Windows PowerShell Pocket Reference

Chapter 5. Standard PowerShell Verbs

Cmdlets and scripts should be named using a Verb-Noun syntax, for example, Get-ChildItem. The official guidance is that, with rare exception, cmdlets should use the standard PowerShell verbs. They should avoid any synonyms or concepts that can be mapped to the standard. This allows administrators to quickly understand a set of cmdlets that use a new noun.

Verbs should be phrased in the present tense, and nouns should be singular. Tables Table 5-1 through Table 5-6 list the different categories of standard PowerShell verbs.

Table 5-1. Standard Windows PowerShell common verbs

Verb	Meaning	Synonyms
Add	Adds a resource to a container, or attaches an element to another element.	Append, Attach, Concatenate, Insert
Clear	Removes all elements from a container.	Flush, Erase, Release, Unmark, Unset, Nullify
Copy	Copies a resource to another name or container.	Duplicate, Clone, Replicate
Get	Retrieves data.	Read, Open, Cat, Type, Dir, Obtain, Dump, Acquire, Examine, Find, Search
Hide	Makes a display not visible.	Suppress
Join	Joins a resource.	Combine, Unite, Connect, Associate
Lock	Locks a resource.	Restrict, Bar
Move	Moves a resource.	Transfer, Name, Migrate
New	Creates a new resource.	Create, Generate, Build, Make, Allocate
Push	Puts an item onto the top of a stack.	Put, Add, Copy
Pop	Removes an item from the top of a stack.	Remove, Paste
Remove	Removes a resource from a container.	Delete, Kill
Rename	Gives a resource a new name.	Ren, Swap
Search	Finds a resource (or summary information about that ...