psych (adj.)

A term sometimes used in GRAMMAR and SEMANTICS to describe VERBS which express a psychological state, and their associated PHRASAL constructions and PREDICATES. Psych verbs (or experiencer verbs) include amaze, interest, frighten, love and upset, and associated forms are illustrated by such PASSIVE constructions as be amazed at and be interested in. A distinction is often drawn between EXPERIENCER–SUBJECT constructions, such as The cat is scared of the noise, and experiencer–OBJECT constructions, such as The noise frightened the cat. Psych-movement is an operation which moves the object of a psych verb into the subject position, leaving the former subject as a PREPOSITIONAL phrase: Mike upsets me becomes I am upset with Mike.