Ver·bal a.
 1. Expressed in words, whether spoken or written, but commonly in spoken words; hence, spoken; oral; not written; as, a verbal contract; verbal testimony.
    Made she no verbal question?   --Shak.
    We subjoin an engraving . . . which will give the reader a far better notion of the structure than any verbal description could convey to the mind.   --Mayhew.
 2. Consisting in, or having to do with, words only; dealing with words rather than with the ideas intended to be conveyed; as, a verbal critic; a verbal change.
    And loses, though but verbal, his reward.   --Milton.
    Mere verbal refinements, instead of substantial knowledge.   --Whewell.
 3. Having word answering to word; word for word; literal; as, a verbal translation.
 4. Abounding with words; verbose.  [Obs.]
 5. Gram. Of or pertaining to a verb; as, a verbal group; derived directly from a verb; as, a verbal noun; used in forming verbs; as, a verbal prefix.
 Verbal inspiration. See under Inspiration.
 Verbal noun Gram., a noun derived directly from a verb or verb stem; a verbal. The term is specifically applied to infinitives, and nouns ending in -ing, esp. to the latter.  See Gerund, and -ing, 2.  See also, Infinitive mood, under Infinitive.


 In·fin·i·tive n.  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. (b) The form of the imperfect participle, called the infinitive in -ing; as, going is as easy as standing.
 Note: With the auxiliary verbs may, can, must, might, could, would, and should, the simple infinitive is expressed without to; as, you may speak; they must hear, etc. The infinitive usually omits to with the verbs let, dare, do, bid, make, see, hear, need, etc.; as, let me go; you dare not tell; make him work; hear him talk, etc.
 Note: ☞ In Anglo-Saxon, the simple infinitive was not preceded by to (the sign of modern simple infinitive), but it had a dative form (sometimes called the gerundial infinitive) which was preceded by to, and was chiefly employed in expressing purpose. See Gerund, 2.
 Note: The gerundial ending (-anne) not only took the same form as the simple infinitive (-an), but it was confounded with the present participle in -ende, or -inde (later -inge).