The word "BATH" as a verb

[Tom]

Hi everyone

Could you please tell me if the British use "BATH" as a verb as commonly as the Americans us "BATHE"?

[Alan]

Hi Tom,

I would suggest that 'take a bath' is more usual.

Alan
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Present Simple

[Jamie (K)]

"Take a bath" is more common in both countries, I guess.

[Milanya]

"Take bath" has a narrower meaning than "bathe." If you get into a tub in order to wash you are definitely taking a bath.
But you can bathe in the sunlight, bathe a wound with a medicine, or you can bathe in the ocean wearing a bathing suit. I do not think that any of these activities can be called "taking a bath."
_________________
con·text - The part of a text or statement that surrounds a particular word or passage and determines its meaning.

[Mister Micawber]

.
Just to clear up a point:

1) I'm bathing right now.-- right spelling
2) I'm batheing right now-- wrong spelling.

Bathe (beið), bathed (beiðd), bathing (beiðiŋ/ (this is an intransitive verb and means 'take a bath').
Bath (bæθ), bathed (bæθt), bathing (bæθiŋ) (this is a transitive verb and means 'give a bath').
.
_________________
Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's

[Alan]

Hi,

I'm totally lost here! To me 'bathe', which loses the 'e' in the present participle is another way of saying for example getting into the pool or sea for a swim or lying in the sun and you can also use it with an object as in 'bathe a wound' suggesting you gently wash a wound.. 'Bath' is both intransitive and transitive - You can take a bath and you are therefore bathing or you can bath the baby - give the baby a bath.

Alan
_________________
English as a Foreign Language
You can read my EFL story Progressive Forms

[Mister Micawber]

.
Sorry, I meant in its meaning of 'take a bath' it is intransitive-- but in AmE at least, that is 'bathe', not 'bath'. They are 2 different verbs.
.
_________________
Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's