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a short literary composition on a particular theme or subject, usually in prose and generally analytic, speculative, or interpretative.

anything resembling such a composition: a picture essay.

an effort to perform or accomplish something; attempt.

Philately . a design for a proposed stamp differing in any way from the design of the stamp as issued.

Obsolete . a tentative effort; trial; assay.

to try; attempt.

to put to the test; make trial of.

Origin of essay

Other words from essay.

  • es·say·er, noun
  • pre·es·say, verb (used without object)
  • un·es·sayed, adjective
  • well-es·sayed, adjective

Words that may be confused with essay

  • assay , essay

Words Nearby essay

  • essay question

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use essay in a sentence

As several of my colleagues commented, the result is good enough that it could pass for an essay written by a first-year undergraduate, and even get a pretty decent grade.

GPT-3 also raises concerns about the future of essay writing in the education system.

This little essay helps focus on self-knowledge in what you’re best at, and how you should prioritize your time.

As Steven Feldstein argues in the opening essay , technonationalism plays a part in the strengthening of other autocracies too.

He’s written a collection of essays on civil engineering life titled Bridginess, and to this day he and Lauren go on “bridge dates,” where they enjoy a meal and admire the view of a nearby span.

I think a certain kind of compelling essay has a piece of that.

The current attack on the Jews,” he wrote in a 1937 essay , “targets not just this people of 15 million but mankind as such.

The impulse to interpret seems to me what makes personal essay writing compelling.

To be honest, I think a lot of good essay writing comes out of that.

Someone recently sent me an old Joan Didion essay on self-respect that appeared in Vogue.

There is more of the uplifted forefinger and the reiterated point than I should have allowed myself in an essay .

Consequently he was able to turn in a clear essay upon the subject, which, upon examination, the king found to be free from error.

It is no part of the present essay to attempt to detail the particulars of a code of social legislation.

But angels and ministers of grace defend us from ministers of religion who essay art criticism!

It is fit that the imagination, which is free to go through all things, should essay such excursions.

British Dictionary definitions for essay

a short literary composition dealing with a subject analytically or speculatively

an attempt or endeavour; effort

a test or trial

to attempt or endeavour; try

to test or try out

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for essay

A short piece of writing on one subject, usually presenting the author's own views. Michel de Montaigne , Francis Bacon (see also Bacon ), and Ralph Waldo Emerson are celebrated for their essays.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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Definition of 'essay'

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essay in British English

Essay in american english, examples of 'essay' in a sentence essay, cobuild collocations essay, trends of essay.

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What does the verb essay mean?

There are eight meanings listed in OED's entry for the verb essay , four of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

Entry status

OED is undergoing a continuous programme of revision to modernize and improve definitions. This entry has not yet been fully revised.

How common is the verb essay ?

How is the verb essay pronounced, british english, u.s. english, where does the verb essay come from.

Earliest known use

Middle English

The earliest known use of the verb essay is in the Middle English period (1150—1500).

OED's earliest evidence for essay is from 1483, in the writing of William Caxton, printer, merchant, and diplomat.

essay is a variant or alteration of another lexical item; modelled on a French lexical item.

Etymons: assay v.

Nearby entries

  • esraj, n. 1921–
  • ESRO, n. 1961–
  • ess, n. 1540–
  • -ess, suffix¹
  • -ess, suffix²
  • essamplerie, n. 1393
  • essart, n. 1656–
  • essart, v. 1675–
  • essarting, n. a1821–
  • essay, n. 1597–
  • essay, v. 1483–
  • essayal, n. 1837–
  • essayer, n. 1611–
  • essayette, n. 1877–
  • essayfy, v. 1815–
  • essay-hatch, n. 1721–
  • essayical, adj. 1860–
  • essaying, n. 1861–
  • essaying, adj. 1726–
  • essayish, adj. 1863–
  • essayism, n. 1821–

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Meaning & use

Pronunciation, compounds & derived words, entry history for essay, v..

essay, v. was first published in 1891; not yet revised

essay, v. was last modified in July 2023

Revision of the OED is a long-term project. Entries in oed.com which have not been revised may include:

  • corrections and revisions to definitions, pronunciation, etymology, headwords, variant spellings, quotations, and dates;
  • new senses, phrases, and quotations which have been added in subsequent print and online updates.

Revisions and additions of this kind were last incorporated into essay, v. in July 2023.

