Relative clause

Relative clause
Relative Rel"a*tive (r?l"?-t?v), a. [F. relatif, L. relativus. See {Relate}.] 1. Having relation or reference; referring; respecting; standing in connection; pertaining; as, arguments not relative to the subject. [1913 Webster]

I'll have grounds More relative than this. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

2. Arising from relation; resulting from connection with, or reference to, something else; not absolute. [1913 Webster]

Every thing sustains both an absolute and a relative capacity: an absolute, as it is such a thing, endued with such a nature; and a relative, as it is a part of the universe, and so stands in such a relations to the whole. --South. [1913 Webster]

3. (Gram.) Indicating or expressing relation; refering to an antecedent; as, a relative pronoun. [1913 Webster]

4. (Mus.) Characterizing or pertaining to chords and keys, which, by reason of the identify of some of their tones, admit of a natural transition from one to the other. --Moore (Encyc. of Music). [1913 Webster]

{Relative clause} (Gram.), a clause introduced by a relative pronoun.

{Relative term}, a term which implies relation to, as guardian to ward, matter to servant, husband to wife. Cf. {Correlative}. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • relative clause — relative clauses N COUNT In grammar, a relative clause is a subordinate clause which specifies or gives information about a person or thing. Relative clauses come after a noun or pronoun and, in English, often begin with a relative pronoun such… …   English dictionary

  • relative clause — noun count LINGUISTICS a CLAUSE joined to a previous one by words such as who, which, or that. Relative clauses give extra information about a person or thing in a sentence …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • relative clause — n technical a part of a sentence that has a verb in it, and is joined to the rest of the sentence by who , which , where etc, for example the phrase who lives next door in the sentence The man who lives next door is a doctor …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • Relative clause — A relative clause is a subordinate clause that modifies a noun. For example, the noun phrase the man who wasn t there contains the noun man , which is modified by the relative clause who wasn t there . In many languages, relative clauses are… …   Wikipedia

  • relative clause — noun a clause introduced by a relative pronoun who visits frequently is a relative clause in the sentence John, who visits frequently, is ill • Hypernyms: ↑clause * * * noun 1. : an adjective clause introduced by a relative pronoun expressed or… …   Useful english dictionary

  • relative clause — a subordinate clause introduced by a relative pronoun, adjective, or adverb, either expressed or deleted, esp. such a clause modifying an antecedent, as who saw you in He s the man who saw you or (that) I wrote in Here s the letter (that) I wrote …   Universalium

  • relative clause — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms relative clause : singular relative clause plural relative clauses linguistics a clause joined to a previous one by words such as who , which , or that . Relative clauses give extra information about a person… …   English dictionary

  • relative clause — rel′ative clause′ n. gram. a subordinate clause that is introduced by a relative pronoun, adjective, or adverb, either expressed or deleted, and modifies an antecedent, as who saw you in That s the woman who saw you or (that) I wrote in Here s… …   From formal English to slang

  • relative clause — dependent clause, clause that modifies a word in the main clause (Grammar) …   English contemporary dictionary

  • relative clause — noun A subordinate clause that modifies a noun …   Wiktionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”