Bryson•s Dictionary for Writers and Editors

possible / Poulters’ Company � 273
ticularly frequent with words like men’s, women’s, and children’s,
which all too often appear as mens’, womens’, and
childrens’.
2. Failure to put an apostrophe in at all. This practice—spelling
the words mens, womens, and childrens and so on—is particularly
rife among retailers. It is painful enough to behold
there, inexcusable elsewhere.
3. Putting an apostrophe where none is needed. Possessive
pronouns—his, hers, ours, theirs, and so on—do not take an
apostrophe. But sometimes one is wrongly inserted, as
here: “I don’t think much of your’s” (Independent headline).
(See also “ours is not to reason why . ..”)
possible is wrongly followed by may in constructions such as the
following: “It is possible that she may decide to go after all”
(Daily Telegraph). Make it either “It is possible that she will decide
to go after all” or “She may decide to go after all.” Together
the two words are wrong and unnecessary.
posthaste. (One word.) With speed.
posthumous. After death.
postilion.
postmeridian, post meridiem. The first means related to or happening
in the afternoon. The second, also pertaining to the period after
noon, is the Latin term better known to most of us as the abbreviation
p.m. Note the different terminal spellings.
postpartum. After birth.
postprandial. After dinner.
potage. Soup.
potpourri, pl. potpourris.
Poughkeepsie, New York.
Poulenc, Francis. (1899–1963) French composer.
Poulters’ Company. London livery company; not Poulterers’.