modal
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modal auxiliary verb
A modal auxiliary verb, often simply called a modal verb or even just a modal, is used to change the meaning of other verbs (commonly known as main verbs) by expressing modality—that is, asserting (or denying) possibility, likelihood, ability, permission, obligation, or future intention.
Modal verbs are defined by their inability to conjugate for tense and the third person singular (i.e., they do not take an "-s" at the end when he, she, or it is the subject), and they cannot form infinitives, past participles, or present participles. All modal auxiliary verbs are followed by a main verb in its base form (the infinitive without to); they can never be followed by other modal verbs, lone auxiliary verbs, or nouns.
As with the primary auxiliary verbs, modal verbs can be used with not to create negative sentences, and they can all invert with the subject to create interrogative sentences.
modal
pertaining to mode, manner, or form; in music, based on a scale other than major or minor
Not to be confused with:
model – a standard or example for imitation; exemplary: a model prisoner; a miniature representation of something: a model train; a person or thing that serves as a subject for an artist
module – a separable component or self-contained segment of something else: an office module; a standard unit for measuring; in computers, a program or part that performs a distinct function
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree
mod·al
(mōd′l)adj.
1. Of, relating to, or characteristic of a mode.
2. Grammar Of, relating to, or expressing the mood of a verb.
3. Music Of, relating to, characteristic of, or composed in any of the modes typical of medieval church music.
4. Philosophy Of or relating to mode without referring to substance.
5. Logic Expressing or characterized by modality.
6. Statistics Of or relating to a statistical mode or modes.
n.
See modal auxiliary.
mod′al·ly adv.
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.
modal
(ˈməʊdəl)adj
1. of, relating to, or characteristic of mode or manner
2. (Grammar) grammar (of a verb form or auxiliary verb) expressing a distinction of mood, such as that between possibility and actuality. The modal auxiliaries in English include can, could, may, must, need, ought, shall, should, will, and would
3. (Philosophy) philosophy logic
a. qualifying or expressing a qualification of the truth of some statement, for example, as necessary or contingent
b. relating to analogous qualifications such as that of rules as obligatory or permissive
4. (Logic) philosophy logic
a. qualifying or expressing a qualification of the truth of some statement, for example, as necessary or contingent
b. relating to analogous qualifications such as that of rules as obligatory or permissive
5. (Philosophy) metaphysics of or relating to the form of a thing as opposed to its attributes, substance, etc
6. (Music, other) music of or relating to a mode
7. (Statistics) of or relating to a statistical mode
ˈmodally adv
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
mod•al
(ˈmoʊd l)adj.
1. of or pertaining to mode, manner, or form.
2. of or pertaining to a musical mode.
3. of, pertaining to, or expressing the mood of a verb.
4. exhibiting or expressing some phase of logical modality.
n. [1560–70; < Medieval Latin]
mod′al•ly, adv.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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Noun 1. modal - an auxiliary verb (such as `can' or `will') that is used to express modality
auxiliary verb - a verb that combines with another verb in a verb phrase to help form tense, mood, voice, or condition of the verb it combines with
Adj. 1. modal - relating to or constituting the most frequent value in a distribution; "the modal age at which American novelists reach their peak is 30"
statistics - a branch of applied mathematics concerned with the collection and interpretation of quantitative data and the use of probability theory to estimate population parameters
normal - conforming with or constituting a norm or standard or level or type or social norm; not abnormal; "serve wine at normal room temperature"; "normal diplomatic relations"; "normal working hours"; "normal word order"; "normal curiosity"; "the normal course of events"
2. [画像:modal - of or relating to a musical mode]modal - of or relating to a musical mode; especially written in an ecclesiastical mode
3. modal - relating to or expressing the mood of a verb; "modal auxiliary"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
modalen
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