Par"ti*ci*ple (?), n.
[F. participe, L.
participium, fr. particeps sharing, participant; pars, gen. partis, a part + capere to take. See Participate.]
1. (Gram.) A part of speech partaking of the nature both verb and
adjective; a form of a verb, or verbal adjective, modifying
a noun, but
taking the adjuncts of the verb from which it
is derived. In the sentences: a letter is written; being asleep he did
not hear; exhausted by toil he will sleep soundly, -- written,
being, and
exhaustedare participles.
By a participle, [I understand] a verb in an adjectival aspect.
Earle. &fist; Present
participles, called also imperfect, or incomplete, participles, end in -ing. Past participles,
called also perfect,
or complete,
participles, for the most part end
in -ed, -d, -t, -en, or -n. A participle when used merely as an
attribute of a noun, without reference to time, is
called an adjective,
or a participial adjective; as, a written constitution; a rolling stone; the exhausted army. The verbal noun in -ing has the
form of the
present participle. See Verbal noun, under Verbal, a.
2. Anything that partakes of the nature
of different things.
[Obs.]
The participles or confines between plants and living
creatures.
Bacon.
Hear it pronounced