cleft infinitive

1 definition found

cleft infinitive - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Split infinitive \Split infinitive\ (Gram.)
     A simple infinitive with to, having a modifier between the
     verb and the to; as in, to largely decrease. Called also
     cleft infinitive.
  
     Note: The use of the split infinitive is commonly considered
           to be ungrammatical, but by most grammarians it is
           considered acceptible.
           [Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC]