estrange.

"It has done enough for me."--Pope.

"He had enough to do."--Bacon.

"All withers here; who most possess, are losers by their gain, Stung by full proof, that bad at best, life's idle all is vain." --Young.

"Nor grudge I thee the much the Grecians give, Nor murm'ring take the little I receive." --Dryden.

Pronouns made nouns.

"A love of seeing the what and how of all about him."--STORY'S LIFE OF FLAXMAN: Pioneer, Vol. i, p. 133.

"The nameless HE, whose nod is Nature's birth."--Young, Night iv.

"I was wont to load my she with knacks."--Shak. Winter's Tale.

"Or any he, the proudest of thy sort."--Shak.

"I am the happiest she in Kent."--Steele.

"The shes of Italy."--Shak.

"The hes in birds."--Bacon.

"We should soon have as many hes and shes as the French."--Cobbet's E. Gram., Para. 42.

"If, for instance, we call a nation a she, or the sun a he."--Ib., Para. 198.

"When I see many its in a page, I always tremble for the writer."--Ib., Para. 196.

"Let those two questionary petitioners try to do this with their whos and their whiches."--SPECT: Ash's Gr., p. 131.

"Such mortal drugs I have; but Mantua's law Is death to any he that utters them."--Shak.

Verbs made nouns.

"Avaunt all attitude, and stare, and start theatric."--Cowper.

"A may-be of mercy is sufficient."--Bridge.

"Which cuts are reckoned among the fractures."--Wiseman.

"The officer erred in granting a permit."

"Feel darts and charms, attracts and flames."--Hudibras.

"You may know by the falling off of the come, or sprout."--Mortimer.

"And thou hast talk'd of sallies and retires."--Shak.

"For all that else did come, were sure to fail; Yet would he further none, but for avail."--Spenser.

Participles made nouns.

"For the producing of real happiness."--Crabb.

"For the crying of the poor and the sighing of the needy, I will arise."--Bible.

"Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood; so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife."--Prov., xxx, 33.

"Reading, writing, and ciphering, are indispensable to civilized man."

"Hence was invented the distinction between doing and permitting."--Calvin's Inst., p. 131.

"Knowledge of the past comes next."--Hermes, p. 113.

"I am my beloved's, and his desire is toward me."--Sol. Song, vii, 10.

"Here's--a simple coming-in for one man."--Shak.

"What are thy rents? What are thy comings-in? O Ceremony, show me but thy worth."--Id.

Adverbs made nouns.

"In these cases we examine the why, the what, and the how of things."--L'Estrange.

"If a point or now were extended, each of them would contain within itself infinite other points or nows."--Hermes, p. 101.

"The why is plain as way to parish church."--Shak.

"'Tis Heaven itself that points out an hereafter."--Addison.

"The dread of a hereafter."--Fuller.

"The murmur of the deep amen."--Sir W. Scott.

"For their whereabouts lieth in a mystery."--Book of Thoughts, p. 14. Better.

"Bid them farewell, Cordelia, though unkind; Thou losest here, a better where to find."--Shak.

Conjunctions made nouns.

"The if, which is here employed, converts the sentence into a supposition."--Blair's Rhet.

"Your if is the only peacemaker; much virtue is in if."--Shak.

"So his Lordship decreed with a grave solemn tone, Decisive and clear, without one if or but-- That whenever the Nose put his spectacles on, By daylight or candlelight--Eyes should be shut."--Cowper.

Prepositions made nouns.

"O, not like me; for mine's beyond beyond."--Shakspeare: Cymb., iii, 2.

"I. e., her longing is further than beyond; beyond any thing that desire can be said to be beyond."--Singer's Notes.

"You whirled them to the back of beyont to look at the auld Roman camp."-- Antiquary, i. 37.

Interjections or phrases made nouns.

"Come away from all the lo-heres! and lo-theres!"--Sermon.

"Will cuts him short with a 'What then?'"--Addison.

"With hark and whoop, and wild halloo."--Scott.

"And made a pish at chance and sufferance."--Shak.

"A single look more marks th' internal wo, Than all the windings of the lengthen'd oh."--Lloyd.

Modifications.

Nouns have modifications of four kinds; namely, Persons, Numbers, Genders, and Cases.

Numbers.

Numbers, in grammar, are modifications that distinguish unity and plurality.

There are two numbers; the singular and the plural.

The singular number is that which denotes but one; as, "The boy learns."

The plural number is that which denotes more than one; as, "The boys learn."

