INTRANSITIVE • DICCIONARIO INGLES.COM • Definition of Intransitive

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adjective

Intransitive adj.

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."

(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.

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Etymology of 'Intransitive'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Intransitive" Quotes from Famous Books

... that fantastic thought, upon the point of retiring. He took up, as was his habit, one of the books on his table, in order to read a few pages, when once in bed. He had thus within his reach the works by which he strengthened his doctrine of intransitive intellectuality; they were Goethe's Memoirs; a volume of George Sand's correspondence, in which were the letters to Flaubert; the 'Discours de la Methode' by Descartes, and the essay by Burckhart on ...

— Cosmopolis, Complete • Paul Bourget

... the word is not elsewhere found intransitive, yet it is rather difficult to supply {tous Athenaious}. Some alterations have been proposed, ...

— The History Of Herodotus - Volume 2 (of 2) • Herodotus

... Past Tense Past Participle Transitive and Intransitive Verbs Active and Passive Voice Mode Forms of the Subjunctive Use of Indicative and Subjunctive Agreement of Verb with its Subject Rules Governing Agreement of the Verb Miscellaneous Cautions Use of Shall and Will Use of Should and ...

— Practical Grammar and Composition • Thomas Wood

... fall in Leaves fall, do not represent the act as passing over to a receiver, and all that express mere being or state of being are called Intransitive Verbs. ...

— Higher Lessons in English • Alonzo Reed and Brainerd Kellogg