Heavy Construction

Transitive and Intransitive Verbs.

273.

1. A Transitive Verb has or requires a direct object to complete its sense (see § 274): as, - frátrem cecídit, he slew his brother.

2. An Intransitive Verb admits of no direct object to complete its sense: -

• cado, I fall (or am falling).

  

• sol lucet, the sun shines. (or is shining).

NOTE 1: Among transitive verbs Factitive Verbs are sometimes distinguished as a separate class. These state an act which produces the thing expressed by the word which completes their sense. Thus mensam fecit he made a table (which was not in existence before), is distinguished from mensam percussit, he struck a table (which already existed).

NOTE 2: A transitive verb may often be used absolutely, i.e. without any object expresscd: as, - arat, he is ploughing, where the verb does not cease to be transitive because the object is left indefinite, as we see by adding, - quid, what? agrum suum, his land.

NOTE 3: Transitive and Intransitive Verbs are often called Active and Neuter Verbs respectively.