---
title: artifice — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «artifice» in the school dictionary: A clever trick used to fool people. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# artifice

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** way, things, She, artifice, Odysseus, Stage · **What happens:** use, fool, do, not be, win, speak · **To what, where:** clever trick, people, things, fox, us, artifice · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«artifice» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 7 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: [artifice in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/artifice.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A clever trick used to fool people.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:artifice:m1:1
# text = A clever trick used to fool people.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	clever	clever	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	trick	trick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	acl	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	fool	fool	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	advcl	_	_
7	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | participle |  | a clever trick *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **fool** | to-infinitive |  | people |  |  |  |  | vn trick-59.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent people=Patient |

<!-- .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 -->
Clever skill, or a way of doing things that is not natural.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:artifice:m2:1
# text = Clever skill, or a way of doing things that is not natural.
1	Clever	clever	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	skill	skill	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
7	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
8	doing	do	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	acl	_	_
9	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obj	_	_
10	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	13	nsubj	_	_
11	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
12	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	13	advmod	_	_
13	natural	natural	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | gerund | a way *not said here* | things |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent thing=Eventuality |
| 2 | **not** **is** | present | things |  |  |  |  | natural *property* | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The fox won by artifice, not strength.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:artifice:x1:1
# text = The fox won by artifice, not strength.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	fox	fox	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	won	win	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	2	acl	_	_
4	by	by	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	artifice	artifice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
7	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	8	advmod	_	_
8	strength	strength	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **win** | participle |  | the fox *not said here* |  |  |  | by artifice and strength | vn succeed-74-2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She spoke simply, without artifice.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:artifice:x2:1
# text = She spoke simply, without artifice.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	spoke	speak	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	simply	simply	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
5	without	without	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	artifice	artifice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **speak** *speech: other* | past | She |  |  |  |  | without artifice; simply *property* | vn talk-37.5 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The magician's artifice amazed us.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:artifice:x3:1
# text = The magician's artifice amazed us.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	magician	magician	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	artifice	artifice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	amazed	amaze	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **amaze** | past | the magician's artifice | us |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus we=Experiencer |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Odysseus used artifice to get into Troy.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:artifice:x4:1
# text = Odysseus used artifice to get into Troy.
1	Odysseus	Odysseus	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	used	use	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	artifice	artifice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	get	get	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
6	into	into	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	Troy	Troy	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | past | Odysseus | artifice |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent artifice=Patient |
| 2 | **get** | to-infinitive | Odysseus *not said here* |  |  | Troy |  |  | vn escape-51.1 «NP V PP.destination»: agent=Theme into troy=Destination |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Stage make-up is a kind of artifice.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:artifice:x5:1
# text = Stage make-up is a kind of artifice.
1	Stage	stage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
2	make	make	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	up	up	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	compound	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	kind	kind	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	artifice	artifice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Stage | a kind |  |  |  | of artifice | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The plan was full of artifice.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:artifice:x6:1
# text = The plan was full of artifice.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	plan	plan	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	full	full	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	artifice	artifice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the plan |  |  |  |  | of artifice; full *property* | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A LION, unable from old age and infirmities to provide himself with food by force, resolved to do so by artifice.

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:artifice:x7:1
# text = A LION, unable from old age and infirmities to provide himself with food by force, resolved to do so by artifice.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	LION	lion	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
4	unable	unable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	from	from	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	age	age	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	infirmities	infirmity	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	conj	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	provide	provide	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	advcl	_	_
12	himself	himself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	11	obj	_	_
13	with	with	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	_
15	by	by	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
16	force	force	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
18	resolved	resolve	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	conj	_	_
19	to	to	PART	TO	_	20	mark	_	_
20	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	18	xcomp	_	_
21	so	so	ADV	RB	_	20	advmod	_	_
22	by	by	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
23	artifice	artifice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **provide** | to-infinitive |  | LION |  |  |  | with food; by force | vn fulfilling-13.4.1-2 «NP V NP-Fulfilling PP.theme»: agent=Agent himself=Recipient with food=Theme |
| 2 | **resolve** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **do** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | by artifice | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=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.

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