Verb
class of words that semantically convey actions, processes, or states, and syntactically serve as the central element of the sentence predicate
A verb is a word that generally conveys an action (bring, read, walk, run, learn), an occurrence (happen, become), or a state of being (be, exist, stand). In the usual description of English, the basic form, with or without the particle to, is the infinitive. In many languages, verbs are inflected (modified in form) to encode tense, aspect, mood, and voice. A verb may also agree with the person, gender or number of some of its arguments, such as its subject, or object. In English, three tenses exist: present, to indicate that an action is being carried out; past, to indicate that an action has been done; and future, to indicate that an action will be done, expressed with the auxiliary verb will or shall.
For example:
Lucy will go to school. (action, future)
Mike Trout became the American League (AL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2014. (occurrence, past)
the Universe is expanding. (state of being, present)
Every language discovered so far makes some form of noun-verb distinction, possibly because of the graph-like nature of communicated meaning by humans, i.e. nouns being the "entities" and verbs being the "links" between them.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Verb” is class of words that semantically convey actions, processes, or states, and syntactically serve as the central element of the sentence predicate. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Verb, class and words, not as a finished interpretation.
Why this record matters
The phrase “class of words that semantically convey actions, processes, or states, and syntactically serve as the central element of the sentence predicate” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
Named sources, stable identifiers and responsible institutions provide the strongest route from overview to verifiable evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 8, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q24905. The Library of Congress control number is sh85142794. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 1 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 2014.
A concise general-reference account can conceal disagreements about scope, terminology or the weight assigned to individual sources. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
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- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Verb”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Verb primary sources, Verb archive and Verb research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Verb”?
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- Which cited source is closest to the event, object or claim?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Verb” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.