---
title: argue — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «argue» in the school dictionary: To argue means to speak angrily with someone because you disagree. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# argue

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** you, something, brother, They, She, school · **What happens:** argue, mean, speak, disagree, give, think · **To what, where:** reasons, it, point, use · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«argue» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 8 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: [argue in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/argue.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To argue means to speak angrily with someone because you disagree.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:argue:m1:1
# text = To argue means to speak angrily with someone because you disagree.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	argue	argue	VERB	VB	_	3	nsubj	_	_
3	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	speak	speak	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	angrily	angrily	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
7	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	5	obl	_	_
9	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
10	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
11	disagree	disagree	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **argue** *speech: disagree* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **speak** *speech: other* *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | with someone; angrily *property* | vn talk-37.5 «NP V PP.co-agent»: agent=Agent with someone=Co-Agent |
| 4 | **disagree** | present | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn correspond-36.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .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 argue means to give reasons why you think something is true or right.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:argue:m2:1
# text = To argue means to give reasons why you think something is true or right.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	argue	argue	VERB	VB	_	3	nsubj	_	_
3	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	give	give	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	ccomp	_	_
6	reasons	reason	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	_
7	why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	9	advmod	_	_
8	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	think	think	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	advcl	_	_
10	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	12	nsubj	_	_
11	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
12	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	ccomp	_	_
13	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	right	right	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **argue** *speech: disagree* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **give** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  | reasons |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent reason=Theme |
| 4 | **think** *speech: other* | present | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn focus-87.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 5 | **is** | present | something |  |  |  |  | true *property* | tree rules |
| 6 | **be** |  | something *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My brother and I argue about the remote.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:argue:x1:1
# text = My brother and I argue about the remote.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	brother	brother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	conj	_	_
5	argue	argue	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	about	about	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	remote	remote	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **argue** *speech: disagree* | present | My brother |  |  |  |  | about the remote | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V PP.theme S»: agent=Agent about remote=Topic |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Don't argue; just share it.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:argue:x2:1
# text = Don't argue; just share it.
1	Do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	argue	argue	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	6	punct	_	_
5	just	just	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	share	share	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **argue** *speech: disagree* | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **share** | infinitive | you *not said here* | it |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
They argued about whose turn it was.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:argue:x3:1
# text = They argued about whose turn it was.
1	They	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	argued	argue	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	about	about	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	whose	whose	PRON	WP$	Poss=Yes|PronType=Rel	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	turn	turn	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **argue** *speech: disagree* | past | They |  |  |  |  | about turn | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V PP.theme S»: agent=Agent about turn=Topic |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She argued that school should start later.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:argue:x4:1
# text = She argued that school should start later.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	argued	argue	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
4	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
5	should	should	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	start	start	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
7	later	late	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **argue** *speech: disagree* | past | She |  |  |  |  |  | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **start** | should | school |  |  |  |  | late *property* | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Argue your point with facts and reasons.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:argue:x5:1
# text = Argue your point with facts and reasons.
1	Argue	argue	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
3	point	point	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	facts	fact	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obl	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	reasons	reason	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **argue** *speech: disagree* | imperative | you *not said here* | your point |  |  |  | with facts and reasons | vn chit\_chat-37.6-1 «NP V NP PP.co-agent»: agent=Agent point=Topic with fact=Co-Agent |
| 2 | **point** |  | your |  |  |  |  |  | nom point «cognition transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
They stopped arguing and made up.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:argue:x6:1
# text = They stopped arguing and made up.
1	They	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	stopped	stop	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	arguing	argue	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	xcomp	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	conj	_	_
6	up	up	ADP	RP	_	5	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stop** | past | They |  |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Affector clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **argue** *speech: disagree* | gerund | They *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **make up** | participle | They *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprise-107.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It's no use arguing with the referee.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:argue:x7:1
# text = It's no use arguing with the referee.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	4	det	_	_
4	use	use	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	arguing	argue	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	4	acl	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	referee	referee	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | It | no use |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **argue** *speech: disagree* | gerund | no use *not said here* |  |  |  |  | with the referee | vn chit\_chat-37.6-1 «NP V PP.co-agent»: agent=Agent with referee=Co-Agent |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I tried to argue with him, but in vain.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:argue:x8:1
# text = I tried to argue with him, but in vain.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	tried	try	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	argue	argue	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
8	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	vain	vain	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **try** | past | I |  |  |  |  |  | vn try-61.1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **argue** *speech: disagree* *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | I *not said here* |  |  |  |  | with him *= he* | vn chit\_chat-37.6-1 «NP V PP.co-agent»: agent=Agent with he=Co-Agent |

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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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