verbal
AdjectiveWordNet 3.0
Adjective (6)
- communicated in the form of words“verbal imagery”“a verbal protest”
- of or relating to or formed from words in general“verbal ability”
- of or relating to or formed from a verb“verbal adjectives like `running' in `hot and cold running water'”
- relating to or having facility in the use of words“a good poet is a verbal artist”“a merely verbal writer who sacrifices content to sound”“verbal aptitude”
- expressed in spoken words“a verbal contract”
- prolix“you put me to forget a lady's manners by being so verbal — Shakespeare”
Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)
1.Expressed in words, whether spoken or written, but commonly in spoken words; hence, spoken; oral; not written; as, a verbal contract; verbal testimony. [1913 Webster]
Made she no verbal question?— Shak.[1913 Webster]
We subjoin an engraving . . . which will give the reader a far better notion of the structure than any verbal description could convey to the mind.— Mayhew.[1913 Webster]
2.Consisting in, or having to do with, words only; dealing with words rather than with the ideas intended to be conveyed; as, a verbal critic; a verbal change. [1913 Webster]
And loses, though but verbal, his reward.— Milton.[1913 Webster]
Mere verbal refinements, instead of substantial knowledge.— Whewell.[1913 Webster]
3.Having word answering to word; word for word; literal; as, a verbal translation. [1913 Webster]
4.Abounding with words; verbose. [Obs.] --Shak. [1913 Webster]
5.(Gram.) Of or pertaining to a verb; as, a verbal group; derived directly from a verb; as, a verbal noun; used in forming verbs; as, a verbal prefix. [1913 Webster]
Verbal inspiration. See under Inspiration.
Verbal noun (Gram.), a noun derived directly from a verb or verb stem; a verbal. The term is specifically applied to infinitives, and nouns ending in -ing, esp. to the latter. See Gerund, and -ing, 2. See also, Infinitive mood, under Infinitive. [1913 Webster]