She would have the brains for this murder...
In Agatha Christie's graded version of "The Dead On The Nile" I quite often found an expression whose meaning I understand. But I wonder, why she used the plural form of "brain" - brainS:
"She would have the brains for this murder, and the motive."
Is this plural form of "brain" in common use currently? Or is it an expression that has become extinct in the run of the years? Any idea, why here is used the plural form? Of course, we have a forebrain, hindbrain etc. Does the term refer to the perfect collaboration of those BRAINS, often summed up with intelligence or cleverness?
On "Pain In The English", I read several attempts of explanations, among them pretty adventurous references to size and weight of female brains. But they were not really helpful.
It's just my curiosity...
Thank you for your help.
Search from various English teachers...
Answers · 14
3
We generally use 'brain' to refer to the actual organ and 'brains' to mean intelligence.
1
"Brains" as used in that context, is informal/slang. I'm sure you have already inferred the meaning.
In formal or academic writtings, you should never use the word "brains" in such a manner.
Do not be confused as to why the author uses it though, the words weren't hers, but the words of the character speaking, the author was conveying that whoever was speaking, was speaking informally.
0
Thank you too, Yelena and Iskander. You can be sure I always use several dictionaries before I ask such questions. I have learned: The different use of "brain - brains" does mean different things. One the one hand, it refers to an organ, also (colloquial in the plural) to the "contents of a person's skull" (I love this explanation); on the other hand, it sums up a person's intelligence or cleverness. Very helpful, thank you all. In the end, it is a CONVENTION and not questionable.
brain - concrete noun (organ)
brains - abstract noun (the most intelligent person, a very intelligent person).
Edited for more clarity.
0
You are pretty on point with your own idea: " ...often summed up with intelligence or cleverness?".
By my knowing;
" She would have the brains for this murder " in your example, is an expression.
" Having the brains to do something " is a way of saying: I, he, she or it is smart enough to come up with a certain something and execute it. It is a way of suggesting a living thing has the intelligence to do, or think of, certain actions, ideas, etc. Like the example up next,
Example: Question "Do you think she can do the task given?" Answer " She certainly has the brains for it!" ( "She" can be replaced for he, it, they, etc.)
I used " suggesting" here, because it is, in essence, a guess whether or not the person, animal/insect or plant even, really does have the intelligence to come up with certain ideas or execute certain actions.
-Any real teacher can come in and correct me on this, I am not a teacher here.
0
Su.Ki.'s explanation is completely convincing. Thank you, Yelena.
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