or more words
before or after it, representing something which it influences or
controls. In the first, lone _took_ what? answer, _care_; _endured_
what? _anguish_; etc. Each influences some object, which may be a
person, or a material thing, or an idea. _Has_ takes the object
_hypocrisy_; _can deceive_ has an object, _the most penetrating_;
(can) _shame_ also has an object, _the most astute_.

In each case, the word following, or the object, is necessary to the
completion of the action expressed in the verb.

All these are called transitive verbs, from the Latin _transire_,
which means _to go over_. Hence

[Sidenote: _Definition._]

203. A transitive verb is one which must have an object to complete
its meaning, and to receive the action expressed.

[Sidenote: _The nature of intransitive verbs._]

204. Examine the verbs in the following paragraph:--

She _sprang up_ at that thought, and, taking the staff which
always guided her steps, she _hastened_ to the neighboring shrine
of Isis. Till she _had been_ under the guardianship of the kindly
Greek, that staff _had sufficed_ to conduct the poor blind girl
from corner to corner of Pompeii.--BULWER

In this there are some verbs unlike those that have been examined.
_Sprang_, or _sprang up_, expresses action, but it is complete in
itself, does not affect an object; _hastened_ is similar in use; _had
been_ expresses condition, or state of being, and can have no object;
_had sufficed_ means _had been sufficient_, and from its meaning
cannot have an object.

Such verbs are called intransitive (not crossing over). Hence

[Sidenote: _Definition._]

205. An intransitive verb is one which is complete in itself, or
which is completed by other words without requiring an object.

[Sidenote: _Study_ use, _not_ form, _of verbs here._]

206. Many verbs can be either transitive or intransitive, according to
their use in the sentence, It can be said, "The boy _walked_ for two
hours," or "The boy _walked_ the horse;" "The rains _swelled_ the
river," or "The river _swelled_ because of the rain;" etc.

The important thing to observe is, many words must be distinguished as
transitive or intransitive by _use_, not by _form_.

207. Also verbs are sometimes made transitive by prepositions.
These may be (1) compounded with the verb; or (2) may follow the verb,
and be used as an integral part of it: for example,--

Asking her pardon for havin