Definition of “verb” - English Dictionary

American

“verb” in English

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verbnoun [ C ]

uk ​ /vɜːb/ us ​ /vɝːb/

Grammar

Compound verbsCompound verbs are two words which combine to make one meaning. The first word is usually a noun, an adjective or a preposition, and the second word is a verb. The words are sometimes written as one word and sometimes joined by hyphens. A good learner’s dictionary will tell you how the compound is normally written: …
Verbs: types …
Main verbsMain verbs have meanings related to actions, events and states. Most verbs in English are main verbs: …
Linking verbsSome main verbs are called linking verbs (or copular verbs). These verbs are not followed by objects. Instead, they are followed by phrases which give extra information about the subject (e.g. noun phrases, adjective phrases, adverb phrases or prepositional phrases). Linking verbs include: …
Auxiliary verbsThere are three auxiliary verbs in English: be, do and have. Auxiliary verbs come before main verbs. …
Modal verbsThe main modal verbs are: …
State and action verbsA verb refers to an action, event or state. …
VerbsVerbs are one of the four major word classes, along with nouns, adjectives and adverbs. A verb refers to an action, event or state. …
Verb phrasesA verb phrase consists of a main verb alone, or a main verb plus any modal and/or auxiliary verbs. The main verb always comes last in the verb phrase: …
Verbs: basic forms …
Simple verb phrasesA simple verb phrase consists of a main verb. The verb in a simple verb phrase shows the type of clause (e.g. declarative, imperative): …
Complex verb phrasesA complex verb phrase may include one modal verb and one or more auxiliary verbs before the main verb. A modal verb always comes before any auxiliary verbs: …
Verbs and verb phrases: typical errors …
Verbs: the three basic formsMain verbs have three basic forms: the base form, the past form and the -ed form (sometimes called the ‘-ed participle’): …
Regular verbsMost verbs in English are regular. Regular verbs add -ing to the base form to make the -ing form, and -ed to the base form to make the past simple and the -ed form. …
Irregular verbsIrregular verbs follow the same rules as regular verbs for the present simple but have different forms for the past simple and the -ed form. …
Verbs: formation …
Identifying verbsIt is not always possible to identify a verb by its form. However, some word-endings (suffixes) can show that the word is probably a verb. …

(Definition of “verb” from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

“verb” in American English

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verbnoun [ C ]

us ​ /vɜrb/

› grammar a word or phrase that describes an action, condition, or experience:

"Run," "keep," and "feel" are all verbs.

(Definition of “verb” from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

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