THE ADJECTIVE

The Adjective is a part of speech which expresses qualities/characteristics of

names, that is beings/objects/phenomena/states/abstractions/actions. It generally
determines nouns (attribute adjectives) or accompanies a linking verb (predicative
adjectives). Its most important function is that of attribute.
POSITION OF ADJECTIVES
As an attribute, the adjective usually appears in pre-position (it is a
premodifier):
an old man
the red roof of the tall building
an exciting adventure
Rarely, the attribute adjective can be a postmodifier, in collocations (set
combinations of words):
heir apparent/presumptive (motenitor de moment)
attorney general (procurer general)
in the United States: Attorney General (aprox. Ministrul Justiiei)
postmaster general (eful potelor)
secretary general
court martial
notary public (AmE)
In some cases, the adjective changes meaning, depending on its position:
the men present (oamenii de fa/prezeni)
the present time (timpul prezent) in opposition to the past and the future
an involved question (o ntrebare ncurcat/complicat)
the people involved (cei implicai)
a proper meal (o mas cum se cuvine/adevrat)
the question proper (ntrebarea propriu-zis)
proof positive (dovad cert)
a positive answer (un rspuns afirmativ)
a concerned mother (o mam ngrijorat)
the people concerned (cei n discuie/cei interesai)
a responsible person (o persoan cu simul rspunderii)
the person responsible (persoana vinovat)
SIMPLE AND COMPOUND ADJECTIVES
Simple Adjectives are adjectives made up of one word only, be it primary
word or derived word:
good
true
blue
dreadful

contemptible
Byronic
unselfish
Milanese
friendly
Parisian
interesting
Compound Adjectives are adjectives made up of two or more than two
words and sometimes they can be formed both as compounds and as derivatives:
fair-minded
second-classy
head-achey
two-thirtyish
There are several means of compounding adjectives:
1. ADJECTIVE + NOUN + -ed
blue/black/green/gray-eyed
(the green-eyed monster = gelozia)
fair/dark/brown/black/red/white-haired
cross-eyed = saiu
keen-eyed = cu ochi ptrunztori
short-sighted = miop
clear-sighted = lucid, clarvztor
kind-hearted = bun la suflet, mrinimos
open-hearted
good-hearted
light-hearted = cu sufletul uor
cold-hearted
black-hearted
fair-minded = obiectiv, corect
open-minded
broad-minded
narrow-minded
absent-minded = distrat
long-legged = cu picioare lungi
left-handed
broad/narrow-shouldered
white/pale/red/rosy-faced
round/square/long-faced
short-tempered = fnos,
ill/bad-tempered = susceptibil
good-tempered = cumsecade
good-humoured = bine-dispus
ill/bad-humoured
humour = 1. umor; 2. umoare, stare de spirit
bare-footed = descul

bare-handed
red-handed
to catch smb red-handed = a prinde n flagrant delict/asupra
faptului/cu ma-n sac
bare-headed
thick-headed
deep-rooted = adnc-nrdcinat
middle-aged
cold-blooded
2. ADJECTIVE + PRESENT PARTICIPLE
good/bad/odd-looking
pleasant/nice/odd/bad-smelling
easy-going = uor abordabil
soft-speaking
loud-speaking
long-standing = ndelungat
3. ADJECTIVE + PAST PARTICIPLE
hard/soft-boiled
deep-frozen = congelat
pleasant/soft-spoken
new-born
Adjectives formed with Old Past Participles also enter this category:
clean-shaven
fresh-shaven
heavy-laden
ill-gotten
deep-sunken
deep-sunken eyes = ochi nfundai n orbite
deep-sunken cheeks = obraji scoflcii
4. ADJECTIVE + NOUN
fresh/salt-water (fish)
last-minute (decision/arrangements)
everyday (occurrence)
first-hand (information)
second-hand (car)
high-speed (car)
high/low-calorie (food)
long-distance (call)
5. NUMERAL + NOUN + -ed
four-sided
three-cornered
two-faced (= cu dou fee, duplicitar, ipocrit)

five-starred
one-legged
three-wheeled
6. ADJECTIVE + (and) + ADJECTIVE
light/dark-blue
dark-green
deep-red
blue-gray
bitter-sweet
deaf-mute (BUT: deaf-and-dumb) = surdomut
Swedish-American
Christian-Democratic
blue-and-white
black-and-white
a black-and-white movie/picture/photo
a black-and-white way of thinking
deaf-and-dumb (surdomut)
high and mighty (=atotputernic)
sick and tired (= stul pn peste cap)
7. ADVERB + PRESENT PARTICIPLE
well-meaning
hard-working
far-reaching = care bate departe
fast-flowing
fast-moving
fast-thinking
ever-lasting = peren, venic
never-ending
8. ADVERB + PAST PARTICIPLE
just-married
newly-wed
well-done
well-made
well-known
long-discussed
ready-made
ready-made clothes = haine de gata
above-mentioned
well-bred = bine-crescut
far-fetched = tras de pr, exagerat
clear-cut = clar, net

