In the 18th century, the Swedish government made coffee and its paraphernalia (including cups and dishes) illegal for its supposed ties to rebellious sentiment.
INFINITIVE
infinitive
(noun) the uninflected form of the verb
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Noun
infinitive (plural infinitives)
(grammar) the infinitive mood or mode (a grammatical mood)
• s.a, Henry Tindall, A grammar and vocabulary of the Namaqua-Hottentot language, p. 38
(grammar) A non-finite verb form considered neutral with respect to inflection; depending on language variously found used with auxiliary verbs, in subordinate clauses, or acting as a gerund, and often as the dictionary form.
(grammar) A verbal noun formed from the infinitive of a verb.
Hypernyms
• (mood or mode): grammatical mood, mood, mode
• (verb (form)): verb
Adjective
infinitive (not comparable)
(grammar) Formed with the infinitive.
Unlimited; not bounded or restricted; undefined.
Source: Wiktionary
In*fin"i*tive, n. Etym: [L. infinitivus: cf. F. infinitif. See Infinite.]
Definition: 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).
In*fin"i*tive, n. (Gram.)
Definition: An infinitive form of the verb; a verb in the infinitive mood; the infinitive mood.
In*fin"i*tive, adv. (Gram.)
Definition: In the manner of an infinitive mood.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
Recent Word Finds
Word of the Day
13 May 2025
DAZED
(adjective) in a state of mental numbness especially as resulting from shock; “he had a dazed expression on his face”; “lay semiconscious, stunned (or stupefied) by the blow”; “was stupid from fatigue”
Coffee Trivia
