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copula

n. in linguistics, a verb used so that it has little meaning other than to express equivalence between the subject and the complement in a sentence. In English, the most important copula is the verb be, as in He is my uncle or She is angry. Other verbs that can function as copulas include become, feel, get, seem, and look. Also called linking verb.

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Psychology term of the day

November 18th 2024

laxative addiction

laxative addiction

a dependence on the use of laxatives to induce bowel movements. The addiction is a vicious cycle, in which the use of laxatives gradually reduces bowel activity so that further use becomes the only way to avoid constipation. Laxative addiction is often associated with eating disorders in which laxatives are routinely used for purging. See also enema addiction; klismaphilia.