'confirmed' implies a growing stronger and firmer with time

Question

In the following sentence I treat the entity 'growing stronger and firmer' as a single unit, a single noun phrase. If I don't, my mind and limited knowledge of English compels me to interpret somewhat like 'a growing getting stronger and firmer'. What do you say, is its treatment as a single noun phrase okay? Please help me.

'confirmed' implies a growing stronger and firmer with time so as to resist change or reform <a confirmed bachelor>

Avangi · Accepted Answer

I agree with your approach to the "single phrase," although the expression "noun phrase" is used variously in these fora.
(I can't say how it functions in the sentence without seeing the sentence. If you mean, "it begins with a noun," that's cool.)

"Confirmed" has more than one possible sense here. (I assume you've checked your dictionary.)

The status of a person or thing may often be "confirmed" by a single brief act.
I may ask, "Have you confirmed that he's a bachelor/licensed plumber?"

Of course, "confirmed bachelor" may be taken as a fixed expression, used to mean that the person in question is unlikely to change his status without a lot of prodding.
I'm not sure that the amount of time spent in that condition is always the chief cause of the status. Some people probably think so.

Jackson6612 · Answer

Avangialthough the expression "noun phrase" is used variously in these fora.
(I can't say how it functions in the sentence without seeing the sentence. If you mean, "it begins with a noun," that's cool.)

noun phrase
A noun phrase is either a single noun or pronoun or a group of words containing a noun or a pronoun that function together as a noun or pronoun, as the subject or object of a verb.

That phrase was starting with 'growing', present participle, and was functioning as a noun. I believe that'd be cool with you if I classify it as a noun phrase!

Avangithat the person in question is unlikely to change his status without a lot of prodding.

or, without a lot of temptation!

AvangiI'm not sure that the amount of time spent in that condition is always the chief cause of the status. Some people probably think so.

Seems like you used 'status' in this sense:
status
1 b : relative rank in a hierarchy of prestige; especially : high prestige

'confirmed virgin until wedding' is a cause of higher status around many parts of the world! Here, the term 'virgin' also includes the sons of Adam.

'confirmed' implies a growing stronger and firmer with time

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