---
title: askance — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «askance» in the school dictionary: To look askance at something or someone is to look at them with doubt, suspicion or disapproval. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# askance

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Askance, old ladies, teacher, Badger, People, She · **What happens:** look, be, mean, excuse, glance, eye · **To what, where:** corner, dog

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«askance» in the school dictionary: its 2 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: [askance in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/askance.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To look askance at something or someone is to look at them with doubt, suspicion or disapproval.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:askance:m1:1
# text = To look askance at something or someone is to look at them with doubt, suspicion or disapproval.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	look	look	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	advcl	_	_
3	askance	askance	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	_
4	at	at	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obl	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	5	conj	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	look	look	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
11	at	at	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	obl	_	_
13	with	with	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	doubt	doubt	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
16	suspicion	suspicion	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	conj	_	_
17	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
18	disapproval	disapproval	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | at something; askance *property* | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent at something=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | at them *= they*; with doubt and suspicion or disapproval; look *property* | tree rules |

<!-- .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}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Askance means sideways, out of the corner of your eye.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:askance:m2:1
# text = Askance means sideways, out of the corner of your eye.
1	Askance	askance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	sideways	sideways	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
5	out	out	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	corner	corner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	11	nmod:poss	_	_
11	eye	eye	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Askance |  |  | the corner of your eye |  | sideways *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The old ladies looked askance at the noisy children.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:askance:x1:1
# text = The old ladies looked askance at the noisy children.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	ladies	lady	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	looked	look	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	askance	askance	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
6	at	at	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	noisy	noisy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	children	child	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** | past | the old ladies |  |  |  |  | at the noisy children; askance *property* | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent at child=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The teacher looked askance at his excuse.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:askance:x2:1
# text = The teacher looked askance at his excuse.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	looked	look	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	askance	askance	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
5	at	at	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	excuse	excuse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** | past | the teacher |  |  |  |  | at teacher's excuse; askance *property* | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent at excuse=Theme |
| 2 | **excuse** |  | teacher |  |  |  |  |  | nom excuse «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Badger looked askance at Toad's new hobby.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:askance:x3:1
# text = Badger looked askance at Toad's new hobby.
1	Badger	Badger	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	looked	look	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	askance	askance	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
4	at	at	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
5	Toad	Toad	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	's	's	PART	POS	_	5	case	_	_
7	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	hobby	hobby	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** | past | Badger |  |  |  |  | at Toad's new hobby; askance *property* | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent at hobby=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
People looked askance at the strange visitor.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:askance:x4:1
# text = People looked askance at the strange visitor.
1	People	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	looked	look	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	askance	askance	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
4	at	at	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	strange	strange	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	visitor	visitor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** | past | People |  |  |  |  | at the strange visitor; askance *property* | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent at visitor=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She glanced askance at the plate of snails.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:askance:x5:1
# text = She glanced askance at the plate of snails.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	glanced	glance	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	askance	askance	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
4	at	at	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	plate	plate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	snails	snail	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **glance** | past | She |  |  |  |  | at the plate of snails; askance *property* | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent at plate=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The cat eyed the dog askance.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:askance:x6:1
# text = The cat eyed the dog askance.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	cat	cat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	eyed	eye	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	askance	askance	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **eye** | past | the cat | the dog |  |  |  | askance *property* | vn sight-30.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer dog=Stimulus |

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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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