About The Word Infinitive
Learn about the word Infinitive to help solve your crossword puzzle. Discover Infinitive definitions and meaning, origins, synonyms, related terms and more at the free Crossword Dictionary.
Infinitive
Infinitive Definition And Meaning |
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What's The Definition Of Infinitive?
[n] the uninflected form of the verb
[adj] not having inflections to indicate tense [adj] formed with the infinitive; "an infinitive phrase" Synonyms | Synonyms for Infinitive: infinite | non-finite Related Terms | Find terms related to Infinitive: See Also | split infinitive | verb Infinitive In Webster's Dictionary \In*fin"i*tive\, n. [L. infinitivus: cf. F.
infinitif. See {Infinite}.]
Unlimited; not bounded or restricted; undefined.
{Infinitive mood} (Gram.), that form of the verb which merely
names the action, and performs the office of a verbal
noun. Some grammarians make two forms in English: ({a})
The simple form, as, speak, go, hear, before which to is
commonly placed, as, to speak; to go; to hear. ({b}) The
form of the imperfect participle, called the infinitive in
-ing; as, going is as easy as standing.
Note: With the auxiliary verbs may, can, must, might, could,
would, and should, the simple infinitive is expressed
without to; as, you may speak; they must hear, etc. The
infinitive usually omits to with the verbs let, dare,
do, bid, make, see, hear, need, etc.; as, let me go;
you dare not tell; make him work; hear him talk, etc.
Note: In Anglo-Saxon, the simple infinitive was not preceded
by to (the sign of modern simple infinitive), but it
had a dative form (sometimes called the gerundial
infinitive) which was preceded by to, and was chiefly
employed in expressing purpose. See {Gerund}, 2.
Note: The gerundial ending (-anne) not only took the same
form as the simple infinitive (-an), but it was
confounded with the present participle in -ende, or
-inde (later -inge).
\In*fin"i*tive\, n. (Gram.) An infinitive form of the verb; a verb in the infinitive mood; the infinitive mood. \In*fin"i*tive\, adv. (Gram.) In the manner of an infinitive mood. |
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