representing OE. sum after numerals in the genitive plural: see SOME indef. pron. 3. In ME. the inflexion disappeared, and the pronoun was finally treated as a suffix to the numeral, chiefly with the simple numbers from two to ten; for the history of these see TWOSOME, THREESOME, etc. Other examples are rare, and the some may be written as a separate word.
In OS. and OFris. sum was similarly used with the gen. pl., as OS. fahora sum (one of a few), OFris. twira-, thrira-, fiuwerasum, etc.; the latter are still represented by WFris. tware-, trijere-, fjouweresom, etc.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 5233. Quen þai war gedir al to-gedir, Sex and sexti sum o liues Þai war.
c. 1400. Brut, 236. And also he commandede … þat þai shulde bene put in tuentysome and in hundredsome.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, IX. 440. Off Scottis men thai semblyt hastely Nyne hundyr sum off worthi chewalry.
