intensifier
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Related to intensifier: Image intensifier, hydraulic intensifier
intensifier
Intensifiers, a subset of adverbs of degree, are adverbs or adverbials (groups of words that function as adverbs) that modify adjectives and adverbs to increase their strength, power, or intensity.
in·ten·si·fi·er
(ĭn-tĕn′sə-fī′ər)n. Grammar
See intensive.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
intensifier
(ɪnˈtɛnsɪˌfaɪə)n
1. a person or thing that intensifies
2. (Grammar) a word, esp an adjective or adverb, that has little semantic content of its own but that serves to intensify the meaning of the word or phrase that it modifies: awfully and up are intensifiers in the phrases awfully sorry and cluttered up
3. (Photography) a substance, esp one containing silver or uranium, used to increase the density of a photographic film or plate. Compare reducer1
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
in•ten•si•fi•er
(ɪnˈtɛn səˌfaɪ ər)n.
1. a person or thing that intensifies.
2. a linguistic element, esp. an adverb, that indicates and usu. increases the degree of emphasis or force to be given to the item it modifies, as very or somewhat; intensive.
[1825–35]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Noun | 1. | intensifier - a modifier that has little meaning except to intensify the meaning it modifies; "`up' in `finished up' is an intensifier"; "`honestly' in `I honestly don't know' is an intensifier" well - (used for emphasis or as an intensifier) entirely or fully; "a book well worth reading"; "was well aware of the difficulties ahead"; "suspected only too well what might be going on" mighty, powerful, mightily, right - (Southern regional intensive) very; to a great degree; "the baby is mighty cute"; "he's mighty tired"; "it is powerful humid"; "that boy is powerful big now"; "they have a right nice place"; "they rejoiced mightily" in truth, really, truly - in fact (used as intensifiers or sentence modifiers); "in truth, moral decay hastened the decline of the Roman Empire"; "really, you shouldn't have done it"; "a truly awful book" deucedly, insanely, deadly, madly, devilishly - (used as intensives) extremely; "she was madly in love"; "deadly dull"; "deadly earnest"; "deucedly clever"; "insanely jealous" downright - thoroughgoing; "he is outright dishonest" literally - (intensifier before a figurative expression) without exaggeration; "our eyes were literally pinned to TV during the Gulf War" most - very; "a most welcome relief" hellishly, infernally - extremely; "infernally clever"; "hellishly dangerous" so - to a very great extent or degree; "the idea is so obvious"; "never been so happy"; "I love you so"; "my head aches so!" such - to so extreme a degree; "he is such a baby"; "Such rich people!" positively - extremely; "it was positively monumental" marvellously, marvelously, superbly, terrifically, toppingly, wonderfully, wondrous, wondrously - (used as an intensifier) extremely well; "her voice is superbly disciplined"; "the colors changed wondrously slowly" simply, just - absolutely; "I just can't take it anymore"; "he was just grand as Romeo"; "it's simply beautiful!" candidly, frankly, honestly - (used as intensives reflecting the speaker's attitude) it is sincerely the case that; "honestly, I don't believe it"; "candidly, I think she doesn't have a conscience"; "frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn" precious, preciously - extremely; "there is precious little time left" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
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