cognate accusative
/ˈkɑɡˌneɪt əˈkjuzətɪv/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: 2.26 in modern English
27
Scrabble Score
17
Letters
5
Syllables
11
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
An object of kindred sense or derivation; specifically, that which may adverbially follow an intransitive verb (for example, the word death in “to die the death”).
Example Sentences
- "These accusatives cognate are to be translated into English."
- "The extent of action of the verb may be expressed by a substantive of the same meaning as the verb, accompanied (usually) by an oblique adjectival predicate. (Cognate accusative.)"
- "What is often termed the cognate accusative (or objective) (as in ‘to run a race,’ ‘to die a happy death’) should more properly be classed among the adverbial adjuncts. [Footnote: The cognate objective sometimes appears in a metaphorical shape, as in “to look daggers at a person”; “To rain fire and brimstone.” The vague pronoun it is freely used in this construction, as, “We shall have to rough it”; “Go it, boys,” &c.]"
Etymology
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈkɑɡˌneɪt əˈkjuzətɪv/
- British English: /ˈkɒɡneɪt əˈkjuːzətɪv/
Inflected Forms
cognate accusatives (plural)
accusative cognate (alternative)
acc. cogn. (alternative, abbreviation)
cogn. acc. (alternative, abbreviation)