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# verbal

«verbal» in Mova's school dictionary: **spoken in words, not written down: a verbal warning, a…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples.

### part of speech

adjective (verbal); adverb (verbally)

### meaning for a pupil

1) Verbal means spoken in words, not written down: a verbal warning, a verbal agreement. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/V/verbal/#m1)

2) Verbal means to do with words: verbal skills are skills with language. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/V/verbal/#m2)

3) (grammar) Verbal means to do with verbs. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/V/verbal/#m3)

4) (slang, UK) «Verbals» are insults or rude talk said to someone. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/V/verbal/#m4)

### sense in the lessons

In school it appears in «verbal reasoning» tests (word puzzles, UK), rules about «verbal bullying» (name-calling, threats), and sports («a verbal warning» from the referee). It tells the reader that something was said, not done or written. Phrases: «verbal warning», «verbal abuse», «verbal reasoning», «verbal agreement».

### examples

- The referee gave him a verbal warning. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/V/verbal/#x1)
- Name-calling is verbal bullying, and it hurts too. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/V/verbal/#x2)
- We practised verbal reasoning for the test. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/V/verbal/#x3)
- They made a verbal agreement to share the bike. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/V/verbal/#x4)
- She has strong verbal skills and loves debates. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/V/verbal/#x5)
- He was told off verbally, not in a letter. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/V/verbal/#x6)
- Some fans gave the referee a lot of verbal (UK slang). [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/V/verbal/#x7)
- He stood so high that they were afraid he would not accept a verbal message. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/V/verbal/#x8)

### note

Trap: «verbal» strictly means «in words» (written or spoken), but in everyday use it nearly always means spoken; «oral» means spoken too. «Verbal» is not about verbs only, though in grammar it can be. Adverb: «verbally».

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «verbal» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/V/verbal/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.