Earlier versions of essay, v. were published in:

OED First Edition (1891)

  • Find out more

OED Second Edition (1989)

  • View essay, v. in Second Edition

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Factsheet for essay, v., browse entry.

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Definition of essay verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Take your English to the next level

The Oxford Learner’s Thesaurus explains the difference between groups of similar words. Try it for free as part of the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app

define essay verb

Remember the difference and get an 'A' for effort.

You might also know that essay can be a verb, with its most common meaning being "to try, attempt, or undertake":

A very close approach to the evil of Idi Amin is essayed in Giles Foden's 1998 novel The Last King of Scotland , whose narrator is the Scottish personal physician to the dictator. — Norman Rush, The New York Review of Books , 7 Oct. 2004 The principal accidents she remembers, before last summer's, involved chipping a couple of teeth while, as a fifth grader, she was essaying a back flip off a diving board,... — E. J. Kahn, Jr., The New Yorker , 17 Aug. 1987

The verb assay , meanwhile, is used to mean "to test or evaluate" and can be applied to anything from laboratory samples to contest entries:

He bounced from job to job, working on a shrimp boat and later for Pan American Laboratories assaying chemicals coming in from Mexico. — Steve Clark, The Brownville Herald , 21 Apr. 2017 "Each burger will be assayed by visitors and a panel of judges, including local chefs Jen Knox, Gina Sansonia, Judith Able, Bret Hauser, Camilo Cuartas and Peter Farrand." — Phillip Valys, SouthFlorida.com , 19 May 2017

While this distinction might seem clear-cut on the surface, there exists a great deal of historical overlap between essay and assay . The two words derive from the same root—the Middle French essai , which ultimately derives from a Late Latin noun, exagium , meaning "act of weighing."

At one time, assay and essay were synonyms, sharing the meaning "try" or "attempt." In the 17th century, an essay was an effort to test or prove something:

Edmond: I hope, for my brother's justification, he wrote this but as an essay or taste of my virtue. — William Shakespeare, King Lear , 1606

For the modern noun use of essay to mean "a written exploration of a topic," we can almost certainly thank Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592), a French writer noted for working in the form. Borrowing a word that emphasized their identity as literary "attempts," Montaigne devised Essais as a title for the vignette-typed pieces that he began publishing in 1580 and spanned over a thousand pages, covering subjects as varied and wide-ranging as solitude, cannibalism, and drunkenness.

Those last ones probably won't be in the final exam.

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  • Knowledge Base

What Is a Verb? | Definition, Types & Examples

A verb is a word that describes what the subject of a sentence is doing. Verbs can indicate (physical or mental) actions, occurrences, and states of being.

Anita is thinking about horses.

Table of contents

Verb conjugation, regular vs. irregular verbs, transitive and intransitive verbs, stative and dynamic verbs.

  • Linking verbs
  • Auxiliary verbs
  • Modal verbs
  • Phrasal verbs

Other interesting language articles

Frequently asked questions about verbs.

Verbs can change form depending on subject , tense , mood , and voice . This is called conjugation.

There are six subject forms in English:

Verbs and subjects must agree in number. If the subject is singular, the verb must also be singular. Similarly, if the subject is plural, the verb must be plural. This is called subject-verb agreement .

  • She talks a lot .
  • She talk a lot.
  • We talk a lot.
  • We talks a lot.

Verbs are also conjugated based on tense . There are three main tenses in English:

  • Past (an action has taken place)
  • Present (an action is taking place)
  • Future (an action will take place)

Each tense has a simple , progressive , perfect , and perfect progressive aspect with its own rules for conjugation.

The forms a verb takes in each aspect depend on the subject and on whether the verb is regular or irregular. Below is a table illustrating the various forms the regular verb “look” takes in the first person singular when conjugated.

The mood of a verb indicates the tone and intention of a sentence. There are five grammatical moods in English:

Active and passive voice

Most sentences can use either the active or the passive voice . An active sentence is one in which the subject performs the action.

A passive sentence is one in which the subject is acted upon. Passive sentences are constructed using a form of the auxiliary verb “be” (e.g., “was,” “is,” “were”) followed by the past participle of the main verb (e.g., “eaten,” “taken”).

Passive sentences are useful for emphasizing the outcome of an action rather than the action itself.

Participles

Participles are formed from verbs. There are two types of participles:

  • Past participles are typically used in combination with an auxiliary verb (e.g., “has,” “have,” “had”) for perfect tenses (connecting a past action or event to a later time). Past participles are typically formed by adding the suffix “-ed” (e.g., “worked”).
  • Present participles are used for continuous tenses (describing an action that is ongoing). They are formed by adding the suffix “-ing” (e.g., “reading”).

