transitivity of "expire" (fwd)

[Mark A Mandel]

On Wed, 27 Feb 2002, Beverly Flanigan wrote:

#"He's a grown man,"

Agreed: he has grown. Also, he is grown up.

# "It's a done deal,"

No. The deal has *been done*. Passive.

# and (<BAP) "disabled toilet."

No, though this one is more complex. The toilet is neither disabling nor
disabled, nor has it disabled (anyone/anything). It is a toilet for
disabled people; and "disabled" in *that* expression is passive, not
active, although it is euphemistic in that there is no implied or
factual agent at all.

-- Mark A. Mandel