light verb

English

Noun

light verb (plural light verbs)

1. (linguistics) A semantically incomplete verb which qualifies as a predicate only in combination with a predicative complement, usually a noun.

   Synonyms: vector verb, delexical verb, explicator verb, thin verb, empty verb

Examples (linguistics)
light verb version (full verb version) They had a read by candlelight ("They read by candlelight") They took a bath together ("They bathed together") They took a long vacation ("They vacationed for a long time.") Let's do lunch. ("Let's lunch")

Translations

thematically incomplete verb

• French: verbe léger (fr) m

See also

• Appendix:Collocations of do, have, make, and take

Further reading

• light verb on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• light verb at OneLook Dictionary Search