Participles are often used as adjectives (e.g., “running shoes”).

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Regular verbs follow the standard conjugation rules for English verbs—most verbs are regular. A verb is considered regular if its simple past and past participle are formed by adding the suffix “-ed” (or “-d” if the word already ends in the letter “e”).

Claude had finished his dinner when James called.

Jock has finished writing in his journal.

Irregular verbs form their simple past and past participles in some way other than by adding the suffix “-ed.”

I had swum almost a mile when the island came into view.

Melissa has swum every Saturday for the last three years.

A transitive verb is a verb that acts on someone or something and therefore takes a direct object (the thing being acted upon).

Intransitive verbs do not act on someone or something and therefore do not take a direct object.

While an intransitive verb does not take a direct object, it can be used along with an adverb or adverbial phrase (as can a transitive verb).

Rita coughed loudly .

Some verbs are ditransitive , meaning they have two objects: a direct object and an indirect object (usually the person for whom the action is being performed).

Dynamic verbs (also called action verbs ) describe specific, temporary actions or events (e.g., “eat,” “sleep,” “write”).

Stative verbs describe a state of being or perception (e.g., “she is,” “it seems,” “they belong”). They can also be used to describe a mental, emotional, or physical state (e.g., “I believe,” “you hear”).

Stative verbs are typically used for a state of being that is general or unchanging, so they can’t be used in the progressive (continuous) tense.

  • Karl believes in himself.
  • Karl is believing in himself.

A linking verb (also called a copular verb ) connects the subject of a sentence with a “subject complement” (i.e., a noun or adjective that describes it). Common linking verbs include the verbs “be,” “seem,” “become,” and “feel.”

Most linking verbs can also be used as action verbs, describing a specific action  rather than a state (e.g., “Sofie feels the pillow”).

Auxiliary verbs (also called helping verbs ) include verbs such as “be,” “do,” and “have.” They’re used in combination with another (main) verb to modify its meaning. Auxiliary verbs can be used to indicate tense , mood , and voice . They’re also used to form negative statements when used with words such as “not” and “never.”

Auxiliary verbs must be conjugated for tense and person (e.g., “I am,” “she was”).

Did you enjoy the meal?

The door was locked.

Modal verbs are auxiliary verbs that are used along with another (main) verb to express ability, permission, possibility, necessity, or obligation. The main modal verbs are can , could , may , might , must , ought , shall , should , will , and would . Modal verbs do not change form.

Martin should speak a little louder.

A phrasal verb is a phrase made up of two or more words that acts as an individual verb. Phrasal verbs typically combine a verb with an adverb or preposition to create a meaning independent of the original words. For example, the verb “kick” and the preposition “off” combine to form the phrasal verb “kick off,” which means “begin.”

A gerund is a noun that takes the present participle (“-ing”) form of a verb. Gerunds typically describe the same action as the verb from which they are formed.

If you want to know more about nouns , pronouns , verbs, and other parts of speech , make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations and examples.

Nouns & pronouns

  • Common nouns
  • Proper nouns
  • Collective nouns
  • Personal pronouns
  • Uncountable and countable nouns
  • Verb tenses
  • Sentence structure
  • Active vs passive voice
  • Subject-verb agreement
  • Interjections
  • Determiners
  • Prepositions

A verb is a word that indicates a physical action (e.g., “drive”), a mental action (e.g., “think”), or a state of being (e.g., “exist”). Every sentence contains a verb.

Verbs are almost always used along with a noun or pronoun to describe what the noun or pronoun is doing.

There are many ways to categorize verbs into various types. A verb can fall into one or more of these categories depending on how it is used.

Some of the main types of verbs are:

  • Regular verbs
  • Irregular verbs
  • Transitive verbs
  • Intransitive verbs
  • Dynamic verbs
  • Stative verbs

Regular verbs are verbs whose simple past and past participle are formed by adding the suffix “-ed” (e.g., “walked”).

Irregular verbs are verbs that form their simple past and past participles in some way other than by adding the suffix “-ed” (e.g., “sat”).

