Verbal \Ver"bal\, a. [F., fr. L. verbalis. See Verb.]
1. Expressed in words, whether spoken or written, but
commonly in spoken words; hence, spoken; oral; not
written; as, a verbal contract; verbal testimony.
Made she no verbal question? --Shak.
We subjoin an engraving . . . which will give the
reader a far better notion of the structure than any
verbal description could convey to the mind.
--Mayhew.
2. Consisting in, or having to do with, words only; dealing
with words rather than with the ideas intended to be
conveyed; as, a verbal critic; a verbal change.
And loses, though but verbal, his reward. --Milton.
Mere verbal refinements, instead of substantial
knowledge. --Whewell.
3. Having word answering to word; word for word; literal; as,
a verbal translation.
4. Abounding with words; verbose. [Obs.]
--Shak.
5. (Gram.) Of or pertaining to a verb; as, a verbal group;
derived directly from a verb; as, a verbal noun; used in
forming verbs; as, a verbal prefix.
Verbal inspiration. See under Inspiration.
Verbal noun (Gram.), a noun derived directly from a verb or
verb stem; a verbal. The term is specifically applied to
infinitives, and nouns ending in -ing, esp. to the latter.
See Gerund, and -ing, 2. See also, Infinitive mood,
under Infinitive.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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