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Betokening or expressing existence; as, the substantive verb, that is, the verb to be.

In a substantive manner; in substance; essentially.

The quality or state of being substantive.

In process of; in the act of; into; to; -- used with verbal substantives in -ing which begin with a consonant. This is a shortened form of the preposition an (which was used before the vowel sound); as in a hunting, a building, a begging. "Jacob, when he was a dying" Heb. xi. 21. "We'll a birding together." " It was a…

Added to a substantive as an attribute; of the nature of an adjunct; as, an word sentence.

Used without the article; as, an anarthrous substantive.

The present indicative plural of the substantive verb to be; but etymologically a different word from be, or was. Am, art, are, and is, all come from the root as.

The second person singular, indicative mode, present tense, of the substantive verb Be; but formed after the analogy of the plural are, with the ending -t, as in thou shalt, wilt, orig. an ending of the second person sing. pret. Cf. Be. Now used only in solemn or poetical style.

A suffix forming nouns of action, and often equivalent to the verbal substantive in -ing. It sometimes has the further meanings of state, and that which results from the action. Many of these nouns have verbs in -ate; as, alliterate -ation, narrate -ation; many are derived through the French; as, alteration, visitation…

ining the literal idea more or less clearly, the precise meaning depending largely on the substantive. A broad mixture of falsehood. Locke.

To acquit one's self; to issue from (a contest, etc.); as, he came off with honor; hence, substantively, a come off, an escape; an excuse; an evasion. [Colloq.] (e) To pay over; to give. [Obs.] (f) To take place; to happen; as, when does the race come off

d to an extraordinary billow, supposed by some to be every tenth in order. [R.] Also used substantively. "Such decuman billows." Gauden. "The baffled decuman." Lowell.

Derived from a substantive or an adjective; as, a denominative verb.

undry; various; more than one, but not a great number; as, divers philosophers. Also used substantively or pronominally. Divers of Antonio's creditors. Shak.

A collection of twelve objects; a tale or set of twelve; with or without of before the substantive which follows. "Some six or seven dozen of Scots." "A dozen of shirts to your back." "A dozen sons." "Half a dozen friends." Shak.

Capable of being drunk; suitable for drink; potable. Macaulay. Also used substantively, esp. in the plural. Steele.

During eternity; always; forever; for an indefinite period; at all times; -- often used substantively with for. Seek the Lord . . . Seek his face evermore. Ps. cv. 4. And, behold, I am alive for evermore. Rev. i. 18. Which flow from the presence of God for evermore. Tillotson. I evermore did love you, Hermia. Shak.…

ucture in common, that in the judgment of competent scientists, they may receive a common substantive name. A genus is not necessarily the lowest definable group of species, for it may often be divided into several subgenera. In proportion as its definition is exact, it is natural genus; if its definition can not be ma…

[Colloq. Eng. & Scot.] -- Good for nothing. (a) Of no value; useless; worthless. (b) Used substantively, an idle, worthless person. My father always said I was born to be a good for nothing. Ld. Lytton. -- Good Friday, the Friday of Holy Week, kept in some churches as a fast, in memoory of our Savior's passion or suffe…

To be very unwilling; followed by an infinitive, or a substantive clause with that; as, to hate to get into debt; to hate that anything should be wasted. I hate that he should linger here. Tennyson.