The plural number of nouns is regularly formed by adding s or es to the singular: as, book, books; box, boxes; sofa, sofas; hero, heroes.

When the singular ends in a sound which will unite with that of s, the plural is generally formed by adding s only, and the number of syllables is not increased: as, pen, pens; grape, grapes.

But when the sound of s cannot be united with that of the primitive word, the regular plural adds s to final e, and es to other terminations, and forms a separate syllable: as, page, pages; fox, foxes.

Plurals in meaning and form: analects, annals, archives, ashes, assets, billiards, bowels, breeches, calends, cates, chops, clothes, compasses, crants, eaves, embers, estovers, forceps, giblets, goggles, greaves, hards or hurds, hemorrhoids, ides, matins, nippers, nones, obsequies, orgies, piles, pincers or pinchers, pliers, reins, scissors, shears, skittles, snuffers, spectacles, teens, tongs, trowsers, tweezers, umbles, vespers, victuals.

Plurals by formation, derived chiefly from adjectives: acoustics, aeronautics, analytics, bitters, catoptrics, commons, conics, credentials, delicates, dioptrics, economics, ethics, extraordinaries, filings, fives, freshes, glanders, gnomonics, goods, hermeneutics, hustings, hydrodynamics, hydrostatics, hydraulics, hysterics, inwards, leavings, magnetics, mathematics, measles, mechanics, mnemonics, merils, metaphysics, middlings, movables, mumps, nuptials, optics, phonics, phonetics, physics, pneumatics, poetics, politics, riches, rickets, settlings, shatters, skimmings, spherics, staggers, statics, statistics, stays, strangles, sundries, sweepings, tactics, thanks, tidings, trappings, vives, vitals, wages, withers, yellows.

Plurals by composition: backstairs, cocklestairs, firearms, headquarters, hotcockles, spatterdashes, self-affairs. To these may be added the Latin words, aborigines, antipodes, antes, antoeci, amphiscii, anthropophagi, antiscii, ascii, literati, fauces, regalia, and credenda, with the Italian vermicelli, and the French belles-lettres and entremets.

Of nouns in a, saliva, spittle, and scoria, dross, have no occasion for the plural; lamina, a thin plate, makes laminae; macula, a spot, maculae; minutia, a little thing, minutiae; nebula, a mist, nebulae; siliqua, a pod, siliqiuae. Dogma makes dogmas or dogmata; exanthema, exanthemas or exanthemata; miasm or miasma, miasms or miasmata; stigma, stigmas or stigmata.

Of nouns in um, some have no need of the plural; as, bdellium, decorum, elysium, equilibrium, guaiacum, laudanum, odium, opium, petroleum, serum, viaticum. Some form it regularly; as, asylums, compendiums, craniums, emporiums, encomiums, forums, frustums, lustrums, mausoleums, museums, pendulums, nostrums, rostrums, residuums, vacuums. Others take either the English or the Latin plural; as, desideratums or desiderata, mediums or media, menstruums or menstrua, memorandums or memoranda, spectrums or spectra, speculums or specula, stratums or strata, succedaneums or succedanea, trapeziums or trapezia, vinculums or vincula. A few seem to have the Latin plural only: as, arcanum, arcana; datum, data; effluvium, effluvia; erratum, errata; scholium, scholia.

Of nouns in us, a few have no plural; as, asparagus, calamus, mucus. Some have only the Latin plural, which usually changes us to i; as, alumnus, alumni; androgynus, androgyni; calculus, calculi; dracunculus, dracunculi; echinus, echini; magus, magi. But such as have properly become English words, may form the plural regularly in es; as, chorus, choruses: so, apparatus, bolus, callus, circus, fetus, focus, fucus, fungus, hiatus, ignoramus, impetus, incubus, isthmus, nautilus, nucleus, prospectus, rebus, sinus, surplus. Five of these make the Latin plural like the singular; but the mere English scholar has no occasion to be told which they are. Radius makes the plural radii or radiuses. Genius has genii, for imaginary spirits, and geniuses, for men of wit. Genus, a sort, becomes genera in Latin, and genuses in English. Denarius makes, in the plural, denarii or denariuses.

