Resultative

Definition
Verbs which denote an activity may be combined with a predicate to render a so-called resultative interpretation:

(i)  He smashed [the vase to pieces] (ii) They talked [him out of it] (iii) She washed [the dirt off her face] (iv) The gardener watered [the flowers flat]

The brackets in (i)-(iv) reflect the small clause analysis of resultative constructions. This analysis has not remained unchallenged.

Links

 * Utrecht Lexicon of Linguistics