5 Nouns You Didn’t Realize Were Also Verbs

Friday, October 112 min read

Words in the English language never seem to stay in their lane. They bleed over into different parts of speech as people create new meanings for them, and it’s been happening longer than you might think.

Nouns turn into verbs all the time. You see it on the internet when words like “adult” become “adulting” and soon it’s used in regular conversation. The words adapt to their new meanings, and sometimes the new parts of speech get added to the dictionary. Here are five nouns that adopted their new verb status before the days of viral social media posts.

Moon

The moon isn’t just nature’s spotlight. "Moon" has multiple meanings and functions in language, both as a verb and noun.

"To moon" means to dream and be idle. It can also imply odd behavior along with daydreaming, like if you’re mooning over someone you find attractive. You focus on them, but that also means you probably aren’t thinking about practical tasks and responsibilities.

On the other hand, "mooning" can have a much less flattering meaning. If you moon someone physically, you may have pulled your pants down and shown your bare behind to someone.

Magistrate

"Magistrate" comes from the Latin word magister, which means to rule. As a noun in modern contexts it refers to a judge or other court officer. The verb definition is less specific.

"To magistrate" in 17th-century English meant to dominate. It could be displaying a domineering attitude toward others, or someone dominating a conversation. Either way, it doesn’t sound like something you want to do.

Spider

You probably think of the creepy crawly sort of spider you find around the house. But spiders are more than just unwelcome guests. In fact, it’s the spider’s traits that led to the word becoming a verb.

If you’re spidering, you’re scurrying around quickly and quietly, the same way a spider does when you’re chasing it with a shoe. "To spider" can also mean to trap something, just like ensnaring a fly in a web.

Buttonhole

The origins of "buttonhole" as a verb are debated. It may be literal, as in a button being pushed through a small hole. It may also be a misuse of the word "button-hold," which means to grasp the front of someone’s shirt.

As for what "buttonhole" means, no matter where it started, it’s something every one of us has experienced. "To buttonhole" someone is to pin them down in a conversation they don’t want to have. Think long one-on-one lectures you can’t escape, and you’ve been buttonholed.

Rebecca

Yes, even proper nouns can turn into verbs. "Rebecca" as a verb comes from the Rebecca Riots in 1840s Wales, when people protested against the poor conditions of farming areas. "Rebecca" became a verb that refers to destroying gates, like the ones in the riots.

Photo Credit: Ganapathy Kumar/ Unsplash

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