Dictionary

verbal en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (California, Southern) audio
• [ˈvɝ.bɫ̩] (Canada, General-American)
• vûrʹ-bəl (Canada, General-American)
• /ˈvɝ.bəl/ (Canada, General-American)
• [ˈvɜː.bɫ̩] (Australia, Received-Pronunciation)
• audio Queensland
• vûrʹ-bəl (Australia, Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈvɜː.bəl/ (Australia, Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Old French verbal, from Late Latin verbālis (“belonging to a word”). Equivalent to verb + -al.

Meanings

1. (not-comparable) Of or relating to words.
2. (not-comparable) Concerned with the words, rather than the substance of a text.
3. (not-comparable) Consisting of words only.
   • It was not a verbal remark, but a proceeding in dumb-show 1861, Charles Dickens, Great Expectations:
   • 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. 1864, Henry Mayhew, German Life and Manners as Seen in Saxony at the Present:
4. (not-comparable) Expressly spoken rather than written; oral.
   • I am not speaking of the verbal use of the term 'Fascist'. I am speaking of what I have seen in print. 1944, George Orwell, “What is Fascism?”, in Tribune:
   • a verbal contract
   • You can't have verbal communication with a man in New South Wales, you know. 1861, Charles Dickens, Great Expectations:
   • a verbal testimony
5. (not-comparable) Derived from, or having the nature of a verb.
6. (not-comparable) Used to form a verb.
7. (not-comparable) Capable of speech.
   • How do these language problems affect the behaviour of verbal children? 2005, Avril V. Brereton, Bruce J. Tonge, Pre-schoolers with autism, page 55:
8. (not-comparable) Word for word.
   • a verbal translation
9. (not-comparable, obsolete) Abounding with words; verbose.
   • You put me to forget a lady’s manners By being so verbal; and learn now, for all, That I, which know my heart, do here pronounce By th’ very truth of it, I care not for you 1611 April (first recorded performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Cymbeline”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii]:

Antonyms

substantive · non-verbal · implied (antonym(s) of “expressly spoken or written”) · preverbal · unsaid (antonym(s) of “expressly stated”)

Deriveds

verbal warning · verbal regency · verbal noun · verbalist · verbally · cruciverbal · averbal · univerbal · verbal note · verbal overshadowing · verbal participle · verbal communication · verbalness · verbal complement · non-verbal leak · verbal humiliation · extraverbal · verbalistic · triverbal · nonverbal · anteverbal · biverbal · verbalise · postverbal · verbal diarrhoea · hyperverbal · verbalize · pseudoverbal · paraverbal · coverbal · verbal authority · intraverbal · visuoverbal · antiverbal · verbal constipation · verbal adjective · verbal assault · verbal diarrhea · subverbal · interverbal · verbal substantive · monoverbal

Relateds

verbalism · verbality · verbiage

Synonyms

literal · wordish · rhematic · verbatim · lectic (of or relating to speech or words)

Translations (172)

