Definition:
A word that emphasizes another word or phrase. Intensifying adjectives modify nouns; intensifying adverbs commonly modify verbs, gradable adjectives, and other adverbs.
Etymology:
From the Latin, "stretch, intend"Examples and Observations:
- "The woodwind has a slightly greater scope than the violin."
(John Philip Sousa) - "When a man asks himself what is meant by action he proves that he isn't a man of action. Action is a lack of balance. In order to act you must be somewhat insane. A reasonably sensible man is satisfied with thinking."
(James Baldwin) - "Rather, very, little, pretty--these are the leeches that infest the pond of prose, sucking the blood of words. The constant use of the adjective little (except to indicate size) is particularly debilitating; we should all try to do a little better, we should all be very watchful of this rule, for it is a rather important one and we are pretty sure to violate it now and then."
(William Strunk, Jr., and E.B. White, The Elements of Style, 1972) - "To some degree, an intensifier acts as a signal: it announces that the word following it is worn out, and that it should be understood as inadequate. For example, in the phrase an utterly beautiful night, the author is saying, 'Look, I mean something beyond beautiful, even if I don't have the precise word word; try to imagine it.' We've been sending such messages forever--straining like shotputters for some extra distance, because most words are inadequate, and power-packed modifiers do not leap to the average tongue."
(Arthur Plotnik, Spunk & Bite: A Writer's Guide to Punchier, More Engaging Language & Style, Random House, 2005) - "The women I had as very close friends were very independent women, very progressive. They're very sensitive about social change."
(Toni Morrison)
Pronunciation: in-TEN-si-fi-er
Also Known As: qualifiers
