main verb

American  

noun

1. a word used as the final verb in a verb phrase, expressing the lexical meaning of the verb phrase, as drink in I don't drink, going in I am going, or spoken in We have spoken.

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Compare meaning

How does main-verb compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• main verb vs. helping verb

Example Sentences

What he wanted to change was the main verb, “opiewać” in Polish.

From Washington Post

The main verb, “disassembling,” registers more gently than, say “tearing down,” and is echoed by “heartwarming.”

From Los Angeles Times

Similarly, the allegedly unsplittable verb will execute is not a verb at all but two verbs, the auxiliary verb will and the main verb execute.

From Literature

Indeed, the spot in front of the main verb is often the most natural resting place for an adverb.

From Literature

McGlinchey created an inner literalist who still hunts for the main verb of a sentence and still, to the best of his ability, disentangles the subordinate clauses, although usually nowadays with the help of a crib from the Loeb Library or the old Penguin Classics.

From The Guardian