9. ADVERB + ADJECTIVE
ever-green
downright (= direct, clar, pe loc)
a downright answer
overdue = cu termenul depit, ntrziat
over-all
wide-open
widespread = larg rspndit
10. ADVERB/PREPOSITION + NOUN
indoor
outdoor
overnight (stay)
overweight = supraponderal
underweight
online
offline
11. ADVERB + NOUN + -ed
underprivileged
undersized
oversized
understaffed
12. NOUN + NOUN + -ed
gold-hearted
heart/kidney/ring/flower-shaped
feather-brained
pig-headed
pot-bellied = burduhnos
13. NOUN + PRESENT PARTICIPLE
heart-rending (= sfietor, foarte emoionant)
heart-breaking
peace-loving
peace-making
breathtaking
life-giving
self-deluding
law-abiding = care respect legea
sleep-walking
God-fearing
brain-washing
14. NOUN + PAST PARTICIPLE

dog-tired = foarte obosit

leather-bound
man-made
hand-made
air-conditioned
an air-conditioned room (BUT: an air-conditioning appliance)
airborne = aeropurtat
shoulder-borne
heartfelt (= resimit profund/din inim)
suntanned = bronzat
thunderstruck = trznit
town-bred
country-bred
weather-beaten (= marcat de intemperii, ars de soare i de vnt)
self-made = autodidact
self-taught
frost-bitten = degerat
God-forsaken = uitat de Dumnezeu
We can also include in this category adjectives formed with Old Past
participles:
awe-stricken
panic/horror/terror-stricken
poverty-stricken
bed-ridden = intuit la pat
15. NOUN + ADJECTIVE
brand-new = nou-nou
knee-deep
sound-proof = izolat fonic
water-proof = nchis ermetic, impermeabil
duty-free
pollution-free
carsick
seasick
airsick
homesick
ice-cold
crystal-clear
snow-white
Gospel-true = foarte adevrat
ruby-red
bottle-green = verde nchis
ocean-green

navy-blue = bleumarin
baby-blue
jet/pitch-black
ash-blonde
16. PAST PARTICIPLE + ADVERB (adjectives derived from phrasal verbs)
grown-up (= adult, matur)
left-over (= lsat, rmas, care nu mai e bun)
brought-up (= educat)
talked-about
sought-after
made-up (= inventat; fardat)
run-down (= foarte obosit, n stare foarte proast)
built-in (cupboard) (= construit n perete)
fed-up (= stul pn-n gt)
cast-off (= aruncat, care nu mai e bun)
mixed-up (= confuz)
patched-up (= peticit)
worn out (= epuizat, foarte obosit)
thrown away
built-up (= unde se afl construcii)
dressed-up (= mpopoonat)
stuck-up (= cu nasul pe sus, nfumurat)
17. ADVERB + PAST PARTICIPLE
inborn (= nnscut)
inlaid (= ncrustat)
inlaid with mother-of-pearl (ncrustat cu sidef)
outspoken (= sincer, care vorbete pe leau)
overgrown (= crescut prea mult)
overcrowded (= supraaglomerat)
overdressed (= mpopoonat)
overpaid
underpaid
underfed (= subnutrit)
underdeveloped
underestimated
foreseen (= previzibil)
18. ADVERB + PRESENT PARTICIPLE
incoming (= n pregtire, care vine; iminent)
ongoing (= n curs de desfurare)
outstanding (= remarcabil)

OLD PAST PARTICIPLES

There are some adjectives in English, which used to be Past Participles in
Old English, so they were verbal structures. In Modern English, they ceased to be
verbs and cannot be used in structures in which Past Participles usually occur.
* He has drunken too much.
He has drunk too much.
* She was stricken by her husband.
She was struck by her husband.
These words are adjectives only, which have an important restriction: they
cannot be used predicatively, with linking verbs, but they can be used attributively:
* He is/seems/looks drunken.
He is/seems/looks drunk.
The drunken man staggered out of the pub.
Here is a list of these adjectives:
drunken (to drink, drank, drunk) = but, ameit
a drunken argument/brawl (o ceart de beivi/la beie)
drunken fury
drunken sleep
drunken laughter
drunken voices
drunken singing
(Adv. drunkenly; N. drunkenness)
sunken (to sink, sank, sunk) = scufundat; lsat; nfundat; scoflcit
a sunken ship (un vas scufundat)
sunken eyes (ochi nfundai n orbite)
sunken cheeks (obraji scoflcii)
stricken (to strike, struck, struck) = lovit; rnit; afectat; cuprins (de)
stricken with fever/cancer/malaria/measles
stricken by poverty (or: poverty-stricken)
a stricken look (o privire rnit)
stricken eyes
grief-stricken (= cuprins de mhnire)
panic/terror/horror-stricken (= cuprins de panic/teroare/oroare)
awe-stricken (= cuprins de team i veneraie)
conscience-stricken (= cuprins de remucri)
ridden (to rid, rid, rid to get rid of)
bed-ridden (= intuit la pat)
guilt-ridden (= cuprins de remucri)
vice-ridden (= dominat de vicii)
laden (to load, loaded, loaded) = ncrcat
trees laden with apples