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  • Past Tense of Ride | Definition, Use & Example Sentences
  • Present Continuous Tense | Examples & Exercises
  • Present Perfect Continuous | Examples & Exercises
  • Present Perfect Tense | Examples & Use
  • Regular Verbs | Meaning, Examples & List
  • Simple Past Tense | Examples & Exercises
  • Simple Present Tense | Examples, Use & Worksheet
  • Stative Verbs | Definition, List & Examples
  • The Past Tense l Explanation, Examples & Worksheet
  • The Subjunctive Mood | Definition & Examples
  • What Is a Linking Verb? | Definition & Examples
  • What Is a Modal Verb? | Definition & Examples
  • What Is a Participle? | Definition, Types & Examples
  • What Is a Past Participle? | Definition & Examples
  • What Is a Present Participle? | Examples & Definition
  • What Is a Transitive Verb? | Examples, Definition & Quiz
  • What Is an Auxiliary Verb? | Definition & Examples
  • What Is an Intransitive Verb? | Examples, Definition & Quiz

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Synonyms and antonyms of essay in English

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the act of driving too closely behind the vehicle in front

Infinitive or -ing verb? Avoiding common mistakes with verb patterns (1)

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Power Verbs for Essays (With Examples)

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essay power verbs

Adding power verbs to your academic paper will improve your reader’s experience and bring more impact to the arguments you make.

While the arguments themselves are the most important elements of any successful academic paper, the structure of those arguments and the language that is used influence how the paper is received.

Academic papers have strict formal rules, but as long as these are followed, there is still plenty of scope to make the key points of the paper stand out through effective use of language and more specifically, the effective use of power verbs.

Power verbs are verbs that indicate action and have a more positive and confident tone. Using them brings strength and confidence to the arguments you are making, while also bringing variation to your sentences and making your writing more interesting to the reader.

The best academic papers will use such verbs to support their arguments or concepts, so it is important that your paper contains at least three power verbs.

ProWritingAid will check your writing for power verbs and will notify you if you have less than three throughout your whole academic paper.

Power Verbs Boost Ideas

Examples of power verbs.

Academic papers of all disciplines are often filled with overlong and complicated sentences that are attempting to convey specific ideas and concepts. Active and powerful verbs are useful both to the reader and the author of the paper.

For the reader who is trying to tackle these ideas and concepts, the power verbs provide clarity and purpose. Compare the following sentences:

  • This paper will say that there were two reasons for the start of the civil war.
  • This paper asserts that there were two reasons for the start of the civil war.

Clearly the second sentence is more confident, direct, and authoritative because it has replaced the dull ‘says’ with ‘asserts.’ For the writer, the power verb expresses confidence in the idea being presented.

The following are examples of power verbs that are useful in academic writing, both for supporting an argument and for allowing you to vary the language you use.

Power Verbs for Analysis: appraise, define, diagnose, examine, explore, identify, interpret, investigate, observe.

Power Verbs to Introduce a Topic: investigate, outline, survey, question, feature.

Power Verbs to Agree with Existing Studies: indicate, suggest, confirm, corroborate, underline, identify, impart, maintain, substantiate, support, validate, acknowledge, affirm, assert.

Power Verbs to Disagree with Existing Studies: reject, disprove, debunk, question, challenge, invalidate, refute, deny, dismiss, disregard, object to, oppose.

Power Verbs to Infer: extract, approximate, surmise, deduce.

Power Verbs for Cause and Effect : impacts, compels, generates, incites, influences, initiates, prompts, stimulates, provokes, launches, introduces, advances.

Legal Power Verbs: sanctions, consents, endorses, disallows, outlaws, prohibits, precludes, protects, bans, licenses, authorizes.

Power Verbs that Say: convey, comment, state, establish, elaborate, identify, propose.

Power Verbs that Show: reveal, display, highlight, depict, portray, illustrate.

define essay verb

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  • How to Write a Definition Essay

A definition essay can be deceivingly difficult to write. This type of paper requires you to write a personal yet academic definition of one specific word. The definition must be thorough and lengthy. It is essential that you choose a word that will give you plenty to write about, and there are a few standard tactics you can use to elaborate on the term. Here are a few guidelines to keep in mind when writing a definition essay.

Part 1 of 3: Choosing the Right Word

1: choose an abstract word with a complex meaning. [1].

A simple word that refers to a concrete word will not give you much to write about, but a complex word that refers to an abstract concept provides more material to explore.

  • Typically, nouns that refer to a person, place, or thing are too simple for a definition essay. Nouns that refer to an idea work better, however, as do most adjectives.
  • For example, the word “house” is fairly simple and an essay written around it may be dull. By switching to something slightly more abstract like “home,” however, you can play around with the definition more. A “home” is a concept, and there are many elements involved in the creation of a “home.” In comparison, a “house” is merely a structure.

