An indefinite adjective is one that does not denote any particular person or thing.
All such adjectives as each, every, either, neither, some, any, many, much, few, all, both, no, none, several and certain are indefinite adjectives. We use them when we are not speaking of any particular person or thing, but are speaking in a broad, general sense and in an indefinite manner.
257. The interrogative adjectives are sometimes used in this indefinite way. They are sometimes used to modify nouns when a direct question is not asked, and they are then used, not as interrogative adjectives, but as indefinite adjectives. For example:
- He did not know which party to join.
- I have not learned what time he will go.
In these sentences which and what are not used to ask questions, but are used to describe an unknown object.
Exercise 4
All the words in italics are adjectives. Decide to which class each adjective belongs.
Note in this exercise the compound words used as adjectives, as: earth-born, self-made, new-lit, blood-rusted. Look up the meaning of these adjectives and see if you can use other adjectives in their places and keep the same meaning. Note the use of fellest.
Slavery, the earth-born Cyclops, fellest of the giant brood,