Metrifying

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Arranging words into lines with a fixed rhythmic pattern ; examining the rhythmic structure of poetry to determine its metrical feet
2. Composing verse according to set rules of rhythm ; analyzing a poem to mark its syllable stresses and line patterns
3. Putting language into regular poetic rhythm ; scanning lines of poetry to identify and count their metrical units

Etymology: "Metrifying" is the present participle of "metrify", which means to turn something into verse or to put it into metre. The verb is built from Latin "metrum", meaning "meter" or measured verse, with the English suffix "-fy", which comes from Latin "-ficare" through French and turns a noun into a verb meaning "to make into" or "to make like". So to metrify a text is literally to make it metrical, and the French "métrifier" shows the same construction in another language. The pattern is a plain one. English has many verbs of this type, such as "glorify" and "beautify", that add "-fy" to a noun to mean "to make into or give the quality of". "Metrify" follows that model directly, so its meaning can be read straight from its parts without any special history behind it.

Synonyms: versify