Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Intransitive?

\In*tran"si*tive\, a. [L. intransitivus: cf. F. intransitif. See {In-} not, and {Transitive}.] 1. Not passing farther; kept; detained. [R.] And then it is for the image's sake and so far is intransitive; but whatever is paid more to the image is transitive and passes further. --Jer. Taylor. 2. (Gram.) Not transitive; not passing over to an object; expressing an action or state that is limited to the agent or subject, or, in other words, an action which does not require an object to complete the sense; as, an intransitive verb, e. g., the bird flies; the dog runs. Note: Intransitive verbs have no passive form. Some verbs which appear at first sight to be intransitive are in reality, or were originally, transitive verbs with a reflexive or other object omitted; as, he keeps (i. e., himself) aloof from danger. Intransitive verbs may take a noun of kindred signification for a cognate object; as, he died the death of a hero; he dreamed a dream. Some intransitive verbs, by the addition of a preposition, become transitive, and so admit of a passive voice; as, the man laughed at; he was laughed at by the man.