Verb
[vɜːb] or [vɝb]
Definition
(noun.) the word class that serves as the predicate of a sentence.
(noun.) a content word that denotes an action, occurrence, or state of existence.
Inputed by Cecile--From WordNet
Definition
(n.) A word; a vocable.
(n.) A word which affirms or predicates something of some person or thing; a part of speech expressing being, action, or the suffering of action.
Typist: Nola
Definition
n. (gram.) the part of speech which asserts or predicates something.—adj. Ver′bal relating to or consisting in words: spoken (as opposed to written): exact in words: attending to words only: literal word for word: derived directly from a verb.—n. a part of speech a noun derived from a verb.—n. Verbalisā′tion.—v.t. Ver′balise to turn into a verb.—ns. Ver′balism something expressed in words or orally; Ver′balist one skilled in words: a literalist; Verbal′ity.—adv. Ver′bally.—ns. Verbā′rian a coiner of words; Verbā′rium a game played with the letters of the alphabet.—adv. Verbā′tim word for word: (Shak.) orally verbally.—ns. Ver′biāge abundance of words: wordiness: verbosity; Ver′bicide the perversion of a word as if the killing of its natural meaning: one who so mangles words a punster; Ver′biculture the deliberate cultivation or production of words; Verbificā′tion the act of verbifying.—v.t. Ver′bify to verbalise.—ns. Verbigerā′tion the morbid and purposeless repetition of certain words and phrases at short intervals; Ver′bo-mā′niac one crazy about words and their study a dictionary-maker.—adj. Verbōse′ containing more words than are necessary: wordy: diffuse.—adv. Verbōse′ly.—ns. Verbōse′ness Verbos′ity.—Verbal definition a definition intended to state the meaning of a word apart from the essence of the thing signified; Verbal inspiration that view which regards Holy Scripture as literally inspired; Verbal note in diplomacy an unsigned memorandum calling attention to a neglected though perhaps not urgent matter.
Checked by Barlow
Examples
- It is a volonte de pouvoir, if you like, a will to ability, taking pouvoir as a verb. D. H. Lawrence. Women in Love .
- Why verb active, Mary Anne? Charles Dickens. Our Mutual Friend.
- Other is indicative mood, present tense, third person plural, verb active to say. Charles Dickens. Our Mutual Friend.
- And then there is box, the verb, meaning to fight with fists. H. G. Wells. The Outline of History_Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind.
- Verb neuter, not to care. Charles Dickens. Hard Times.
- When at last I dozed, in sheer exhaustion of mind and body, it became a vast shadowy verb which I had to conjugate. Charles Dickens. Great Expectations.
- Why should every man decline the whole verb. D. H. Lawrence. Women in Love .
- Mrs Merdle's verbs were so pressingly presented to Mr Merdle to conjugate, that his sluggish blood and his long coat-cuffs became quite agitated. Charles Dickens. Little Dorrit.
- Of the meaning and use of the articles and conjunctions, verbs and adverbs and pronouns he had but the faintest conception. Edgar Rice Burroughs. Tarzan of the Apes.
- It's like verbs in an exercise. Charles Dickens. Our Mutual Friend.
- It is the German who is so uncourteous to his verbs. Arthur Conan Doyle. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.
Edited by Ervin