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adjective
1.
of or pertaining to words: verbal ability.
2.
consisting of or in the form of words: verbal imagery.
3.
expressed in spoken words; oral rather than written: verbal communication; verbal agreement.
4.
consisting of or expressed in words (as opposed to actions): a verbal protest.
5.
EXPANDpertaining to or concerned with words only (as opposed to ideas, facts, or realities): a purely verbal distinction between two concepts.
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Verbally
is always a great word to know.
So is slumgullion. Does it mean:
| a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc. |
| a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal. |
Related forms
ver·bal·ly, adverb
in·ter·ver·bal, adjective
non·ver·bal, adjective
non·ver·bal·ly, adverb
pre·ver·bal, adjective
EXPANDCan be confused: 1. aural, oral, verbal, written (see usage note at the current entry); 2. verbal, verbiage, verbose, verbosity.
Synonyms
3. spoken.
3. spoken.
Usage note
3, 4. Verbal has had the meaning “spoken” since the late 16th century and is thus synonymous with oral: He wrote a memorandum to confirm the verbal agreement. Slightly earlier, verbal had developed the meaning “expressed in words, whether spoken or written (as opposed to actions)”: Verbal support is no help without money and supplies. EXPANDAlthough some say that the use of verbal to mean “spoken” produces ambiguity, it rarely does so. Verbal is used in this sense in all varieties of speech and writing and is fully standard. The context usually makes the meaning clear: No documents are necessary; a verbal agreement (or contract or order) will suffice. Oral can be used instead of verbal if the context demands: My lawyer insists on a written contract because oral agreements are too difficult to enforce.
COLLAPSE
3, 4. Verbal has had the meaning “spoken” since the late 16th century and is thus synonymous with oral: He wrote a memorandum to confirm the verbal agreement. Slightly earlier, verbal had developed the meaning “expressed in words, whether spoken or written (as opposed to actions)”: Verbal support is no help without money and supplies. EXPANDAlthough some say that the use of verbal to mean “spoken” produces ambiguity, it rarely does so. Verbal is used in this sense in all varieties of speech and writing and is fully standard. The context usually makes the meaning clear: No documents are necessary; a verbal agreement (or contract or order) will suffice. Oral can be used instead of verbal if the context demands: My lawyer insists on a written contract because oral agreements are too difficult to enforce.
COLLAPSE
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source
|
Link To verbally
Collins
World English Dictionary
| verbal (ˈvɜːbəl) | |
| —adj | |
| 1. | of, relating to, or using words, esp as opposed to ideas, etc: merely verbal concessions |
| 2. | oral rather than written: a verbal agreement |
| 3. | verbatim; literal: an almost verbal copy |
| 4. | grammar of or relating to verbs or a verb |
| —n | |
| 5. | grammar another word for verbid |
| 6. | slang (plural) abuse or invective: new forms of on-field verbals |
| 7. | slang (plural) a criminal's admission of guilt on arrest |
| —vb , -bals, -balling, -balled | |
| 8. | slang (of the police) to implicate (someone) in a crime by quoting alleged admission of guilt in court |
| 'verbally | |
| —adv | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
verbal
1484, "dealing with words" (especially in contrast to things or realities), from L. verbalis "consisting of words, relating to verbs," from verbum "word" (see verb). Verbal conditioning is recorded from 1954. Colloquial verbal diarrhea is recorded from 1823.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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