Definition : A verb used with a noun phrase with the general meaning
of "perform the action indicated by the noun".
Examples : have, take, make
and do in the following sentences :
- She had lunch
- We took a break
- I made a mistake
- He did the shopping
Obviously, many of these verbs can also be used with lexical meaning :
have = possess : She has a lovely house.
take = seize hold of : She took a book off the shelf
make = create : She made a model of a rabbit
It is only the context which will tell you if a verb is or isn't "delexicalised"
make = create : She made a model of a rabbit
It is only the context which will tell you if a verb is or isn't "delexicalised"
Recommended reading
Selivan, L. Lexical Grammar, Cambridge
