meaningverbs
I am writing an article about strategy formation and have trouble finding the right verbs. For instance, I would like to say something about the process of forming a strategy but have some serious doubts about using 'forming'. Would there be a better word, formating for instance?
I had a hard time looking for duplicates, since strategy as well as formation are very often used in a different context. My excuses if the answer to this question is already somewhere I did not find.
Yes, there may be a distinction between "elaborate" used with a normal direct object and "elaborate on" used with a prepositional object: the former, where it is used, tends to mean "create, establish", whereas the latter tends to mean "give further details about". If you look at these examples from the Europarl corpus:
http://www.translationexamples.com/ex/en-fr/elaborate
you'll see examples such as:
"must outline a concrete strategy ... and elaborate a detailed investment plan"
where the implication does appear to be create a plan, not develop one already in existence, vs:
"elaborate a little on what you said".
where the idea is "go into more detail".
As an informal intuitive observation, I would have said that the first usage isn't very common. However, I did a quick check on Google ngram and the figures appear to belie my intuition:
If these figures are anything to go by, "elaborate on" appears to be a relatively recent innovation, vs a time when "elaborate" was practically always used with a 'straight' direct object.
Interestingly, as testimony to this being a relatively recent innovation, Websters 1913 edition doesn't appear to mention the possibility of "elaborate" with 'on', but gives the following definition and example of transitive 'elaborate':
"To perfect with painstaking; to improve or refine with labor and study, or by successive operations; as, to elaborate a painting or a literary work."
After some consideration, my best suggestion is:
Stir verb
to move or cause (someone or something) to move after being still
Madee stirred with curiosity and followed Mançion down a passageway that opened in the wall.
In my mind, "stirred" is fitting because it has an appropriate definition, but also conjures an image of being awoken by an unseen actor.
Best Answer
Some suggestions: