devoid
/dĭ-void′/
adjective
- (obsolete) Void; empty; vacant.
- Destitute; not in possession; -- with of devoid of sense; devoid of pity or of pride.
Hi All,
Me and my gf have been arguing if Devoid can be used as a verb or just an adjective. It is in the oxford dictionary as both but other sites state only an adjective. What is the consensus?
When we say something is devoid of this or that, we mean that it is completely lacking this or that. When we speak of a lack of something, we usually do not mean a total absence.
Wrt your two critical expressions:
At Google Books
question lacks meaning About 83 results
question is devoid of meaning About 54 results
have comparable frequencies and meanings, but the 2nd has more emphasis.
In order to see that, take a look at "devoid" on this page of the best source for separating synonyms:
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Synonyms: A Dictionary of Discriminated ...
shows entire want or lack
stresses the absence or the nonpossession of a particular quality, character, or tendency