A word that can be either a verb or an adjective?

Question

Hi, can someone tell me some words that can either a verb that can be an adjective?

Answer 1

I think you're probably interested in words of the sort found in (C) below, but here's a broader list.

(A) The Participle forms of verbs become adjectives -- you can do this with practically any verb

- past participle (most often formed with -ed)
inspired, cooked, crowded, trained, animated, built, hurt, amused, damaged, wound, gone, taken, shaken, shrunk

- present participle (-ing)
flowing, running, interesting, amusing

http://www.chompchomp.com/terms/participle.htm


Some of these take on a specialized meaning as an adjective:
striking, pronounced


(B) Since MANY nouns can be used adjectivally... words that are used as both verbs and nouns (esp nominalized verbs or verbalized nouns) often permit the noun form to be used as an adjectival modifier

examples:

war department
form letter
house pet
hit count (hit = verb, instance of =noun)
stream cleanup
book tour
top dog
skin color
master craftsman
star witness [as another answer listed, but note this is an adjectival use of a NOUN]

Some of these have a different pronunciation of verb form (esp. accenting different syllable):
- record (adj: record high)

Note that the most common of these may end up forming new compound nouns (typically starting as two nouns, then hyphenated, then non-hyphenated word) - manpower


(C) "Simple" adjectives that are also verbs (even if they were originally derived in the manner of words in (B) )

TEST: functions as a 'predicate adjective' in expression like"The [man] is ___"

I assume this is the main thing you are interested in.

[change the state/status of]: quiet, mute, still, calm, slow, busy, wet, dry, open, free, loose, empty, hollow, clean, dirty, perfect, cool, warm, clear, right, wrong, tame, tire, weary, blind
[shapes and sizes]: round, square, narrow, thin, short, dull
[colors and shades]: light ('not dark' and "light the way"), pale, yellow, brown, tan
[substance (cf. (B))]: paper, water
divine, fancy, fake, alert, shy, average, better
welcome

several "-ate" verbs work: alternate, appropriate, approximate, articulate, deliberate, desolate, discriminate, elaborate, intimate, legitimate, moderate, precipitate, private, regenerate, sedate, separate

(Note that the -ate verb forms often treat the last syllable differently from the adjective [and noun] uses] -- with a "long a" with a secondary stress, while the adjective is an unaccented vowel that is scarcely pronounced [technically called a "schwa" sound])


(D) Finally, some MAY fit your description but I list them separately because these may not be related in meaning -- they may be unrelated homophones or if originally from the same root, not so clearly related any longer:

last (verb means "to endure", adj = "final")
long (verb ="to desire")

Answer 2

Play,can be either a verb (as in play cards), a noun (as in drama), or even an adjective (as in play clothes).

Answer 3

shy (shy girl, shy away from), free (free the bird, free country), brown (i will brown the butter, brown shoes), tan (the girl will tan, the girl is tan), yellow (the paper will yellow with age, the corn was yellow), pale ( her face is pale, her face will pale), star ( i will star in the film, she is the star witness)

Answer 4

tex-mex adjective tex-mex-mess verb to tex-mex infinitive
tex-mexing,present participle............tex-mexed preterite