3.6 The stress in verb compounds

Most verb compounds are stressed on the first constituent. Examples are to ˈfreelance (also: to work ˈfreelance), to ˈrollerskate, to ˈwindow-shop (etalages kijken).

In the following cases both constituents are stressed:

• when the first constituent is out, over (too much), under (too little), as in to ˈoutˈbid, to ˈoverˈact, to ˈunderdeˈvelop,

• in a number of others, examples of which are;  to ˈbackˈdate (ante-dateren), toˈcourt-ˈmartial, to ˈcross-eˈxamine (een kruisverhoor afnemen). Also to ˈdry-ˈclean, to ˈfree-ˈwheel, to ˈshort-ˈcircuit (kortsluiting hebben/veroorzaken; omzeilen van moeilijkheden, formaliteiten etc.), to ˈshort-ˈchange (te weinig geld teruggeven).