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infinitive

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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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