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verbal

Pronunciation: /ˈvəːb(ə)l/

Translate verbal | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of verbal

adjective

  • 1relating to or in the form of words:the root of the problem is visual rather than verbal verbal abuse
  • spoken rather than written; oral:a verbal agreement
  • tending to talk a lot:he’s very verbal
  • 2 Grammar relating to or derived from a verb:a verbal adjective

noun

  • 1 Grammar a word or words functioning as a verb.
  • a verbal noun.
  • 2 [mass noun] (also verbals) British informal abuse; insults:just a bit of air-wave verbals
  • 3 (verbals) informal the lyrics of a song or the dialogue of a film: it is the responsibility of the directors to do better with the verbals
  • 4 (usually verbals) British informal a verbal statement containing a damaging admission alleged to have been made to the police, and offered as evidence by the prosecution.

verb (verbals, verballing, verballed)

[with object] British informal
  • attribute a damaging statement to (a suspect), especially dishonestly.

Derivatives

verbally

adverb

Origin:

late 15th century (describing a person who deals with words rather than things): from French, or from late Latin verbalis, from verbum 'word' (see verb)

It is sometimes said that the true sense of the adjective verbal is ‘of or concerned with words’, whether spoken or written (as in verbal abuse), and that it should not be used to mean ‘spoken rather than written’ (as in a verbal agreement). For this sense, it is said that the adjective oral should be used instead. In practice, however, verbal is well established in this sense and, in certain idiomatic phrases (such as a verbal agreement), cannot be simply replaced by oral.

verbal in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of verbal in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

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