---
title: observe — Early Modern English dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «observe» in the Early Modern English dictionary: In the Torah it means keep or obey (a day or rule); in the fairy tales it can mean watch or notice. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# observe

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Torah, you, LORD, ye · **What happens:** mean, keep, obey, watch, notice, observe · **To what, where:** Torah, fairy tales, it, thee, this, thing · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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«observe» in the Early Modern English dictionary: its meaning for a pupil and its 3 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [observe in the Early Modern English dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/emode/w/observe.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the Torah it means keep or obey (a day or rule); in the fairy tales it can mean watch or notice.

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:emode:observe:m1:1
# text = In the Torah it means keep or obey (a day or rule); in the fairy tales it can mean watch or notice.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	Torah	Torah	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
4	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
5	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	keep	keep	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	ccomp	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	obey	obey	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	conj	_	_
9	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	rule	rule	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	22	punct	_	_
16	in	in	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
18	fairy	fairy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	compound	_	_
19	tales	tale	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	22	obl	_	_
20	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	22	nsubj	_	_
21	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	22	aux	_	_
22	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	parataxis	_	_
23	watch	watch	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	22	xcomp	_	_
24	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	25	cc	_	_
25	notice	notice	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	23	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Torah |  |  | the Torah |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **keep** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **obey** | infinitive |  |  |  |  | day |  | vn abide\_by-93.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **mean** | can | Torah |  |  | the fairy tales |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 5 | **watch** *not said to happen* | infinitive | Torah *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn search-35.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent |
| 6 | **notice** | infinitive | Torah *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn see-30.1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Observe the sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the LORD thy God commanded thee.

<!-- .note -->
From Torah DEU.5.12, JPS 1917.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:emode:observe:x1:1
# text = Observe the sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the LORD thy God commanded thee.
1	Observe	observe	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	sabbath	sabbath	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	keep	keep	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	1	parataxis	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
9	holy	holy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
11	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	16	mark	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	LORD	LORD	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	16	nsubj	_	_
14	thy	thy	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	15	nmod:poss	_	_
15	God	God	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	13	appos	_	_
16	commanded	command	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	parataxis	_	_
17	thee	thou	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=2|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	16	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **observe** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  | day |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **keep** | to-infinitive |  | it |  |  |  | holy *property* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Theme |
| 3 | **command** | past | the LORD | thee |  |  |  |  | vn supervision-95.2.2-1 «NP V NP.predicate»: agent=Agent thou=Eventuality |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The good child undresses, but observe this!

<!-- .note -->
From The Red Fairy Book.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:emode:observe:x2:1
# text = The good child undresses, but observe this!
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
2	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
3	child	child	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	undresses	undress	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
6	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	observe	observe	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	4	appos	_	_
8	this	this	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **observe** | infinitive |  | this |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent this=Topic |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever.

<!-- .note -->
From Torah EXO.12.24, JPS 1917.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:emode:observe:x3:1
# text = And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever.
1	And	and	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
2	ye	ye	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=2|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	4	nsubj	_	_
3	shall	shall	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	observe	observe	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	6	det	_	_
6	thing	thing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	ordinance	ordinance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
10	to	to	ADP	TO	_	11	case	_	_
11	thee	thou	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=2|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	9	nmod	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
13	to	to	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	thy	thy	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	15	nmod:poss	_	_
15	sons	son	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	conj	_	_
16	for	for	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
17	ever	ever	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	15	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **observe** | shall | ye | this thing |  |  |  | for a ordinance to thee | vn investigate-35.4 «NP V NP.location PP.theme»: agent=Agent thing=Location for ordinance=Theme |

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**Text:** the Early Modern English dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova; its examples quote public-domain texts. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

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