Definition:
A verb that takes a direct object. Contrast with intransitive verb.
Etymology:
From the Latin, "to go across"Examples and Observations:
- "We lost a daughter but gained a meathead."
(Archie Bunker in All in the Family, 1971) - "Parents lend children their experience and a vicarious memory."
(George Santayana, The Life of Reason) - "I punched Mickey Mantle in the mouth."
(Cosmo Kramer, Seinfeld) - "Following the dispute with the domestic servants union at Buckingham Palace today, the queen, a radiant figure in a white silk gown and crimson robe, swept down the main staircase and through the hall. She then dusted the cloak room and vacuumed the lounge."
(Ronnie Barker, sketch from The Two Ronnies, 1971) - "A musicologist is a man who can read music but can't hear it."
(Sir Thomas Beecham) - "More exactly, we should talk about transitive or intransitive uses of certain verbs, as a great many verbs can be used in English both transitively and intransitively. Land is transitive in The pilot landed the plane safely, but intransitive in The plane landed. Carry is transitive in They carried backpacks, but it has an intransitive use in His voice carries well (= 'projects')."
(Angela Downing, English Grammar: A University Course. Routledge, 2006) - Among transitive verbs there are three sub-types: monotransitive verbs have only a direct object, ditransitive verbs have a direct object and an indirect or benefactive object. Complex-transitive verbs have a direct object and an object attribute. . . .
- monotransitive: He bought a book.
- ditransitive: He gave her the book.
- complex-transitive: She found the book interesting.
Pronunciation: TRAN-si-tiv verb