ka სიტყვიერი (of, or relating to words) · el ρηματικός (used to form a verb) · nn munnleg (spoken and not written; oral) · el λεκτικός (of, or relating to words) · es verbal (of, or relating to words) · hu deverbális (derived from, or having the nature of a verb) · nb verbal (of, or relating to words) · eo verba (derived from, or having the nature of a verb) · mk устен (spoken and not written; oral) · ca verbal (used to form a verb) · fi suullinen (expressly spoken or written, as opposed to implied) · pt verbal (derived from, or having the nature of a verb) · tg шифоҳӣ (spoken and not written; oral) · pl odczasownikowy (derived from, or having the nature of a verb) · rm verbal (consisting of words only) · uk слове́сний (concerned with the words) · de zeitwörtlich (derived from, or having the nature of a verb) · ga briathartha (derived from, or having the nature of a verb) · fi suullinen (spoken and not written; oral) · de mündlich (spoken and not written; oral) · fi sana- (of, or relating to words) · nl verbaal (of, or relating to words) · mn үгийн (of, or relating to words) · ru отглаго́льный (derived from, or having the nature of a verb) · pl słowny (concerned with the words) · pl werbalny (of, or relating to words) · be сло́ўны (of, or relating to words) · it verbale (of, or relating to words) · hu igei (derived from, or having the nature of a verb) · de wörtlich (of, or relating to words) · sv verbal (of, or relating to words) · fi verbaalinen (used to form a verb) · bg отглаго́лен (derived from, or having the nature of a verb) · cmn 詞的 /词的 (of, or relating to words) · sk slovný (of, or relating to words) · fi verbaalinen (derived from, or having the nature of a verb) · nl werkwoordelijk (derived from, or having the nature of a verb) · ru глаго́льный (derived from, or having the nature of a verb) · pt verbal (spoken and not written; oral) · nl letterlijk (expressly spoken or written, as opposed to implied) · sh glȁgolskī (derived from, or having the nature of a verb) · ru слове́сный (concerned with the words) · bg сло́вен (of, or relating to words) · el ρηματικός (derived from, or having the nature of a verb) · ca verbal (derived from, or having the nature of a verb) · nl woordelijk (of, or relating to words) · sh гла̏голскӣ (of, or relating to words) · kw geryel (of, or relating to words) · pt verbal (consisting of words only) · uk верба́льний (concerned with the words) · de verbal (spoken and not written; oral) · fi sana- (concerned with the words) · fi verbaalinen (concerned with the words) · ru слове́сный (of, or relating to words) · ka ვერბალური (of, or relating to words) · hu beszéd- (of, or relating to words) · ru слове́сный (consisting of words only) · hu szóbeli (spoken and not written; oral) · ka სიტყვიერი (spoken and not written; oral) · hi शाब्दिक (concerned with the words) · ar مَنْطُوق (spoken and not written; oral) · ru глаго́льный (used to form a verb) · ar لَفْظِيّ (of, or relating to words) · ka სიტყვიერი (concerned with the words) · ru верба́льный (of, or relating to words) · gl verbal (of, or relating to words) · vo vödik (of, or relating to words) · fy tiidwurdlik (derived from, or having the nature of a verb) · vo värbik (derived from, or having the nature of a verb) · sh glȁgolskī (of, or relating to words) · ro verbal (spoken and not written; oral) · ka ზეპირი (spoken and not written; oral) · ka სიტყვიერი (consisting of words only) · fi sanallinen (of, or relating to words) · ka ნაზმნარი (derived from, or having the nature of a verb) · uk слове́сний (of, or relating to words) · pl werbalny (spoken and not written; oral) · sl beseden (of, or relating to words) · tg каломӣ (of, or relating to words) · ro oral (spoken and not written; oral) · sa वाचिक (consisting of words only) · rm verbal (of, or relating to words) · pl słowny (of, or relating to words) · pt verbal (of, or relating to words) · tg луғавӣ (of, or relating to words) · fi verbaalinen (of, or relating to words) · uk верба́льний (of, or relating