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Verbal

//ˈvɜː.bəl// adj, noun, verb, slang

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Of or relating to words. not-comparable
  2. 2
    Concerned with the words, rather than the substance of a text. not-comparable
  3. 3
    Consisting of words only. not-comparable

    "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."

  4. 4
    Expressly spoken rather than written; oral. not-comparable

    "a verbal contract"

  5. 5
    Derived from, or having the nature of a verb. not-comparable
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  1. 6
    Used to form a verb. not-comparable
  2. 7
    Capable of speech. not-comparable

    "How do these language problems affect the behaviour of verbal children?"

  3. 8
    Word for word. not-comparable

    "a verbal translation"

  4. 9
    Abounding with words; verbose. not-comparable, obsolete

    "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"

Adjective
  1. 1
    communicated in the form of words wordnet
  2. 2
    tediously prolonged or tending to speak or write at great length wordnet
  3. 3
    relating to or having facility in the use of words wordnet
  4. 4
    expressed in spoken words wordnet
  5. 5
    of or relating to or formed from a verb wordnet
Show 1 more definition
  1. 6
    of or relating to or formed from words in general wordnet
Noun
  1. 1
    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. countable
  2. 2
    A spoken confession given to police. Ireland, UK, countable

    "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."

  3. 3
    Talk; speech, especially banter or scolding. Ireland, UK, colloquial, uncountable

    "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."

Verb
  1. 1
    To allege (usually falsely) that someone has made an oral admission. Australia, British, transitive

    "The problem of 'verballing' is unlikely to disappear, whatever the legal status of the person detained."

Etymology

Etymology 1

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

Etymology 2

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

Etymology 3

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

See also for "verbal"

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