The attributive phrases, as «short adjective / participle + noun», for example ʻein ewig Lobgedichtʼ (Gellert), ʻmein glühend Herzʼ (Griphius), ʻein herrlich Losʼ (Goethe), can not be accurately determined from the viewpoint of the modern German syntax, because on the one hand, we can see in these phrases the attributive relations between adjective / participle and noun; on the other hand, the lack of inflexions of adjective / participle making nature of the relationship within the phrase are not quite clear. This article discusses grammatical, semantic and stylistic features of the use of the generalizing poetic formulas, one component of which is a verbal form – present participle; explains the causes of the conservation of such phrases as characteristic means of expression of imagery of German poetry. Analysis of the use of these attributive word-combinations in the poetic works of German poets XVII–XIX centuries showed that the causes of such using of these structures must be sought in the previous stages of development of the German language. Not in the last turn, it was due to the development and the reinforcement in the language the general category of adjective feature, which was detached from the specific subject and received a considerable degree of abstraction. Often this abstract sense of the feature is implemented in the studied phrases, perceived usually like a poetic generalization, universal poetic formula, metaphoric phrases.