---
title: backbone — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «backbone» in the school dictionary: The backbone is the line of bones down the middle of your back, also called the spine. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/backbone/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/) / [school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/) / [B](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/) / backbone

# backbone

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** backbone, line, important part, Having, small bones, fish · **What happens:** be, call, hold up, have, mean, do · **To what, where:** line, spine, important part, rest, backbone, right thing · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The backbone is the line of bones down the middle of your back, also called the spine.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:backbone:m1:1
# text = The backbone is the line of bones down the middle of your back, also called the spine.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	backbone	backbone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	line	line	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	bones	bone	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	_
8	down	down	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	middle	middle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
11	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	13	nmod:poss	_	_
13	back	back	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
15	also	also	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	_
16	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	acl	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	spine	spine	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the backbone | the line |  |  |  | of bones; down the middle of your back | tree rules |
| 2 | **call** | participle | the line *not said here* | the spine |  |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «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 -->
The backbone of something is its most important part, which holds the rest up.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:backbone:m2:1
# text = The backbone of something is its most important part, which holds the rest up.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	backbone	backbone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	nmod	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
6	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
7	most	most	ADV	RBS	Degree=Sup	8	advmod	_	_
8	important	important	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	part	part	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
11	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	12	nsubj	_	_
12	holds	hold	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	acl:relcl	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	rest	rest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	_
15	up	up	ADP	RP	_	12	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the backbone of something | backbone's important part |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **hold up** | present | backbone's important part | the rest |  |  |  |  | vn support-15.3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Pivot rest=Theme |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Having backbone means being brave and strong enough to do the right thing.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:backbone:m3:1
# text = Having backbone means being brave and strong enough to do the right thing.
1	Having	have	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	3	csubj	_	_
2	backbone	backbone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
3	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	5	cop	_	_
5	brave	brave	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	xcomp	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	strong	strong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	conj	_	_
8	enough	enough	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	advcl	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	right	right	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	thing	thing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | gerund |  | backbone |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent backbone=Patient |
| 2 | **mean** | present | Having |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **is** *not said to happen* | gerund | Having *not said here* |  |  |  |  | brave *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **be** |  | Having *not said here* |  |  |  |  | enough *property* | tree rules |
| 5 | **do** | to-infinitive | Having *not said here* | the right thing |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent thing=Eventuality |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Your backbone is made of small bones called vertebrae.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:backbone:x1:1
# text = Your backbone is made of small bones called vertebrae.
1	Your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	backbone	backbone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	bones	bone	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	_
8	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	acl	_	_
9	vertebrae	vertebra	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | present · passive |  | Your backbone |  |  |  | of small bones | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: subject=Product |
| 2 | **call** | participle | small bones *not said here* | vertebrae |  |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A fish has a backbone, but a worm does not.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:backbone:x2:1
# text = A fish has a backbone, but a worm does not.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	fish	fish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	backbone	backbone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
7	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	worm	worm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
10	does	do	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	parataxis	_	_
11	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	10	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | a fish | a backbone |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent backbone=Patient |
| 2 | **not** **do** | present | a worm |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Sit up straight to look after your backbone.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:backbone:x3:1
# text = Sit up straight to look after your backbone.
1	Sit	sit	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	up	up	ADP	RP	_	1	compound:prt	_	_
3	straight	straight	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	look	look	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	advcl	_	_
6	after	after	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	backbone	backbone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sit up** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | straight *property* | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **look** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  | after your backbone |  | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Stimulus |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Farmers are the backbone of the country.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:backbone:x4:1
# text = Farmers are the backbone of the country.
1	Farmers	farmer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	backbone	backbone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	country	country	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It takes backbone to stand up to a bully.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:backbone:x5:1
# text = It takes backbone to stand up to a bully.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	takes	take	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	backbone	backbone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	stand	stand	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
6	up	up	ADP	RP	_	5	compound:prt	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	bully	bully	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **take** | present | It | backbone |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2 «NP V NP to be ADJ»: agent=Agent backbone=Theme clause=Attribute |
| 2 | **stand up** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | to a bully | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The goalkeeper is the backbone of our team.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:backbone:x6:1
# text = The goalkeeper is the backbone of our team.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	goalkeeper	goalkeeper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	backbone	backbone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	team	team	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the goalkeeper | the backbone |  |  |  | of our team | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Insects are animals without a backbone.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:backbone:x7:1
# text = Insects are animals without a backbone.
1	Insects	insect	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	animals	animal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
4	without	without	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	backbone	backbone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Insects | animals |  |  |  | without a backbone | tree rules |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Feel the bumps of your backbone down your back.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:backbone:x8:1
# text = Feel the bumps of your backbone down your back.
1	Feel	feel	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	bumps	bump	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obj	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	backbone	backbone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	_
7	down	down	ADP	RP	_	1	compound:prt	_	_
8	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	back	back	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **feel down** | imperative | you *not said here* | the bumps of your backbone |  |  |  |  | vn conjecture-29.5-2 «NP V NP to be NP»: agent=Agent bump=Theme back=Eventuality |
| 2 | **bump** |  |  | your backbone |  |  |  |  | nom bump «state transitive»: of=patient |

<!-- 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 -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [backache](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/backache/)
- next →: [backfire](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/backfire/)
- ↑ back to [B in school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/)