Category:Participle

Par"ti*ci*ple, n. Etym: [f. participe, l. participium, fr. particeps Sharing, participant; pars, gen. partis, a part + capere to take. See Participate.]

1. (gram.)

Defn: a part of speech partaking of the nature both verb and Adjective; a form of a verb, or verbal adjective, modifying a noun, But taking the adjuncts of the verb from which it is derived. In the Sentences: a letter is written; being asleep he did not hear; Exhausted by toil he will sleep soundly, -- written, being, and Exhaustedare participles. By a participle, [i understand] a verb in an adjectival aspect. Earle.

Note: present participles, called also imperfect, or incomplete, Participles, end in -ing. Past participles, called also perfect, or Complete, participles, for the most part end in -ed, -d, -t, -en, or -n. A participle when used merely as an attribute of a noun, without Reference to time, is called an adjective, or a participial Adjective; as, a written constitution; a rolling stone; the exhausted Army. The verbal noun in -ing has the form of the present participle. See verbal noun, under verbal, a.

2. Anything that partakes of the nature of different things. [obs.] The participles or confines between plants and living creatures. Bacon.