---
title: defy — Judaism dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «defy» in the Judaism dictionary: To defy someone is to refuse openly to obey them. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# defy

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** danger, It, that, I, girl, climbers · **What happens:** defy, be, not obey, not beat, do, tend · **To what, where:** someone, them, something, you, human ability, me

<!-- .vabout -->
«defy» in the Judaism dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 4 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: [defy in the Judaism dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/defy.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To defy someone is to refuse openly to obey them.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:judaism:defy:m1:1
# text = To defy someone is to refuse openly to obey them.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	defy	defy	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
3	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	refuse	refuse	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	openly	openly	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	obey	obey	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	xcomp	_	_
10	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **defy** | to-infinitive |  | someone |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | openly, refuse *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **not** **obey** | to-infinitive |  | them *= they* |  |  |  |  | vn abide\_by-93.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=Theme |

<!-- .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.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To defy something, such as a law or danger, is to face it boldly as if it cannot beat you.

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:judaism:defy:m2:1
# text = To defy something, such as a law or danger, is to face it boldly as if it cannot beat you.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	defy	defy	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	14	advcl	_	_
3	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
5	such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|ExtPos=ADP	8	case	_	_
6	as	as	ADP	IN	_	5	fixed	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	law	law	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	danger	danger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
12	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	cop	_	_
13	to	to	PART	TO	_	14	mark	_	_
14	face	face	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
15	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	obj	_	_
16	boldly	boldly	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	14	advmod	_	_
17	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	22	mark	_	_
18	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	22	mark	_	_
19	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	22	nsubj	_	_
20	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	22	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	22	advmod	_	_
22	beat	beat	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	14	advcl	_	_
23	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	22	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	14	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **defy** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  | such a law or danger | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | boldly, face *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **not** **beat** | can | danger | you |  |  |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location you=Theme |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To defy someone is also to dare them to do something.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:judaism:defy:m3:1
# text = To defy someone is also to dare them to do something.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	defy	defy	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	advcl	_	_
3	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
5	also	also	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	dare	dare	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	xcomp	_	_
11	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **defy** | to-infinitive |  | someone |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | dare *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **do** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Eventuality |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It tends to be used of things that are marvelous, miraculous, or otherwise supernatural and extraordinary, i.e. that which defies the human ability to do or understand and must therefore be divine, e.g. \[Deuteronomy 28:59\], \[Psalm 118:23\], \[Psalm 139:6\]. (Sefer Yetzirah, Sefaria community translation)

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* It tends to be used of things that are marvelous, miraculous, or otherwise supernatural and extraordinary, i.e. that which defies the human ability to do or understand and must therefore be divine, e.g. \[Deuteronomy 28:59\], \[Psalm 118:23\], \[Psalm 139:6\].

<!-- fold The tree, 39 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:judaism:defy:x1:1
# text = It tends to be used of things that are marvelous, miraculous, or otherwise supernatural and extraordinary, i.e. that which defies the human ability to do or understand and must therefore be divine, e.g. [Deuteronomy 28:59], [Psalm 118:23], [Psalm 139:6].
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	tends	tend	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
4	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	xcomp	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	_
8	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	10	nsubj	_	_
9	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
10	marvelous	marvelous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
12	miraculous	miraculous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
14	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
15	otherwise	otherwise	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	_
16	supernatural	supernatural	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	conj	_	_
17	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
18	extraordinary	extraordinary	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	20	punct	_	_
20	i.e.	i.e.	ADV	FW	_	10	parataxis	_	_
21	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	23	mark	_	_
22	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	23	nsubj	_	_
23	defies	defy	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	20	advcl	_	_
24	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	26	det	_	_
25	human	human	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	26	amod	_	_
26	ability	ability	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	23	obj	_	_
27	to	to	PART	TO	_	28	mark	_	_
28	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	26	acl	_	_
29	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	30	cc	_	_
30	understand	understand	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	28	conj	_	_
31	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	35	cc	_	_
32	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	35	aux	_	_
33	therefore	therefore	ADV	RB	_	35	advmod	_	_
34	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	35	cop	_	_
35	divine	divine	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	23	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
36	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	37	punct	_	_
37	e.g.	e.g.	ADV	FW	_	35	conj	_	_
38	[	[	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	39	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
39	Deuteronomy	Deuteronomy	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	37	conj	_	_
40	28:59	28:59	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	39	flat	_	SpaceAfter=No
41	]	]	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	39	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
42	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	44	punct	_	_
43	[	[	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	44	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
44	Psalm	Psalm	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	39	conj	_	_
45	118:23	118:23	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	44	flat	_	SpaceAfter=No
46	]	]	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	44	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
47	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	49	punct	_	_
48	[	[	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	49	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
49	Psalm	Psalm	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	39	parataxis	_	_
50	139:6	139:6	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	49	flat	_	SpaceAfter=No
51	]	]	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	49	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
52	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tend** | present | It |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **use** | to-infinitive · passive |  |  |  |  |  | of things | vn eat-39.1 «NP V» |
| 3 | **is** | present | that |  |  |  |  | marvelous *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **be** |  | that *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 5 | **be** |  | that *not said here* |  |  |  |  | otherwise *property* | tree rules |
| 6 | **defy** | present |  | the human ability |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 7 | **do** | to-infinitive |  | the human ability *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 8 | **understand** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 9 | **is** | must |  |  |  |  |  | divine, therefore *property* | tree rules |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* (Sefer Yetzirah, Sefaria community translation)

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:judaism:defy:x1:2
# text = (Sefer Yetzirah, Sefaria community translation)
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Sefer	Sefer	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	Yetzirah	Yetzirah	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	flat	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
5	Sefaria	Sefaria	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
6	community	community	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	translation	translation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I defy you to catch me!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:judaism:defy:x2:1
# text = I defy you to catch me!
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	defy	defy	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	2	obj	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	catch	catch	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
6	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **defy** | present | I | you |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **catch** | to-infinitive | I *not said here* | me |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent i=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The girl defied her teacher and stayed outside.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:judaism:defy:x3:1
# text = The girl defied her teacher and stayed outside.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	girl	girl	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	defied	defy	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	stayed	stay	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
8	outside	outside	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **defy** | past | the girl | girl's teacher |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **stay** | past | the girl *not said here* |  |  |  |  | outside *property* | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The climbers defied the storm and reached the top.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:judaism:defy:x4:1
# text = The climbers defied the storm and reached the top.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	climbers	climber	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	defied	defy	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	storm	storm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	reached	reach	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	top	top	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **defy** | past | the climbers | the storm |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **reach** | past | the climbers *not said here* | the top |  |  |  |  | vn body\_motion-49.2-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Agent top=Theme |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the Judaism dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **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.

<!-- /div -->

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