a lorry laden with supplies

a fully laden basket
heavy-laden (= foarte ncrcat)
laden with grief/guilt/remorse
molten (to melt, melted, melted) = topit
molten metal/lead/lava
molten fury
gotten (to get, got, got) = obinut, cptat
ill-gotten = obinut pe ci necinstite
(ill-gotten money/funds/fortune/gains)
shaven (to shave, shaved, shaved) = ras, brbierit
clean-shaven
fresh-shaven
a shaven head
proven (to prove, proved, proved) = a dovedi
not guilty until proven [prezumia de nevinovie]
a well-proven theory
a lawyer of proven shrewdness
shrunken (to shrink, shrank, shrunk) = micorat, scorojit, chircit
an old shrunken tree
the shrunken body of an old woman
smbs shrunken appearance
wrought (to work, worked, worked) = prelucrat n metal
wrought iron (fier forjat)
overwrought (to overwork, overworked, overworked) = surmenat, cu nervii
ntini
to be overwrought (a fi surmenat)
in an overwrought state
A-ADJECTIVES
A-Adjectives are a category of adjectives, which come from Old English,
where they were made up of two words: the preposition an (= in a state of) and a
noun.
an fire [OE] = on fire, (in the state of) burning
afire = on fire, burning
These adjectives can function only predicatively, not attributively:
* the alive man
the living man
the man is alive
Occasionally, A-Adjectives can be used as attributes, but only if they have an
adverbial determiner (when they are premodified by an adverb):
the barely alive man

the half asleep child

a somewhat afraid clerk
a fully awake man
a really alive face
a barely afloat company
a very ashamed girl
Some of these adjectives can be premodified by very and by comparison:
very much afraid
more ashamed
less alike
Some of the A-Adjectives can be adverbs too, others are only adverbs, still
others adverbs and prepositions.
ablaze (adj., adv.) = arznd, care arde vlvtaie; strlucitor, foarte surescitat
The building was ablaze.
Her face was ablaze with anger.
adrift (adj., adv.) = n deriv
The boat is adrift in the middle of the storm.
afire = n flcri, arznd; foarte interesat
The house was afire.
The news set everybody afire.
aflame = n flcri, arznd; strlucitor, puternic luminat
The warehouse was aflame when the firemen came.
His face was aflame with passion.
The autumn wood is aflame with colour.
afloat = n stare de plutire, plutind; n circulaie
The ship was barely afloat.
The company managed to stay afloat after the crash of the market.
There was a strange rumour afloat. It had been set by DCR.
afoot = n pregtire, n desfurare
There was a plan afoot to improve the roads.
afraid (of) = care se teme, nspimntat; (conversational formula) Im afraid
He was afraid of nothing but spiders.
I am afraid of losing my job.
She was completely unafraid.
Im afraid you cant see him right now.
agape = cu gura deschis/cscat
Dont stand agape!
aghast = ocat
He stood aghast at the terrible sight.
aground (adj., adv.) = euat
The ship was fast aground.
The fishing boat had run aground very near the shore.

ajar = ntredeschis (d. ui/ferestre)

The door was slightly ajar.
akin (to) = nrudit (cu)
Pity is often akin to love, Shakespeare said.
alight = arznd, luminat; foarte strlucitor; voios, radios
All the windows were alight.
His face was alight with happiness.
alike (adj., adv.) = la fel, asemntor; totuna, indiferent
The two sisters were very much alike.
All music is alike to him.
alive = n via, viu; (to) contient (de); (with) fogind, miunnd
He is the greatest scientist alive.
We are all alive to her faults.
The lake was alive with fish.
The street was alive with noise and movement,
alone (adj., adv.) = singur; doar
He was alone in the big hall.
He alone knew the danger.
amiss (adj., adv.) = n neregul
There was something seriously amiss with him.
A haircut wont come amiss.
ashamed (of) = ruinat (de)
The little boy was very much ahamed.
You are totally unashamed of your own deeds.
asleep = adormit
When we came home, he was fast asleep.
awake = treaz; (to) contient (de)
When I entered her room she was wide awake.
He was awake to every occasion.
aware (of) = contient (de)
Are you aware of the consequences?
Ant. unaware
N (un)awareness
Adv. unawares = pe nepregtite, pe neateptate
What happened took us unawares.
I was caught unawares by her remark.
Some of these words are adverbs and prepositions:
aback
across
aboard
afresh
above
again
abroad
against

ahead
along
aloud
anew
apart
around

ashore
aside
atop
away
awhile