to words) · pl czasownikowy (used to form a verb) · cy berfol (derived from, or having the nature of a verb) · ru слове́сный (expressly spoken or written, as opposed to implied) · pl werbalny (concerned with the words) · ka სიტყვიერი (expressly spoken or written, as opposed to implied) · nb muntlig (spoken and not written; oral) · bg експлици́тен (expressly spoken or written, as opposed to implied) · cu словесьнъ (of, or relating to words) · ru речево́й (consisting of words only) · bg верба́лен (of, or relating to words) · ru верба́льный (concerned with the words) · ro oral (of, or relating to words) · ro verbal (derived from, or having the nature of a verb) · sq foljor (derived from, or having the nature of a verb) · ka ზმნური (derived from, or having the nature of a verb) · pl słowny (expressly spoken or written, as opposed to implied) · el προφορικός (spoken and not written; oral) · fr verbal (consisting of words only) · ka ვერბალური (concerned with the words) · ar شَفَهِيّ (spoken and not written; oral) · cs slovesný (derived from, or having the nature of a verb) · eo parola (spoken and not written; oral) · de verbal (of, or relating to words) · ca verbal (of, or relating to words) · fa-ira کَلامی (of, or relating to words) · bg у́стен (spoken and not written; oral) · ar شَفَوِيّ (spoken and not written; oral) · ka ზმნური (used to form a verb) · fr verbal (of, or relating to words) · ka ვერბალური (consisting of words only) · ar شَفَهِيّ (of, or relating to words) · mk глаголски (derived from, or having the nature of a verb) · hi शाब्दिक (of, or relating to words) · ca verbal (spoken and not written; oral) · mk усмен (spoken and not written; oral) · de verbal (derived from, or having the nature of a verb) · fi verbi- (derived from, or having the nature of a verb) · pt verbal (concerned with the words) · fr oral (spoken and not written; oral) · fi sanallinen (concerned with the words) · ar كَلَامِيّ (of, or relating to words) · pl ustny (spoken and not written; oral) · bg слове́сен (of, or relating to words) · tr sözlü (spoken and not written; oral) · ro verbal (of, or relating to words) · hu kifejezett (expressly spoken or written, as opposed to implied) · es verbal (spoken and not written; oral) · cs ústní (spoken and not written; oral) · fa-ira شَفاهی (spoken and not written; oral) · uk у́сний (spoken and not written; oral) · el λεκτικός (concerned with the words) · pl werbalny (used to form a verb) · mk изречен (expressly spoken or written, as opposed to implied) · es verbal (used to form a verb) · be ву́сны (spoken and not written; oral) · ka ნაზმნარი (used to form a verb) · ka ზეპირი (of, or relating to words) · pl werbalny (consisting of words only) · fi sanallinen (consisting of words only) · cs slovní (of, or relating to words) · nl mondeling (spoken and not written; oral) · pt verbal (expressly spoken or written, as opposed to implied) · hu nyelvi (of, or relating to words) · fi sanallinen (expressly spoken or written, as opposed to implied) · be вэрба́льны (of, or relating to words) · eo vorta (of, or relating to words) · gl verbal (derived from, or having the nature of a verb) · mk зборовен (of, or relating to words) · bg слове́сен (concerned with the words) · ru у́стный (spoken and not written; oral) · fr verbal (spoken and not written; oral) · da verbal (consisting of words only) · fr verbal (derived from, or having the nature of a verb) · pt oral (spoken and not written; oral) · sa वाचिक (spoken and not written; oral) · sh гла̏голскӣ (derived from, or having the nature of a verb) · el προφορικός (expressly spoken or written, as opposed to implied) · it verbale (consisting of words only) · be вярба́льны (of, or relating to words) · mk зборовен (concerned with the words) · da mundtlig (spoken and not written; oral) · da verbal (of, or relating to words) · es verbal (derived from, or having the nature of a verb) · tl makadiwa (derived from, or having the nature of a verb) · es verbal (consisting of words only)

