- in italics. The function codes provide a way of determining the
grammatical or syntactic function of a particular expression as it
occurs in its examples. Expressions functioning as nominals (nouns,
noun phrases, etc.) are marked n.Expressions serving to modify,
restrict, or qualify (adjectives, adjective phrases, adverbs, adverb
phrases, etc.) are marked mod.Expressions that are transitive verbs
or transitive verb phrases (a transitive verb, its object(s), modi-
fier(s), and auxiliaries) are marked tv.Expressions that are intran-
sitive verbs or intransitive verb phrases (an intransitive verb, its
auxiliaries, and modifiers) are marked in.Other abbreviations are
explained in the section titled “Terms and Symbols.”- Some expressions that are modifiers (marked mod.) can occur only
before or after the things they modify. Other modifiers can occur
both before and after the things they modify. The distribution of
modifiers is illustrated in the examples.- Many expressions have more than one major sense or meaning.
These meanings are numbered with boldface numerals.
- Sometimes a numbered sense will have an alternative form that
does not apply to the other senses. In such cases the “and”plus
the alternative forms follow the numeral.- Entries that contain unfamiliar words and entries whose spelling
is misleading have an indication of pronunciation in International
Phonetic Alphabet symbols. See the symbols and their values in the
“Pronunciation Guide.”- In some entries, comments direct the user to other entries for
additional information through the use of the terms “Go to” or
“See also.” The expressions mentioned are in special type.- If an entry has a grammatical structure that requires a nominal to
serve as a subject or object, the nominal is represented by some-
onefor human nominals or somethingfor nonhuman nominals.
When both human and nonhuman nominals are possible, some-
one or somethingis used.About This Dictionaryix