Синкретические формы в наименованиях животных в английском языке

The article intends to describe and classify semantic changes in verbs derived from nouns by conversion in a lexico-semantic group «animals». For this purpose it deals with issues such as syncretism of a form, conversion as a word-formation process. The article offers a four group classification of derived verbs according to defined associative features. The conclusion is that semantics of a derived verb is closely connected with associations evoked by animals' exterior or behaviour and applied to description of human activity.