2: Make sure that the word is disputable.

Aside from being complex, the word should also refer to something that can mean different things to different people.

  • A definition essay is somewhat subjective by nature since it requires you to analyze and define a word from your own perspective. If the answer you come up with after analyzing a word is the same answer anyone else would come up with, your essay may appear to lack depth.

3: Choose a word you have some familiarity with.

Dictionary definitions can only tell you so much. Since you need to elaborate on the word you choose to define, you will need to have your own base of knowledge or experience with the concept you choose.

  • For instance, if you have never heard the term “pedantic,” your understanding of the word will be limited. You can introduce yourself to the word for your essay, but without previous understanding of the concept, you will not know if the definition you describe is truly fitting.

4: Read the dictionary definition.

While you will not be relying completely on the dictionary definition for your essay, familiarizing yourself with the official definition will allow you to compare your own understanding of the concept with the simplest, most academic explanation of it.

  • As an example, one definition of “friend” is “a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard.” [2] Your own ideas or beliefs about what a “friend” really is likely include much more information, but this basic definition can present you with a good starting point in forming your own.

5:  Research the word’s origins.

Look up your chosen word in the Oxford English Dictionary or in another etymology dictionary. [3]

  • These sources can tell you the history behind a word, which can provide further insight on a general definition as well as information about how a word came to mean what it means today.

Part 2 of 3: Potential Elements of an Effective Definition

1: write an analysis. [4].

Separate a word into various parts. Analyze and define each part in its own paragraph.

  • You can separate “return” into “re-” and “turn.” The word “friendship” can be separated into “friend” and “ship.”
  • In order to analyze each portion of a word, you will still need to use additional defining tactics like negation and classification.
  • Note that this tactic only works for words that contain multiple parts. The word “love,” for instance, cannot be broken down any further. If defining “platonic love,” though, you could define both “platonic” and “love” separately within your essay.

2:  Classify the term.

Specify what classes and parts of speech a word belongs to according to a standard dictionary definition.

  • While this information is very basic and dry, it can provide helpful context about the way that a given word is used.

3: Compare an unfamiliar term to something familiar.

An unfamiliar or uncommon concept can be explained using concepts that are more accessible to the average person.

  • Many people have never heard of the term “confrere,” for instance. One basic definition is “a fellow member of a profession, fraternity, etc.” As such, you could compare “confrere” with “colleague,” which is a similar yet more familiar concept. [5]

4:  Provide traditional details about the term.

Explain any physical characteristics or traditional thoughts used to describe your term of choice.

  • The term “home” is often visualized physically as a house or apartment. In more abstract terms, “home” is traditionally thought to be a warm, cozy, and safe environment. You can include all of these features in a definition essay on “home.”

5: Use examples to illustrate the meaning.

People often relate to stories and vivid images, so using a fitting story or image that relates to the term can be used in clarifying an abstract, formless concept.

  • In a definition essay about “kindness,” for example, you could write about an act of kindness you recently witnessed. Someone who mows the lawn of an elderly neighbor is a valid example, just as someone who gave you an encouraging word when you were feeling down might be.

6: Use negation to explain what the term does not mean.

If a term is often misused or misunderstood, mentioning what it is not is an effective way to bring the concept into focus.

  • A common example would be the term “courage.” The term is often associated with a lack of fear, but many will argue that “courage” is more accurately described as acting in spite of fear.

7: Provide background information.

This is when your research about the etymology of a word will come in handy. Explain where the term originated and how it came to mean what it currently means.

Part 3 of 3: Definition Essay Structure

1: introduce the standard definition..

You need to clearly state what your word is along with its traditional or dictionary definition in your introductory paragraph.

  • By opening with the dictionary definition of your term, you create context and a basic level of knowledge about the word. This will allow you to introduce and elaborate on your own definition.
  • This is especially significant when the traditional definition of your term varies from your own definition in notable ways.

2: Define the term in your own words in your thesis.

Your actual thesis statement should define the term in your own words.

  • Keep the definition in your thesis brief and basic. You will elaborate on it more in the body of your paper.
  • Avoid using passive phrases involving the word “is” when defining your term. The phrases “is where” and “is when” are especially clunky. [6]
  • Do not repeat part of the defined term in your definition.

3:  Separate different parts of the definition into separate paragraphs.

