ce the verb
may consist of:

(1) _One word_; as, "The young man _obeyed_."

(2) _Several words of verbal nature, making one expression_; as, (_a_)
"Some day it _may be considered_ reasonable," (_b_) "Fearing lest he
_might have been anticipated_."

(3) _One or more verbal words united with other words to compose one
verb phrase_: as in the sentences, (_a_) "They knew well that this
woman _ruled over_ thirty millions of subjects;" (_b_) "If all the
flummery and extravagance of an army _were done away with_, the money
could be made to go much further;" (_c_) "It is idle cant to pretend
anxiety for the better distribution of wealth until we can devise
means by which this preying upon people of small incomes _can be put a
stop to_."

In (_a_), a verb and a preposition are used as one verb; in (_b_), a
verb, an adverb, and a preposition unite as a verb; in (_c_), an
article, a noun, a preposition, are united with verbs as one verb
phrase.

[Sidenote: _Definition and caution._]

201. A verb is a word used as a predicate, to say something to or
about some person or thing. In giving a definition, we consider a verb
as one word.

Now, it is indispensable to the nature of a verb that it is "a word
used as a predicate." Examine the sentences in Sec. 200: In (1),
_obeyed_ is a predicate; in (2, _a_), _may be considered_ is a unit in
doing the work of one predicate; in (2, _b_), _might have been
anticipated_ is also one predicate, but _fearing_ is not a predicate,
hence is not a verb; in (3, _b_), _to go_ is no predicate, and not a
verb; in (3, _c_), _to pretend_ and _preying_ have something of
verbal nature in expressing action in a faint and general way, but
cannot be predicates.

In the sentence, "_Put_ money in thy purse," _put_ is the predicate,
with some word understood; as, "Put _thou_ money in thy purse."

VERBS CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO MEANING AND USE.

TRANSITIVE AND INTRANSITIVE VERBS.

[Sidenote: _The nature of the transitive verb._]

202. By examining a few verbs, it may be seen that not all verbs are
used alike. All do not express action: some denote state or condition.
Of those expressing action, all do not express it in the same way; for
example, in this sentence from Bulwer,--"The proud lone _took_ care to
conceal the anguish she _endured_; and the pride of woman _has_ an
hypocrisy which _can deceive_ the most penetrating, and _shame_ the
most astute,"--every one of the verbs in Italics has one