A few years ago in printed literature, when it came to female charms, their name was used in the singular - "chest". However, today quite often the plural - “breasts” has been used. In this regard, many are wondering: "How to: chest or chest?". Let's figure it out.
What does the word breast mean?
Before solving this dilemma (“How to write: breasts or breasts?”), It is worth learning about the meaning of the considered noun in the singular.
So, it calls not only one of the mammary glands of a woman, but also directly the very upper part of the front side of the body, and in men too. For fashion designers, the upper part of some clothes, both male and female, is called breast. Thus, it turns out that the word under study is actively used in three meanings.
The term "breasts" (which is the plural of the noun "breasts") can be used only when it comes to female mammary glands. In the remaining two cases, it is not applicable.
Synonyms
Before you figure out the question “how to write: breasts or breasts?”, It is worth learning about synonyms for these words. Since it is with their help it is sometimes easier to understand which option is better to use.
Depending on the connotation of meaning, a lot of synonyms can be selected for the noun "breast". However, not all of them can be used in print. So, according to the rules of an official business style, as well as in a decent society, it is customary to use only options: “bust”, “chest” and “mammary glands”. However, only the 1st and 3rd are applicable to the word “breasts”.
They just discuss this, no doubt, beautiful part of the female body, not only the intelligentsia, but also the less cultured layers of the population, who often use synonyms such as "boobs", "boobs", "boobs" and similar words formed from the first two options.
We speak and write correctly: breasts or breasts?
So, now it’s worth moving on to the main issue of the bust. Namely, how to speak and write correctly: “breast” or “breast”.
According to modern norms of the Russian language, both options are acceptable, however, they are not always interchangeable.
For example: "This magnificent / magnificent breasts / breasts aroused / aroused admiration of everyone who had occasion to see her / them at least briefly." In this case, the meaning of the sentence does not change, regardless of which of the options it contains - chest or chest. However, this is not always the case.
When only the word "breast" is used
Having learned that modern norms allow you to use both nouns in speech, it is worthwhile to understand that in some cases you still have to choose what to write: chest or chest.
If we are talking about the chest in general (and not about female charms, in particular), "breast" is necessarily written.
For example: "I enjoyed breathing the fresh morning air with full breasts." In this example, it is clear that we are talking about a man (who a priori cannot have breasts if he is not a transvestite, of course). However, even if the proposal referred to a female person, anyway, the use of the “breast” option would have looked ridiculous: “I enjoyed breathing fresh morning air with full breasts.” In this case, the very meaning of the sentence changes, and we are not talking about a deep breath, but about magnificent forms.
Also in the dilemma: “breasts or breasts” , the first option should be preferred if we are talking about the upper part of clothes, since the word “breasts” is not used in this meaning: “Her dress was decorated with elegant delicate embroidery on her chest”.
If the proposal refers to one of the mammary glands, the singular is also used: "To feed the baby, the mother took out one breast first, and then the second."
When the use of the "chest" option is relevant
There are also cases where the plural use of the word in question is justified.
This is when it is said directly about female charms, and in the plural. For example: "The chests of the statue were fashioned so skillfully that it seemed, touching them, one could hear the beat of the heart of Venus."
In fact, in all cases when the term under study can be replaced by the synonyms "boobs" or "boobs" without losing meaning - the use of the plural is relevant.
Another case where the use of “breasts” is justified is when it comes to the plural: “She exposed her breasts to try on a new bra.”
Cases where both options are valid
There are sentences in which you can use both nouns to your taste. And then you do not need to choose how to say it correctly: breasts or breasts, since both options are acceptable. This is when it comes to the female breast as a part of the body, without any sexual connotation.
For example: “At the end of the examination, the doctor decided to examine the patient’s chest / breasts.” Of course, the option with "breasts" cuts the ear, but it is acceptable.
By the way, in order to understand that we are faced with just such a case, it is necessary to replace the breast or breast with the synonym "bust". If the meaning is not lost, then both options are acceptable. For example: "To build self-confidence, every woman must learn to love everything in herself: from the shape of the nails on her toes to the chest / breasts (bust)."