Of nouns in is, some are regular; as, trellis, trellises: so, annolis, butteris, caddis, dervis, iris, marquis, metropolis, portcullis, proboscis. Some seem to have no need of the plural; as, ambergris, aqua-fortis, arthritis, brewis, crasis, elephantiasis, genesis, orris, siriasis, tennis. But most nouns of this ending follow the Greek or Latin form, which simply changes is to =es: as, amanuensis, amanuenses; analysis, analyses; antithesis, antitheses; axis, axes; basis, bases; crisis, crises; diaeresis, diaereses; diesis, dieses; ellipsis, ellipses; emphasis, emphases; fascis, fasces; hypothesis, hypotheses; metamorphosis, metamorphoses; oasis, oases; parenthesis, parentheses; phasis, phases; praxis, praxes; synopsis, synopses; synthesis, syntheses; syrtis, syrtes; thesis, theses. In some, however, the original plural is not so formed; but is made by changing is to ~ides; as, aphis, aphides; apsis, apsides; ascaris, ascarides; bolis, bolides; cantharis, cantharides; chrysalis, chrysalides; ephemeris, ephemerides; epidermis, epidermides. So iris and proboscis, which we make regular; and perhaps some of the foregoing may be made so too. Fisher writes Praxises for praxes, though not very properly.

Of nouns in x, there are few, if any, which ought not to form the plural regularly, when used as English words; though the Latins changed x to ces, and ex to ices, making the i sometimes long and sometimes short: as, apex, apices, for apexes; appendix, appendices, for appendixes; calix, calices, for calixes; calx, calces, for calxes; calyx, calyces, for calyxes; caudex, caudices, for caudexes; cicatrix, cicatrices, for cicatrixes; helix, helices, for helixes; index, indices, for indexes; matrix, matrices, for matrixes; quincunx, quincunces, for quincunxes; radix, radices, for radixes; varix, varices, for varixes; vertex, vertices, for vertexes; vortex, vortices, for vortexes. Some Greek words in x change that letter to ges; as, larynx, larynges, for larinxes; phalanx, phalanges, for phalanxes. Billet-doux, from the French, is billets-doux in the plural.

Of nouns in on, derived from Greek, the greater part always form the plural regularly; as, etymons, gnomons, ichneumons, myrmidons, phlegmons, trigons, tetragons, pentagons, hexagons, heptagons, octagons, enneagons, decagons, hendecagons, dodecagons, polygons. So trihedrons, tetrahedrons, pentahedrons, &c., though some say, these last may end in dra, which I think improper. For a few words of this class, however, there are double plurals in use; as, automata or atomatons, criteria or criterions, parhelia or parhelions; and the plural of phenomenon appears to be always phenomena.

The plural of legumen is legumens or legumina; of stamen, stamens or stamina: of cherub, cherubs or cherubim; of seraph, seraphs or seraphim; of beau, beaus or beaux; of bandit, bandits or banditti. The regular forms are in general preferable. The Hebrew plurals cherubim and seraphim, being sometimes mistaken for singulars, other plurals have been formed from them.

Genders.

Genders, in grammar, are modifications that distinguish objects in regard to sex.

There are three genders; the masculine, the feminine, and the neuter.

The masculine gender is that which denotes persons or animals of the male kind; as, man, father, king.

The feminine gender is that which denotes persons or animals of the female kind; as, woman, mother, queen.

The neuter gender is that which denotes things that are neither male nor female; as, pen, ink, paper.

Hence, names of males are masculine; names of females, feminine; and names of things inanimate, literally, neuter.

Masculine nouns make regular feminines, when their termination is changed to ess: as, hunter, huntress; prince, princess; lion, lioness.

In some instances the syllable ess is simply added: as, accuser, accuseress; advocate, advocatess; archer, archeress; author, authoress; avenger, avengeress; barber, barberess; baron, baroness; canon, canoness; cit, cittess; coheir, coheiress; count, countess; deacon, deaconess; demon, demoness; diviner, divineress; doctor, doctoress; giant, giantess; god, goddess; guardian, guardianess; Hebrew, Hebrewess; heir, heiress; herd, herdess; hermit, hermitess; host, hostess; Jesuit, Jesuitess; Jew, Jewess; mayor, mayoress; Moabite, Moabitess; monarch, monarchess; pape, papess; or, pope, popess; patron, patroness; peer, peeress; poet, poetess; priest, priestess; prior, prioress; prophet, prophetess; regent, regentess; saint, saintess; shepherd, shepherdess; soldier, soldieress; tailor, tailoress; viscount, viscountess; warrior, warrioress.

