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Ok, check this dictionary

[uncountable, plural] feeling (for somebody/something) sympathy or love for somebody/something

You have no feeling for the sufferings of others.

I still have feelings for her (= feel attracted to her in a romantic way).

Ok, it says "uncountable, plural" but the structure is in singular "feeling". Also, example is in singular "no feeling" not "no feelings"

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  • 1
    You should add a link to the dictionary lookup you did. This word as a number of definitions.
    – user3169
    Feb 12, 2017 at 1:38
  • The dictionary just means either uncountable or plural.
    – James K
    Dec 2, 2022 at 21:17

2 Answers 2

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"Having feelings for" a person is an idiom, which means that you are romantically interested in the person you are speaking about.

You would not say it if you merely sympathized, or understood them, it's only for romantic interest.

It's always used in the plural, in this idiom. That signals that it's about romantic feelings, as in your second use example, and not about empathy, as in the first.

On the other hand, in the first example, the noun is uncountable, and not plural.

This means that a singular form is used to represent a quantity that is not discrete - there is not a number that describes "how many". For example:

Bring a jug with some water in it, please.

This is a singular form. It does not make sense to ask "how many waters" are in the jug. The water is uncountable.

You have no feeling for the sufferings of others.

"Feeling" here is a singular form. It does not make sense to ask "how many feelings for the suffering of others" the listener has. So the feeling is uncountable.

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See feeling. In your examples:

You have no feeling for the sufferings of others.

Use def. 4 -

uncountable noun
Feeling is a way of thinking and reacting to things which is emotional and not planned rather than logical and practical.
He was prompted to a rare outburst of feeling.

and

I still have feelings for her.

Use def. 1 -

countable noun
A feeling is an emotion, such as anger or happiness.
He was unable to contain his own destructive feelings.

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