Transitivise

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To convert a verb or expression that usually does not take a direct object into one that does, thereby allowing it to act transitively in a sentence; to make a linguistic element capable of governing a direct object; to shift an intransitive term into a transitive form for grammatical purpose
2. The process of altering a word, especially a verb, so it can directly affect an object within the sentence structure; the modification of a verb to accept an object; the transformation from intransitive to transitive usage in language
3. The act of changing a verb that typically stands alone into one that requires an object to complete its meaning; enabling an originally intransitive verb to take a direct object; the linguistic function of turning a non-transitive word into a transitive form

Etymology: The grammatical sense of "transitive" comes from a simple picture: an action crossing from one thing to another. It descends from Latin "transitivus," from "transire," "to go across," built from "trans" (across) and "ire" (to go). Grammarians used it for verbs whose action passes over to a direct object. The verb is formed from that adjective. The suffix "-ise" (spelled "-ize" in American usage) comes from Greek "-izein," which Latin adopted as "-izare." English uses it to turn adjectives and nouns into verbs, so transitivise means to make something transitive, much as "modernise" means to make something modern. The opposite term, "intransitive," adds the prefix "in-," meaning "not." An intransitive verb has no object for its action to cross to. Transitivising a verb gives it that connection.

Synonyms: make transitive, convert to transitive

Antonyms: intransitivise