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Unlimited; not bounded or restricted; undefined. Infinitive mood (Gram.), that form of the verb which merely names the action, and performs the office of a verbal noun. Some grammarians make two forms in English: (a) The simple form, as, speak, go, hear, before which to is commonly placed, as, to speak; to go; to hear.…

A simple infinitive with to, having a modifier between the verb and the to; as in, to largely decrease. Called also cleft infinitive.

Before a verbal noun or an infinitive:

the accomplishment of a purpose; to try to gain; to endeavor; -- followed by at, or by an infinitive; as, to aim at distinction; to aim to do well. Aim'st thou at princes Pope.

Strongly desirous; -- followed by of or the infinitive; as, ambitious to be or to do something. I was not ambitious of seeing this ceremony. Evelyn. Studious of song, and yet ambitious not to sing in vain. Cowper.

Constrained or compelled; destined; certain; -- followed by the infinitive; as, he is bound to succeed; he is bound to fail.

To be able; -- followed by an infinitive without to; as, I can go, but do not wish to.

us; provident; not indifferent heedless, or reckless; -- often follower byof, for, or the infinitive; as, careful of money; careful to do right. Thou hast been careful for us with all this care. 2. Kings iv, 13. What could a careful father more have done Dryden.

occasion of; to bring about; to bring into existence; to make; -- usually followed by an infinitive, sometimes by that with a finite verb. I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days. Gen. vii. 4. Cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans. Col. iv. 16.

Determined; resolved; -- used with an infinitive. However, I with thee have fixed my lot, Certain to undergo like doom. Milton.

To think worthy; to vouchsafe; to condescend; -- followed by an infinitive. O deign to visit our forsaken seats. Pope. Yet not Lord Cranstone deigned she greet. Sir W. Scott. Round turned he, as not deigning Those craven ranks to see. Macaulay.

e or take great delight or pleasure; to be greatly pleased or rejoiced; -- followed by an infinitive, or by in. Love delights in praises. Shak. I delight to do thy will, O my God. Ps. xl. 8.

To cause; to make; -- with an infinitive. [Obs.] My lord Abbot of Westminster did do shewe to me late certain evidences. W. Caxton. I shall . . . your cloister do make. Piers Plowman. A fatal plague which many did to die. Spenser. We do you to wit [i. e., We make you to know] of the grace of God bestowed on the churche…

p. p. from Do, and formerly the infinitive.

ken, frighten. This must not be confused with -en corresponding in Old English to the AS. infinitive ending -an.

of good or evil; to look for with some confidence; to anticipate; -- often followed by an infinitive, sometimes by a clause (with, or without, that); as I expect to receive wages; I expect that the troops will be defeated. "Good: I will expect you." Shak. "Expecting thy reply." Shak. The Somersetshire or yellow regimen…

on this account. [Obs.] "Thomalin, have no care for thy." Spenser. -- For to, as sign of infinitive, in order to; to the end of. [Obs., except as sometimes heard in illiterate speech.] -- "What went ye out for to see" Luke vii. 25. See To, prep., 4. -- O for, would that I had; may there be granted; -- elliptically ex…

ding in -e, preceded by to and usually denoting purpose or end; -- called also the dative infinitive; as, "Ic hæbbe mete tô etanne" (I have meat to eat.) In Modern English the name has been applied to verbal or participal nouns in -ing denoting a transitive action; e. g., by throwing a stone.

To begin; -- often followed by an infinitive without to; as, gan tell. See Gan. [Obs. or Archaic] "He gan to pray." Chaucer.

To cause; to make; -- with the infinitive; as, to give one to understand, to know, etc. But there the duke was given to understand That in a gondola were seen together Lorenzo and his amorous Jessica. Shak. To give away, to make over to another; to transfer. Whatsoever we employ in charitable uses during our lives, is…