{{Short description|Complex predicate composed of a light verb and an eventive noun}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}} A '''stretched verb''' is a complex predicate composed of a light verb and an eventive aspect noun. An example is the English phrase "take a bite out of", which is semantically similar to the simple verb "bite". The concept has been used in studies of German and English.<ref>{{cite book |title=Stretched Verb Constructions in English |first=D. J. |last=Allerton |date=2002 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=0-415-25733-6 }}</ref>
Other names for a stretched verb include '''"supported verb"''', '''"expanded predicate"''', '''"verbo-nominal phrase"''', and '''"delexical verb combination"'''. Some definitions may place further restrictions on the construction: restricting the light verb to one of a fixed list; restricting the occurrence of articles, prepositions, or adverbs within the complex phrase; requiring the eventive noun to be identical or cognate with a synonymous simple verb; or at least requiring the stretched verb to be synonymous with some simple verb.<ref>{{cite book |title=Collocations in a Learner Corpus |first=Nadja |last=Nesselhauf |date=2005 |publisher=John Benjamins |isbn=90-272-2285-1 |pages=§2.1.2, pp.19–21 }}</ref>
In English, many stretched verbs are more common than a corresponding simple verb such as "get rid [of X from Y]" compared to the verb "rid [Y of X]"; or "offer (one's) condolences [to X]" vs "condole [with X]". Correct use of stretched verbs is about as difficult for EFL students as other types of collocation.<ref>Nesselhauf, §5.1.3, pp.211–214 </ref>
==See also== *Light verb *Phrasal verb
==References== <references/>
{{lexical categories|state=collapsed}} Category:Verb types Category:Lexical units
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