In other instances, the termination is changed, and there is no increase of syllables: as, abbot, abbess; actor, actress; adulator, adulatress; adulterer, adulteress; adventurer, adventuress; advoutrer, advoutress; ambassador, ambassadress; anchorite, anchoress; or, anachoret, anachoress; arbiter, arbitress; auditor, auditress; benefactor, benefactress; caterer, cateress; chanter, chantress; cloisterer, cloisteress; commander, commandress; conductor, conductress; creator, creatress; demander, demandress; detractor, detractress; eagle, eagless; editor, editress; elector, electress; emperor, emperess, or empress; emulator, emulatress; enchanter, enchantress; exactor, exactress; fautor, fautress; fornicator, fornicatress; fosterer, fosteress, or fostress; founder, foundress; governor, governess; huckster, huckstress; or, hucksterer, hucksteress; idolater, idolatress; inhabiter, inhabitress; instructor, instructress; inventor, inventress; launderer, launderess, or laundress; minister, ministress; monitor, monitress; murderer, murderess; negro, negress; offender, offendress; ogre, ogress; porter, portress; progenitor, progenitress; protector, protectress; proprietor, proprietress; pythonist, pythoness; seamster, seamstress; solicitor, solicitress; songster, songstress; sorcerer, sorceress; suitor, suitress; tiger, tigress; traitor, traitress; victor, victress; votary, votaress.

In a few instances the feminine is formed as in Latin, by changing or to rix; but some of these have also the regular form, which ought to be preferred: as, adjutor, adjutrix; administrator, administratrix; arbitrator, arbitratrix; coadjutor, coadjutrix; competitor, competitress, or competitrix; creditor, creditrix; director, directress, or directrix; executor, executress, or executrix; inheritor, inheritress, or inheritrix; mediator, mediatress, or mediatrix; orator, oratress, or oratrix; rector, rectress, or rectrix; spectator, spectatress, or spectatrix; testator, testatrix; tutor, tutoress, or tutress, or tutrix; deserter, desertress, or desertrice, or desertrix.

The following are irregular words, in which the distinction of sex is chiefly made by the termination: amoroso, amorosa: archduke, archduchess; chamberlain, chambermaid; duke, duchess; gaffer, gammer; goodman, goody; hero, heroine; landgrave, landgravine; margrave, margravine; marquis, marchioness; palsgrave, palsgravine; sakeret, sakerhawk; sewer, sewster; sultan, sultana; tzar, tzarina; tyrant, tyranness; widower, widow.

Cases.

Cases, in grammar, are modifications that distinguish the relations of nouns or pronouns to other words.

There are three cases; the nominative, the possessive, and the objective.

The nominative case is that form or state of a noun or pronoun, which usually denotes the subject of a finite verb: as, The boy runs; I run.

The subject of a finite verb is that which answers to who or what before it; as, "The boy runs."--Who runs? "The boy." Boy is therefore here in the nominative case.

The possessive case is that form or state of a noun or pronoun, which usually denotes the relation of property: as, The boy's hat; my hat.

The possessive case of nouns is formed, in the singular number, by adding to the nominative s preceded by an apostrophe; and, in the plural, when the nominative ends in s, by adding an apostrophe only: as, singular, boy's; plural, boys';--sounded alike, but written differently.

The objective case is that form or state of a noun or pronoun which usually denotes the object of a verb, participle, or preposition: as, I know the boy, having seen him at school; and he knows me.

The object of a verb, participle, or preposition, is that which answers to whom or what after it; as, "I know the boy."--I know whom? "The boy." Boy is therefore here in the objective case.

The nominative and the objective of nouns, are always alike in form, being distinguishable from each other only by their place in a sentence, or by their simple dependence according to the sense.

The declension of nouns.

The declension of a noun is a regular arrangement of its numbers and cases. Thus:--

Sing. Nom.  friend,    Plur. Nom.  friends,
      Poss. friend's,        Poss. friends',
      Obj.  friend;          Obj.  friends.

Sing. Nom.  man,       Plur. Nom.  men,
      Poss. man's,           Poss. men's,
      Obj.  man;             Obj.  men.

Sing. Nom.  fox,       Plur. Nom.  foxes,
      Poss. fox's,           Poss. foxes', 
      Obj.  fox;             Obj.  foxes.

Sing. Nom.  fly,       Plur. Nom.  flies,
      Poss. fly's,           Poss. flies', 
      Obj.  fly;             Obj.  flies.

A part of the text in this article, was taken from the public domain English grammar "The Grammar of English Grammars" (http://www.gutenberg.net/etext/11615) by Goold Brown, 1851.