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more about infinitive
infinitive |
4 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Infinitive \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). From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Infinitive \In*fin"i*tive\, n. (Gram.) An infinitive form of the verb a verb in the infinitive mood; the infinitive mood. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Infinitive \In*fin"i*tive\, adv (Gram.) In the manner of an infinitive mood. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: infinitive adj 1: formed with the infinitive; "an infinitive phrase" 2: not having inflections to indicate tense [syn: {uninflected}] n : the uninflected form of the verb
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