Rumored out of

Question

Hello....He was rumored out of the country.The sentence above means (A) He left the country because of the rumor, or(B) It is rumored that he is not in the country?

Clive · Accepted Answer

First, which is your choice, please?

Pructus · Answer

Hello, Clive!

My choice will be (A) He left the country because of the rumor.

But I am not sure...

Clive · Answer

No, (B) It is was rumored that he is was not in the country.

ie He was rumored [ to be ] out of the country.

Clive

Pructus · Answer

Thanks so much, Clive!!

To understand this kind of structure fully....

How about "They rumored him out of the country"?

Can't it be understood to mean "They made out a rumor to make him go out of the country"?

Clive · Answer

How about "They rumored him out of the country"? It's a very odd thing to say.

Can't it be understood to mean "They made out a rumor to make him go out of the country"?..Not by me.
It's hard to find any meaning at all in those words.

The verb rumour is usually used in the passive. eg He was rumoured to be out of the country.
This is probably because the passive does not require you to specify an agent. In other words, you don't have to specify who created the rumour. With rumours, you usually don't know.

Clive.

CalifJim · Answer

pructusHe was rumored [to be] out of the country.

Also,

said to be, reported to be, thought to be, assumed to be, believed to be, found to be, ...

It's much less usual to omit "to be" in these expressions. I don't believe I've ever seen "said" without "to be" in these constructions.

CJ

Pructus · Answer

I see... I see...
Thanks so much, Clive!!

Rumored out of

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