Each tactic or method used to define your term should be explored in a separate paragraph.

  • Note that you do not need to use all the possible methods of defining a term in your essay. You should use a variety of different methods in order to create a full, well-rounded picture of the term, but some tactics will work great with some terms but not with others.

4: Conclude with a summary of your main points.

Briefly summarize your main points around the start of your concluding paragraph.

  • This summary does not need to be elaborate. Usually, looking at the topic sentence of each body paragraph is a good way to form a simple list of your main points.
  • You can also draw the essay to a close by referring to phrases or images evoked in your introduction.

5: Mention how the definition has affected you, if desired.

If the term you define plays a part in your own life and experiences, your final concluding remarks are a good place to briefly mention the role it plays.

  • Relate your experience with the term to the definition you created for it in your thesis. Avoid sharing experiences that relate to the term but contradict everything you wrote in your essay.

Sources and Citations

  • http://www.roanestate.edu/owl/Definition.html
  • http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/friend?s=t
  • http://www.etymonline.com/
  • http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/acadwrite/definition.html
  • http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/confrere?s=t
  • http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/composition/definition.htm
  • How to Write a Definition Essay. Provided by : WikiHow. Located at : http://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Definition-Essay . License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
  • Table of Contents

Instructor Resources (Access Requires Login)

  • Overview of Instructor Resources

An Overview of the Writing Process

  • Introduction to the Writing Process
  • Introduction to Writing
  • Your Role as a Learner
  • What is an Essay?
  • Reading to Write
  • Defining the Writing Process
  • Videos: Prewriting Techniques
  • Thesis Statements
  • Organizing an Essay
  • Creating Paragraphs
  • Conclusions
  • Editing and Proofreading
  • Matters of Grammar, Mechanics, and Style
  • Peer Review Checklist
  • Comparative Chart of Writing Strategies

Using Sources

  • Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Avoiding Plagiarism
  • Formatting the Works Cited Page (MLA)
  • Citing Paraphrases and Summaries (APA)
  • APA Citation Style, 6th edition: General Style Guidelines

Definition Essay

  • Definitional Argument Essay
  • Critical Thinking
  • Video: Thesis Explained
  • Effective Thesis Statements
  • Student Sample: Definition Essay

Narrative Essay

  • Introduction to Narrative Essay
  • Student Sample: Narrative Essay
  • "Shooting an Elephant" by George Orwell
  • "Sixty-nine Cents" by Gary Shteyngart
  • Video: The Danger of a Single Story
  • How to Write an Annotation
  • How to Write a Summary
  • Writing for Success: Narration

Illustration/Example Essay

  • Introduction to Illustration/Example Essay
  • "She's Your Basic L.O.L. in N.A.D" by Perri Klass
  • "April & Paris" by David Sedaris
  • Writing for Success: Illustration/Example
  • Student Sample: Illustration/Example Essay

Compare/Contrast Essay

  • Introduction to Compare/Contrast Essay
  • "Disability" by Nancy Mairs
  • "Friending, Ancient or Otherwise" by Alex Wright
  • "A South African Storm" by Allison Howard
  • Writing for Success: Compare/Contrast
  • Student Sample: Compare/Contrast Essay

Cause-and-Effect Essay

  • Introduction to Cause-and-Effect Essay
  • "Cultural Baggage" by Barbara Ehrenreich
  • "Women in Science" by K.C. Cole
  • Writing for Success: Cause and Effect
  • Student Sample: Cause-and-Effect Essay

Argument Essay

  • Introduction to Argument Essay
  • Rogerian Argument
  • "The Case Against Torture," by Alisa Soloman
  • "The Case for Torture" by Michael Levin
  • How to Write a Summary by Paraphrasing Source Material
  • Writing for Success: Argument
  • Student Sample: Argument Essay
  • Grammar/Mechanics Mini-lessons
  • Mini-lesson: Subjects and Verbs, Irregular Verbs, Subject Verb Agreement
  • Mini-lesson: Sentence Types
  • Mini-lesson: Fragments I
  • Mini-lesson: Run-ons and Comma Splices I
  • Mini-lesson: Comma Usage
  • Mini-lesson: Parallelism
  • Mini-lesson: The Apostrophe
  • Mini-lesson: Capital Letters
  • Grammar Practice - Interactive Quizzes
  • De Copia - Demonstration of the Variety of Language
  • Style Exercise: Voice

About Words – Cambridge Dictionary blog

Commenting on developments in the English language

define essay verb

Infinitive or -ing verb? Avoiding common mistakes with verb patterns (1)

Listen to the author reading this blog post:

A young woman looking thoughtful. Above her head are two speech bubbles, reading "infinitive" and "-ing". She is deciding whether to use the infinitive or -ing form of a verb.

by  Liz Walter

Look at these two English sentences:

I agreed to pay for the damage.

