Verbs and Idea of Intent

Factual Questions
1

Hello, Straightdopers; AMAPAC here with an issue that came up today in a class I’m teaching.

Consider someone in riding in an airplane and then the next minute, they’re dropping through the sky. We have verbs that can describe what might have happened.

If the person left the plane intentionally, we say jump. If they left the plane unintentionally, we say fall.

Are there any other pairs like this–pairs of verbs that describe the same action but vary depending on whether or not the actor intended to take the action?

Thanks…AMAPAC

2

Muder and commiting suicide?

3

You *slip *on the ice. I *slide *on (or across) it. Is that what you’re looking for?

4

The difference between “jump” and “fall” isn’t merely a difference of intent. At the moment he is exiting the plane, he is jumping; after that he is falling.

Getting picked up vs. getting abducted.

Having sex vs. getting raped.

Joining the Army vs. getting drafted.

5

This might not be quite what you mean, but you can overhear something without meaning to, but if you listen to something, or eavesdrop, that implies deliberate intent.

6

Perhaps pour vs. spill?

You’re right, but I still see the OP’s point, which is why we never hear of anyone going bungee-falling.

7

What if they’re pushed?

8

Legally, I think the words you’re looking for are murder / commit manslaughter

And since we’re on unpleasant subjectss:
(in polite language) go to the bathroom/ have an accident
(for males) Masturbate/Have a wet dream
Does * form a liason with* / be seduced by count? Neither necessarily implies positive intention, but one implies passivity and the other is neutral.

Getting away from the OP, there are I think many verb pairs where one is the intentional action, and the other is the (intentional or not) result.

For instance, one must choose to study, but can learn by accident (and of course, as we all sadly know, one can study without learning).

Also Listen/hear (as h. sapiens said)
Work/achieve
Explore/discover
Diet/Lose weight
Campaign/be elected
Etc.

9

I think these are more examples of the try vs. succeed distinction, rather than the intentional vs. unintentional distinction the OP was looking for.