/pahr"teuh sip'euhl, -seuh peuhl/ , n. Gram.
an adjective or complement to certain auxiliaries that is regularly derived from the verb in many languages and refers to participation in the action or state of the verb; a verbal form used as an adjective. It does not specify person or number in English, but may have a subject or object, show tense, etc., as burning, in a burning candle, or devoted in his devoted friend.
[ 1350-1400; ME participe participium, deriv. of particeps taking part, equiv. to parti- (s. of pars ) PART + -cep- (comb. form of capere to take) + -s nom. sing. ending ]
Usage . See dangling participle, misplaced modifier .