Inflect
- Inflect
- Inflect In*flect", v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Inflected}; p. pr. &
vb. n. {Inflecting}.] [L. inflectere, inflexum; pref. in- in
+ flectere to bend. See {Flexible}, and cf. {Inflex}.]
1. To turn from a direct line or course; to bend; to incline,
to deflect; to curve; to bow.
[1913 Webster]
Are they [the rays of the sun] not reflected,
refracted, and inflected by one and the same
principle ? --Sir I.
Newton.
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2. (Gram.) To vary, as a noun or a verb in its terminations;
to decline, as a noun or adjective, or to conjugate, as a
verb.
[1913 Webster]
3. To modulate, as the voice.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
2000.
:
Look at other dictionaries:
inflect — (v.) early 15c., to bend inward, from L. inflectere (pp. inflexus) to bend in, bow, curve, figuratively, to change, from in in (see IN (Cf. in ) (1)) + flectere to bend. Grammatical sense is attested 1660s; pronunciation sense (in inflection) is… … Etymology dictionary
inflect — ► VERB 1) Grammar change or be changed by inflection. 2) vary the intonation or pitch of (the voice). 3) technical bend or deflect inwards. DERIVATIVES inflective adjective. ORIGIN Latin inflectere, from in into + flectere to bend … English terms dictionary
inflect — [in flekt′] vt. [ME inflecten < L inflectere < in , in + flectere, to bend] 1. to turn, bend, or curve, usually inward 2. to vary or change the tone or pitch of (the voice); modulate 3. Gram. to change the form of (a word) by inflection, as … English World dictionary
inflect — verb Inflect is used with these nouns as the subject: ↑verb Inflect is used with these nouns as the object: ↑noun, ↑verb … Collocations dictionary
inflect — UK [ɪnˈflekt] / US verb Word forms inflect : present tense I/you/we/they inflect he/she/it inflects present participle inflecting past tense inflected past participle inflected 1) a) [intransitive] linguistics if a word inflects, you change its… … English dictionary
inflect — [[t]ɪnfle̱kt[/t]] inflects, inflecting, inflected VERB: V If a word inflects, its ending or form changes in order to show its grammatical function. If a language inflects, it has words in it that inflect. Derived words: inflected ADJ GRADED Kings … English dictionary
inflect — verb 1 (I) if a word inflects, its form changes according to its meaning or use 2 (I, T) if your voice inflects or if you inflect it, the sound of it becomes higher or lower as you are speaking … Longman dictionary of contemporary English
inflect — /ɪnˈflɛkt/ (say in flekt) verb (t) 1. to bend; turn from a direct line or course. 2. to modulate (the voice). 3. Grammar a. to apply inflection to (a word). b. to recite or display all, or a distinct set of, the inflections of (a word), in a… …
inflect — verb Etymology: Middle English, from Latin inflectere, from in + flectere to bend Date: 15th century transitive verb 1. to turn from a direct line or course ; curve 2. to vary (a word) by inflection ; decline, conjugate 3. to change or … New Collegiate Dictionary
inflect — inflectedness, n. inflective, adj. inflector, n. /in flekt /, v.t. 1. to modulate (the voice). 2. Gram. a. to apply inflection to (a word). b. to recite or display all or a distinct set of the inflections of (a word); decline or conjugate … Universalium