He denied stealing the money.

You will see that each sentence has two verbs, but that the form of the second verb is different. In the first sentence, it is an infinitive with to ( to pay ), and in the second, it has an -ing form ( stealing ).

So how do you know which form to use? Unfortunately, there is no easy rule, but you can check in a dictionary such as the Cambridge Dictionary. For instance, if you click here on the word deserve , you will see the note [+ to infinitive] in front of the example with two verbs. Similarly, if you look at the entry for fancy , you will see the note [+ -ing verb].

The dictionary is very useful in this way, but in order to avoid errors, it is best to learn the patterns of very common verbs. For instance, you need to use a to-infinitive after decide , promise , want , need and many other common verbs:

They decided to take the train.

They decided take/taking the train.

Note that in negative sentences, not comes before the to-infinitive:

They decided not to take the train.

They decided to not take the train.

Similarly, the verbs avoid , finish , imagine and several others need an -ing verb, and you would lose marks in an exam for using an infinitive:

I try to avoid buying too many clothes.

I try to avoid buy/to buy too many clothes.

So far, we have looked at verbs that are followed immediately by another verb, but you also need to know the patterns for verbs that are followed by an object and then another verb.

For instance, advise , encourage , and invite need a to-infinitive for the verbs after the object, while verbs such as hear , prevent , and see need an -ing verb. Again, you can use the Cambridge Dictionary to check the patterns:

We advised them to leave immediately.

We advised them leave/leaving immediately.

They tried to stop us entering the building.

They tried to stop us enter/to enter the building.

It is also worth learning that the common verbs let and make (in the sense of ‘force’) need an infinitive without ‘to’ for the verb that follows them:

The teacher made her sit down.

The teacher made her to sit down.

In my next post, I will look at some tricky verbs that have different patterns according to their meaning, as well as verbs that are followed with a that clause or by two objects.

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2 thoughts on “ Infinitive or -ing verb? Avoiding common mistakes with verb patterns (1) ”

Good and useful information. Thanks

Cambridge Online Dictionary has helped me out so much to level up on my spelling,pronunciation as well as grammar points like this.As an English international student,I’d like to recommend it for learns willing to spruce their English skills up.

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COMMENTS

  1. Essay Definition & Meaning

    essay 1 of 2 noun es· say ˈe-ˌsā senses 2, 3 & 4 also e-ˈsā Synonyms of essay 1 a : an analytic or interpretative literary composition usually dealing with its subject from a limited or personal point of view b : something resembling such a composition a photographic essay 2 a : effort, attempt especially : an initial tentative effort b

  2. ESSAY

    a short piece of writing on a particular subject, often expressing personal views In a school test, an essay is a written answer that includes information and discussion, usually to test how well the student understands the subject. (Definition of essay from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press) Examples of essay

  3. ESSAY Definition & Usage Examples

    1 First recorded in 1475-85; from Middle French essayer, from Late Latin exagium "a weighing," from exag (ere) (unrecorded) "to examine, test," literally, "to drive out, thrust out" (from Latin exigere; see exact) + -ium -ium Other words from essay es·say·er, noun pre·es·say, verb (used without object)

  4. ESSAY definition and meaning

    Definition of 'essay' Word Frequency essay (eseɪ ) Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present tense, plural essays , present participle essaying, past tense, past participle essayed pronunciation note: The noun is pronounced (eseɪ ). The verb is pronounced (eseɪ ). 1. countable noun

  5. ESSAY

    verb [ T ] old-fashioned us / eˈseɪ / uk / eˈseɪ / to try to do something: The procedure was first essayed in 1923. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases (Definition of essay from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press) essay | Intermediate English essay noun [ C ] us / ˈes·eɪ / Add to word list

  6. essay, v. meanings, etymology and more

    The earliest known use of the verb essay is in the Middle English period (1150—1500). OED's earliest evidence for essay is from 1483, in the writing of William Caxton, printer, merchant, and diplomat.

