---
title: bailiff — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «bailiff» in the school dictionary: An official who has the legal power to take goods from someone's home, or make them leave it, when they have not paid money they owe. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# bailiff

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** official, goods, officer, man, bailiffs, bailiff · **What happens:** have, take, make, leave, not pay, owe · **To what, where:** legal power, goods, home, power, money, order · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An official who has the legal power to take goods from someone's home, or make them leave it, when they have not paid money they owe.

<!-- fold The tree, 27 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:bailiff:m1:1
# text = An official who has the legal power to take goods from someone's home, or make them leave it, when they have not paid money they owe.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	official	official	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	nsubj	_	_
3	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	4	nsubj	_	_
4	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	legal	legal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	power	power	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	take	take	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	acl	_	_
10	goods	goods	NOUN	NNS	Number=Ptan	9	obj	_	_
11	from	from	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
12	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	14	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	's	's	PART	POS	_	12	case	_	_
14	home	home	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
16	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
17	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	conj	_	_
18	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	17	obj	_	_
19	leave	leave	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	17	xcomp	_	_
20	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	19	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	26	punct	_	_
22	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	26	mark	_	_
23	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	26	nsubj:pass	_	_
24	have	have	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	26	aux	_	_
25	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	26	advmod	_	_
26	paid	pay	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	17	parataxis	_	_
27	money	money	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	26	obj	_	_
28	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	29	nsubj	_	_
29	owe	owe	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	27	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
30	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | a official | the legal power |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent power=Patient |
| 2 | **take** | to-infinitive | a official *not said here* | goods |  | someone's home |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP PP.initial\_location»: agent=Agent goods=Theme from home=Initial\_Location |
| 3 | **make** | infinitive | a official *not said here* | goods |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **leave** | infinitive | goods *not said here* | power |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Theme |
| 5 | **not** **pay** | present · perfect · passive |  | goods |  |  |  |  | vn pay-68-1 «NP V NP NP»: subject=Recipient money=Asset |
| 6 | **owe** | present | goods | money *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn future\_having-13.3 «NP V NP.theme (PP)»: agent=Agent money=Theme |

<!-- .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: law, US — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An officer who keeps order in a courtroom.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:bailiff:m2:1
# text = An officer who keeps order in a courtroom.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	officer	officer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	4	nsubj	_	_
4	keeps	keep	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	acl:relcl	_	_
5	order	order	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	courtroom	courtroom	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **keep** | present | a officer | order |  | a courtroom |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent order=Theme in courtroom=Location |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In old times, a man who managed a lord's land and farm workers.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:bailiff:m3:1
# text = In old times, a man who managed a lord's land and farm workers.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	times	time	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
7	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	8	nsubj	_	_
8	managed	manage	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	lord	lord	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	's	's	PART	POS	_	10	case	_	_
12	land	land	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
13	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
14	farm	farm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	compound	_	_
15	workers	worker	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **manage** | past | a man | a lord's land and farm workers |  |  | time |  | vn caring-75.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent land=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The bailiffs came to take the car because the bills were not paid.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:bailiff:x1:1
# text = The bailiffs came to take the car because the bills were not paid.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	bailiffs	bailiff	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	came	come	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	take	take	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	car	car	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	bills	bill	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	nsubj:pass	_	_
11	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	13	aux:pass	_	_
12	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	13	advmod	_	_
13	paid	pay	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come** | past | the bailiffs |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **take** | to-infinitive | the bailiffs *not said here* | the car |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent car=Theme |
| 3 | **not** **pay** | past · passive |  | the bills |  |  |  |  | vn pay-68-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Asset |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The bailiff in the courtroom asked everyone to stand.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:bailiff:x2:1
# text = The bailiff in the courtroom asked everyone to stand.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	bailiff	bailiff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	courtroom	courtroom	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	asked	ask	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	everyone	everyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	6	obj	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	stand	stand	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ask** *speech: ask* | past | the bailiff in the courtroom |  | everyone |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent everyone=Recipient |
| 2 | **stand** | to-infinitive | the bailiff in the courtroom *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the castle, the bailiff checked that the peasants worked.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:bailiff:x3:1
# text = In the castle, the bailiff checked that the peasants worked.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	castle	castle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	bailiff	bailiff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	checked	check	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	peasants	peasant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	nsubj	_	_
11	worked	work	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **check** | past | the bailiff |  |  | the castle |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **work** | past | the peasants |  |  |  |  |  | vn employment-95.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Families in debt can get advice so the bailiffs don't come.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:bailiff:x4:1
# text = Families in debt can get advice so the bailiffs don't come.
1	Families	family	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
2	in	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	debt	debt	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nmod	_	_
4	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	get	get	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	advice	advice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
7	so	so	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	bailiffs	bailiff	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	nsubj	_	_
10	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	12	advmod	_	_
12	come	come	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** | can | Families in debt | advice |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **come** | present · do-support | the bailiffs |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The bailiff knocked on the door with a letter from the court.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:bailiff:x5:1
# text = The bailiff knocked on the door with a letter from the court.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	bailiff	bailiff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	knocked	knock	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	door	door	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	letter	letter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
10	from	from	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	court	court	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **knock** | participle |  | the bailiff *not said here* |  | the door |  | with a letter from the court | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme on door=Location |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the story, the cruel bailiff took the farmer's cow.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:bailiff:x6:1
# text = In the story, the cruel bailiff took the farmer's cow.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	cruel	cruel	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	bailiff	bailiff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
8	took	take	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	farmer	farmer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	's	's	PART	POS	_	10	case	_	_
12	cow	cow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **take** | past | the cruel bailiff | the farmer's cow |  | the story |  |  | vn fit-54.3 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent cow=Value in story=Location |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
“I have hold of it now,” cried the bailiff.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:bailiff:x7:1
# text = “I have hold of it now,” cried the bailiff.
1	“	"	PUNCT	``	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	have	have	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	parataxis	_	_
4	hold	hold	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nmod	_	_
7	now	now	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	3	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	”	"	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
10	cried	cry	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	bailiff	bailiff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** *in a quote* | present | the bailiff *= bailiff* | hold of hold |  |  | now |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent hold=Patient |
| 2 | **cry** *speech: express* | past | the bailiff |  |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **hold** *in a quote* |  |  | hold |  |  |  |  | nom hold «act 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: [bail](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/bail/)
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- ↑ back to [B in school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/)