---
title: asylum — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «asylum» in the school dictionary: Asylum is safety and protection that a country gives to people who have run away from danger, war or unfair punishment in their own country. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# asylum

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Asylum, country, people, Someone, them, family · **What happens:** be, give, run away, seek, ask, let · **To what, where:** safety, people, danger, asylum, country, them · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«asylum» in the school dictionary: its 3 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: [asylum in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/asylum.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Asylum is safety and protection that a country gives to people who have run away from danger, war or unfair punishment in their own country.

<!-- fold The tree, 25 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:asylum:m1:1
# text = Asylum is safety and protection that a country gives to people who have run away from danger, war or unfair punishment in their own country.
1	Asylum	asylum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	safety	safety	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	protection	protection	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	_
6	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	country	country	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
9	gives	give	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	acl:relcl	_	_
10	to	to	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obl	_	_
12	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	14	nsubj	_	_
13	have	have	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	aux	_	_
14	run	run	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	11	acl:relcl	_	_
15	away	away	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	_
16	from	from	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
17	danger	danger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
19	war	war	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	conj	_	_
20	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	22	cc	_	_
21	unfair	unfair	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	22	amod	_	_
22	punishment	punishment	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	conj	_	_
23	in	in	ADP	IN	_	26	case	_	_
24	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	26	nmod:poss	_	_
25	own	own	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	26	amod	_	_
26	country	country	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Asylum | safety and protection |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **give** | present | a country | safety and protection *not said here* | people |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: agent=Agent safety=Theme to people=Recipient |
| 3 | **run away** | present · perfect | people |  |  | danger and war or unfair punishment in danger's own country |  | away *property* | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme from danger=Trajectory |

<!-- .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 -->
Someone «seeking asylum» is asking another country to let them stay safely; they are called an asylum seeker.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:asylum:m2:1
# text = Someone «seeking asylum» is asking another country to let them stay safely; they are called an asylum seeker.
1	Someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	7	nsubj	_	_
2	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	seeking	seek	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	1	acl	_	_
4	asylum	asylum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
7	asking	ask	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
8	another	another	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	9	det	_	_
9	country	country	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	let	let	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	xcomp	_	_
12	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	obj	_	_
13	stay	stay	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	xcomp	_	_
14	safely	safely	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
16	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	18	nsubj:pass	_	_
17	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	18	aux:pass	_	_
18	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	conj	_	_
19	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
20	asylum	asylum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	compound	_	_
21	seeker	seeker	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **seek** *in a quote* | gerund |  | asylum |  |  |  |  | vn hunt-35.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent asylum=Theme |
| 2 | **ask** *speech: ask* | present · progressive | Someone | another country |  |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V NP whether S\_INF»: agent=Agent country=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 3 | **let** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | another country *not said here* | them *= they* |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **stay** | infinitive | them *= they* *not said here* |  |  |  |  | safely *property* | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 5 | **call** | present · passive |  | they |  |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: subject=Recipient |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An asylum was a large old hospital for people with serious mental illness; this word is not used for hospitals today.

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:asylum:m3:1
# text = An asylum was a large old hospital for people with serious mental illness; this word is not used for hospitals today.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	asylum	asylum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
5	large	large	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
6	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	hospital	hospital	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nmod	_	_
10	with	with	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
11	serious	serious	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
12	mental	mental	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	illness	illness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	19	punct	_	_
15	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	16	det	_	_
16	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	nsubj:pass	_	_
17	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	19	aux:pass	_	_
18	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	19	advmod	_	_
19	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	parataxis	_	_
20	for	for	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
21	hospitals	hospital	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	19	obl	_	_
22	today	today	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | a asylum | a large old hospital |  |  |  | for people with serious mental illness | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **use** | present · passive |  | this word |  |  | today | for hospitals | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP PP.predicate»: subject=Theme for hospital=Eventuality |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The family fled the war and asked for asylum in Canada.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:asylum:x1:1
# text = The family fled the war and asked for asylum in Canada.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	family	family	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	fled	flee	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	war	war	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	asked	ask	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
8	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	asylum	asylum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	Canada	Canada	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **flee** | past | the family | the war |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme war=Initial\_Location |
| 2 | **ask** *speech: ask* | past | the family *not said here* |  |  |  |  | for asylum in Canada | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The country granted her asylum because her life was in danger.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:asylum:x2:1
# text = The country granted her asylum because her life was in danger.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	country	country	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	granted	grant	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	asylum	asylum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
7	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	life	life	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
9	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	danger	danger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **grant** | past | the country | country's asylum |  |  |  |  | vn future\_having-13.3 «NP V NP.theme (PP)»: agent=Agent asylum=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | past | country's life |  |  | danger |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Asylum seekers wait for a decision on whether they can stay.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:asylum:x3:1
# text = Asylum seekers wait for a decision on whether they can stay.
1	Asylum	asylum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	seekers	seeker	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	wait	wait	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	for	for	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	decision	decision	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	on	on	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
8	whether	whether	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
9	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
10	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
11	stay	stay	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wait** | present | Asylum seekers |  |  |  |  | for a decision | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **stay** | can | seekers *= seeker* |  |  |  |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Our school welcomed a boy whose family had been given asylum.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:asylum:x4:1
# text = Our school welcomed a boy whose family had been given asylum.
1	Our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	welcomed	welcome	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	boy	boy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	whose	whose	PRON	WP$	Poss=Yes|PronType=Rel	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	family	family	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
8	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
9	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	10	aux:pass	_	_
10	given	give	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	acl:relcl	_	_
11	asylum	asylum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **welcome** | past | Our school | a boy |  |  |  |  | vn admit-64.3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent boy=Theme |
| 2 | **give** | past · perfect · passive |  | family |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: subject=Recipient asylum=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the past, people with mental illness were sometimes locked in asylums.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:asylum:x5:1
# text = In the past, people with mental illness were sometimes locked in asylums.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	past	past	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	nsubj:pass	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	mental	mental	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	illness	illness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
9	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux:pass	_	_
10	sometimes	sometimes	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	11	advmod	_	_
11	locked	lock	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
12	in	in	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	asylums	asylum	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lock** | past · passive |  | people with mental illness |  | the past |  | in asylums; sometimes *property* | vn tape-22.4 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He sought asylum at an embassy.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:asylum:x6:1
# text = He sought asylum at an embassy.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	sought	seek	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	asylum	asylum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	at	at	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	embassy	embassy	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 | **seek** | past | He | asylum |  | a embassy |  |  | vn hunt-35.1 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent asylum=Theme at embassy=Location |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Asking for asylum is a legal right under international law.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:asylum:x7:1
# text = Asking for asylum is a legal right under international law.
1	Asking	ask	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	csubj	_	_
2	for	for	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	asylum	asylum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	legal	legal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	right	right	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	under	under	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	international	international	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	law	law	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ask** *speech: ask* | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | for asylum | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is a** | present | Asking | a legal right |  | international law |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- div src -->

**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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