  7. essay_2 verb

    Definition of essay verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary essay verb /eˈseɪ/ /eˈseɪ/ (literary) Verb Forms essay something to try to do something Word Origin Take your English to the next level The Oxford Learner's Thesaurus explains the difference between groups of similar words.

  8. Essay Definition & Meaning

    : to try to do, perform, or deal with (something) He at first essayed [= tried, attempted] a career as a writer. There is no hint as to which of the approaches essayed in this book will prove most useful. — sometimes followed by to + verb He essayed [= tried, attempted] to restore an emphasis on classical languages.

  9. essay

    essay. From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English Related topics: Education, Literature es‧say1 /ˈeseɪ/ S3 noun [ countable] 1 a short piece of writing about a particular subject by a student as part of a course of study essay on/about an essay on Bernard Shaw 2 a short piece of writing giving someone's ideas about politics, society ...

  10. essay

    1 a short piece of writing on a particular subject. Example sentences Synonyms 2 formal an attempt or effort: a misjudged essay in job preservation More example sentences Synonyms 2.1 a trial design of a postage stamp yet to be accepted. Example sentences verb Pronunciation: /ɛˈseɪ/ [with object] formal attempt or try: Donald essayed a smile

  11. Essay

    Definitions of essay noun an analytic or interpretive literary composition see more verb make an effort or attempt "The infant had essayed a few wobbly steps" synonyms: assay, attempt, seek, try see more noun a tentative attempt see more verb put to the test, as for its quality, or give experimental use to

  12. Essay

    Define essay. essay synonyms, essay pronunciation, essay translation, English dictionary definition of essay. try; subject to a test; a short literary composition: She wrote an essay for her final exam. ... Verb: 1. essay - make an effort or attempt; "He tried to shake off his fears"; "The infant had essayed a few wobbly steps"; ...

  13. ESSAY Synonyms: 76 Similar and Opposite Words

    Synonyms for ESSAY: article, paper, dissertation, theme, thesis, composition, treatise, editorial; Antonyms of ESSAY: quit, drop, give up

  14. differences

    1,724 11 22 28 Add a comment 3 Answers Sorted by: 9 The modern meanings for essay and assay are almost unrelated. One essays a difficult task; one assays an ore or other material to objectively measure its value. A essayist is a writer; an assayer is a metallurgist. Share Improve this answer Follow answered May 8, 2011 at 18:12 Michael Lorton

  15. To 'Essay' or To 'Assay'?

    To 'essay' is a verb meaning 'to try, attempt, or undertake.' To 'assay' is to 'to test or evaluate.' 'Essay' also has the meaning referring to those short papers you had to write in school on various topics.

  16. PDF Powerful Verbs for Essays

    Powerful Verbs for Weaving Ideas in Essays The following verbs are helpful as a means of showing how an example or quote in literature Supports an idea or interpretation. Example + Verb + Explanation or Significance (CD) (CM) You may use the above in a sentence as a general formula that may need modified to fit each situation. verb

  17. What Is a Verb?

    Home Knowledge Base Verbs What Is a Verb? | Definition, Types & Examples A verb is a word that describes what the subject of a sentence is doing. Verbs can indicate (physical or mental) actions, occurrences, and states of being. Examples: Verbs in a sentence Jeffrey builds a house. Anita is thinking about horses. True love exists.

  18. ESSAY

    ESSAY - Synonyms, related words and examples | Cambridge English Thesaurus

  19. Verbs: What Are They and How Do You Use Them?

    Matt Ellis Updated on October 7, 2022 Grammar Want to know where all the action is? Verbs! Verbs are words that represent actions that are external (run, jump, work) and internal (love, think, consider). Without verbs, you can't do anything, you can't feel anything—you can't even be anything.

  20. Power Verbs for Essays (With Examples)

    Power Verbs for Essays (With Examples) The ProWritingAid Team A grammar guru Adding power verbs to your academic paper will improve your reader's experience and bring more impact to the arguments you make.

  21. How to Write a Definition Essay

    Keep the definition in your thesis brief and basic. You will elaborate on it more in the body of your paper. Avoid using passive phrases involving the word "is" when defining your term. The phrases "is where" and "is when" are especially clunky. [6] Do not repeat part of the defined term in your definition.

  22. Infinitive or -ing verb?

    So far, we have looked at verbs that are followed immediately by another verb, but you also need to know the patterns for verbs that are followed by an object and then another verb. For instance, advise, encourage, and invite need a to-infinitive for the verbs after the object, while verbs such as hear, prevent, and see need an -ing verb. Again ...