verbal en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (California, Southern) audio
• [ˈvɝ.bɫ̩] (Canada, General-American)
• vûrʹ-bəl (Canada, General-American)
• /ˈvɝ.bəl/ (Canada, General-American)
• [ˈvɜː.bɫ̩] (Australia, Received-Pronunciation)
• audio Queensland
• vûrʹ-bəl (Australia, Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈvɜː.bəl/ (Australia, Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Old French verbal, from Late Latin verbālis (“belonging to a word”). Equivalent to verb + -al.

Meanings

1. (countable) A verb form which does not function as a predicate, or a word derived from a verb. In English, infinitives, participles and gerunds are verbals.
2. (Ireland, UK, countable) A spoken confession given to police.
   • They were convicted on the evidence of an agent provocateur named Richard Seary, backed up by police verbals from three police officers who gave evidence of six verbals in which the three accused were supposed to have admitted their guilt. 1982, New South Wales. Parliament, Parliamentary Debates, page 2496:
3. (Ireland, UK, colloquial, uncountable) Talk; speech, especially banter or scolding.
   • We'd give him a bit of verbal, out would come the bouncers, chucking their weight about, and it would all end in a right tear-up. 2013, Lenny McLean, The Guv'nor:

Forms

Synonyms

non-finite verb

Translations (9)

es verbal (grammar: verb form which does not function as a predicate, or a word derived from a verb. In English, infinitives, participles and gerunds are verbals) · tl malapandiwa (grammar: verb form which does not function as a predicate, or a word derived from a verb. In English, infinitives, participles and gerunds are verbals) · tr eylemsi (grammar: verb form which does not function as a predicate, or a word derived from a verb. In English, infinitives, participles and gerunds are verbals) · it deverbale (grammar: verb form which does not function as a predicate, or a word derived from a verb. In English, infinitives, participles and gerunds are verbals) · tr fiilimsi (grammar: verb form which does not function as a predicate, or a word derived from a verb. In English, infinitives, participles and gerunds are verbals) · pl czasownik nieodmienny (grammar: verb form which does not function as a predicate, or a word derived from a verb. In English, infinitives, participles and gerunds are verbals) · fi deverbaali (grammar: verb form which does not function as a predicate, or a word derived from a verb. In English, infinitives, participles and gerunds are verbals) · ru нели́чная фо́рма глаго́ла (grammar: verb form which does not function as a predicate, or a word derived from a verb. In English, infinitives, participles and gerunds are verbals) · fi verbijohdos (grammar: verb form which does not function as a predicate, or a word derived from a verb. In English, infinitives, participles and gerunds are verbals)

verbal en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (California, Southern) audio
• [ˈvɝ.bɫ̩] (Canada, General-American)
• vûrʹ-bəl (Canada, General-American)
• /ˈvɝ.bəl/ (Canada, General-American)
• [ˈvɜː.bɫ̩] (Australia, Received-Pronunciation)
• audio Queensland
• vûrʹ-bəl (Australia, Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈvɜː.bəl/ (Australia, Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Old French verbal, from Late Latin verbālis (“belonging to a word”). Equivalent to verb + -al.

Meanings

1. (Australia, UK, transitive) To allege (usually falsely) that someone has made an oral admission.
   • Condren had always claimed that he was assaulted and verballed by police over the murder he had supposedly confessed to committing. Specifically, Condren claimed that he had been subjected to assault and intimidation prior to making a police record of interview, that the record of interview was largely fabricated by police, and that the oral admissions which police claimed he had made prior to the record of interview were also fabricated. 2001, Chris Cunneen, Conflict, Politics and Crime: Aboriginal Communities and the Police, Allen & Unwin, →ISBN, page 116:
   • "Moreover, given the risk of verballing, it is by no means apparent that it is in the interests of justice that the prosecution have the benefit of admissions that are made on occasions when recordings are impracticable." 2004, Jeremy Gans, Andrew Palmer, Australian Principles of Evidence, Routledge Cavendish, →ISBN, page 504:
   • Kelvin Condren maintained his innocence, claiming that he was 'verballed' in his police record of interview (so they were someone else's words not his). 2019, Kate Burridge, Tonya N. Stebbins, For the love of language: An Introduction to Linguistics, page 305:
   • The problem of 'verballing' is unlikely to disappear, whatever the legal status of the person detained. 1982, John A. Andrews, Human Rights in Criminal Procedure: A Comparative Study, BRILL, →ISBN, page 128:
   • As the necessary ingredient of an intention to commit an offence usually came from the mouth of the suspect himself, it was not difficult to make an arrest if the suspect was 'verballed'. A 'verbal' consisted of an unequivocal oral admission of guilt made to a police officer on the street, which, later on, the police officer transcribed into his notebook. It is called a 'verbal' if the suspect later denies making the incriminating remark. 2020, Inigo Bing, Populism on Trial: What Happens When Trust in Law Breaks Down:

Forms