nonrestrictive clause

nonrestrictive clause
a relative clause that describes or supplements but is not essential in establishing the identity of the antecedent and is usually set off by commas in English. In This year, which has been dry, is bad for crops the clause which has been dry is a nonrestrictive clause. Also called descriptive clause. Cf. restrictive clause.
[1925-30]

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • nonrestrictive clause — noun a subordinate clause that does not limit or restrict the meaning of the noun phrase it modifies • Syn: ↑descriptive clause • Hypernyms: ↑subordinate clause, ↑dependent clause * * * noun : a descriptive clause that adds information but is so… …   Useful english dictionary

  • nonrestrictive clause — noun Date: 1916 a descriptive clause that is not essential to the definiteness of the meaning of the word it modifies (as who is retired in “my father, who is retired, does volunteer work”) …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • nonrestrictive — [nän΄ri strik′tiv] adj. 1. not restrictive 2. Gram. designating a modifier, as a word, phrase, or subordinate clause, that does not limit the reference of the word or phrase it modifies but merely adds information and thus is not essential to the …   English World dictionary

  • nonrestrictive — /ˈnɒnrəstrɪktɪv/ (say nonruhstriktiv) adjective 1. not restrictive or limiting: nonrestrictive practices. 2. Grammar (of a word or clause) purely descriptive rather than limiting in its application to the sentence element it modifies. Mrs Owen,… …  

  • nonrestrictive — non•re•stric•tive [[t]ˌnɒn rɪˈstrɪk tɪv[/t]] adj. 1) not restrictive 2) gram. pertaining to a word, phrase, or clause that describes or supplements a modified element but is not essential in establishing its identity, as the relative clause which …   From formal English to slang

  • nonrestrictive — adjective not limiting the reference of a modified word or phrase the nonrestrictive clause in I always buy his books, which have influenced me greatly, refers to his books generally and adds an additional fact about them • Similar to:… …   Useful english dictionary

  • clause — n. group of words with a subject and predicate 1) a conditional; dependent, subordinate; independent, main; nonrestrictive; relative; restrictive; verbless clause provision article 2) (esp. AE) a grandfather clause ( a clause that exempts those… …   Combinatory dictionary

  • restrictive clause — noun a subordinate clause that limits or restricts the meaning of the noun phrase it modifies • Hypernyms: ↑subordinate clause, ↑dependent clause * * * noun : an adjective clause so closely attached to its noun as to be essential to the… …   Useful english dictionary

  • dependent clause — noun a clause in a complex sentence that cannot stand alone as a complete sentence and that functions within the sentence as a noun or adjective or adverb • Syn: ↑subordinate clause • Hypernyms: ↑clause • Hyponyms: ↑restrictive clause,… …   Useful english dictionary

  • subordinate clause — noun a clause in a complex sentence that cannot stand alone as a complete sentence and that functions within the sentence as a noun or adjective or adverb • Syn: ↑dependent clause • Hypernyms: ↑clause • Hyponyms: ↑restrictive clause,… …   Useful english dictionary

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