Singular
A Law Dictionary, Adapted to the Constitution and Laws of the United States · John Bouvier · 1839
A Law Dictionary, Adapted to the Constitution and Laws of the United States
construction. In grammar the singular is expressing only one, not plural.
Johnson.
In law, the singular frequently includes the plural. A bequest to "my nearest relation," for example, will be considered as a bequest to all the relations in the same degree, who are nearest to the testator.
1 Ves. Sen. 337; 1 Bro. C. C. 293.
A bequest made to "my heir," by a person who had three heirs, will be construed in the plural.
4 Russ. C. C. 384.
The same rule obtains in the civil law: In usu juris frequenter uti nos singulari appellatione, cum plura significari vellemus. Real estate has always a fixed situs, while personal estate has no such fixed situs; the law rei sitae regulates real but not the personal estate.
Story, Confl. of Laws, § 379.