---
title: appalling — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «appalling» in the school dictionary: Very shocking and unpleasant. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# appalling

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** it, weather, animals, handwriting, His, That · **What happens:** appal, mean, astonish, live, handwrite · **To what, where:** weather, handwriting, appalling conditions, behaviour

<!-- .vabout -->
«appalling» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 6 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: [appalling in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/appalling.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Very shocking and unpleasant.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:appalling:m1:1
# text = Very shocking and unpleasant.
1	Very	very	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
2	shocking	shocking	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
3	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	unpleasant	unpleasant	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

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

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: informal — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Very bad: «appalling weather», «appalling handwriting».

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:appalling:m2:1
# text = Very bad: «appalling weather», «appalling handwriting».
1	Very	very	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
2	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	5	punct	_	_
4	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	appalling	appal	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	conj	_	_
6	weather	weather	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
9	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	appalling	appal	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	5	conj	_	_
11	handwriting	handwriting	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **appal** *in a quote* | gerund |  | weather |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **appal** *in a quote* | gerund |  | handwriting |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Appalling can also mean so impressive that it is astonishing.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:appalling:m3:1
# text = Appalling can also mean so impressive that it is astonishing.
1	Appalling	appal	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	4	nsubj	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	also	also	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	so	so	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	impressive	impressive	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	xcomp	_	_
7	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
10	astonishing	astonish	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	6	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **appal** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **mean** | can |  |  |  |  |  | impressive *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **astonish** | present · progressive | it |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP-PRO-ARB»: agent=Stimulus |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The weather was appalling on sports day.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:appalling:x1:1
# text = The weather was appalling on sports day.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	weather	weather	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	appalling	appal	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	sports	sport	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	compound	_	_
7	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **appal** | past · progressive | the weather |  |  |  | day |  | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The animals lived in appalling conditions.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:appalling:x2:1
# text = The animals lived in appalling conditions.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	animals	animal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	lived	live	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	appalling	appalling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	conditions	condition	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **live** | past | the animals |  |  | appalling conditions |  |  | vn lodge-46 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in condition=Location |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
His handwriting is appalling!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:appalling:x3:1
# text = His handwriting is appalling!
1	His	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	handwriting	handwriting	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	appalling	appal	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **appal** | present · progressive | His handwriting |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **handwrite** |  | His *= he* |  |  |  |  |  | nom handwriting «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
That was appalling behaviour.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:appalling:x4:1
# text = That was appalling behaviour.
1	That	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	3	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	appalling	appal	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	behaviour	behaviour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **appal** | past · progressive | That | behaviour |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The traffic was appalling this morning.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:appalling:x5:1
# text = The traffic was appalling this morning.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	traffic	traffic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	appalling	appal	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	6	det	_	_
6	morning	morning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **appal** | past · progressive | the traffic |  |  |  | morning |  | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The food at the camp was appalling.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:appalling:x6:1
# text = The food at the camp was appalling.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	at	at	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	camp	camp	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
7	appalling	appal	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **appal** | past · progressive | the food at the camp |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

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**Text:** the school 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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