---
title: barely — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «barely» in the school dictionary: Only just; almost not (I barely caught the bus). Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# barely

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** I, She, We, phone, enough cake, He · **What happens:** not catch, eat, sit down, ring, finish, be · **To what, where:** bus, test, fog, each, rain, rush

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Only just; almost not (I barely caught the bus).

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:barely:m1:1
# text = Only just; almost not (I barely caught the bus).
1	Only	only	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
2	just	just	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	9	punct	_	_
4	almost	almost	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	9	advmod	_	_
6	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
8	barely	barely	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	caught	catch	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	bus	bus	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **catch** | past | I | the bus |  |  |  | barely *property* | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent bus=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}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Hardly at all; very little (She barely ate).

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:barely:m2:1
# text = Hardly at all; very little (She barely ate).
1	Hardly	hardly	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
2	at	at	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	1	punct	_	_
5	very	very	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
7	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
9	barely	barely	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
10	ate	eat	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **eat** | past | She |  |  |  |  | barely *property* | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Only a very short time before (We had barely sat down when the phone rang).

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:barely:m3:1
# text = Only a very short time before (We had barely sat down when the phone rang).
1	Only	only	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
3	very	very	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	short	short	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	before	before	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
7	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
9	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
10	barely	barely	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
11	sat	sit	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	5	parataxis	_	_
12	down	down	ADP	RP	_	11	compound:prt	_	_
13	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	16	advmod	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	phone	phone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	nsubj	_	_
16	rang	ring	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sit down** | past · perfect | We |  |  |  |  | barely *property* | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **ring** | past | the phone |  |  |  |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I barely finished the test in time.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:barely:x1:1
# text = I barely finished the test in time.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	barely	barely	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	finished	finish	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	test	test	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	time	time	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 | **finish** | past | I | the test |  |  | time | barely *property* | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V NP.eventuality»: agent=Affector test=Eventuality |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
There was barely enough cake for everyone.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:barely:x2:1
# text = There was barely enough cake for everyone.
1	There	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	2	expl	_	_
2	was	be	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	barely	barely	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
4	enough	enough	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	cake	cake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	everyone	everyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **be** | past | enough cake |  |  | there |  | for everyone; barely *property* | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He could barely see through the fog.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:barely:x3:1
# text = He could barely see through the fog.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	barely	barely	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	see	see	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	through	through	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	fog	fog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **see** | could | He |  |  | the fog |  | barely *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We barely knew each other then.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:barely:x4:1
# text = We barely knew each other then.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	barely	barely	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	knew	know	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	each	each	DET	DT	ExtPos=PRON|PronType=Rcp	3	obj	_	_
5	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	fixed	_	_
6	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	3	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **know** | past | We | each |  |  | then | barely *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Experiencer each=Stimulus |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The puppy was barely a week old.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:barely:x5:1
# text = The puppy was barely a week old.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	puppy	puppy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
4	barely	barely	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	week	week	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl:unmarked	_	_
7	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the puppy |  |  |  | week | barely, old *property* | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She barely passed, with 50 out of 100.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:barely:x6:1
# text = She barely passed, with 50 out of 100.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	barely	barely	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	passed	pass	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	50	50	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	3	obl	_	_
7	out	out	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	100	100	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pass** | past | She |  |  |  |  | with 50 out 100; barely *property* | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I'd barely got home when it started to rain.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:barely:x7:1
# text = I'd barely got home when it started to rain.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	'd	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	barely	barely	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	got	get	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	home	home	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
6	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	8	advmod	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	started	start	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	advcl	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	rain	rain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** | would | I |  |  |  |  | barely, home *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **start** | past | it | rain |  |  |  |  | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent rain=Eventuality |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
They made their rush, and I barely escaped from them.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:barely:x8:1
# text = They made their rush, and I barely escaped from them.
1	They	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	rush	rush	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
7	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
8	barely	barely	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	escaped	escape	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
10	from	from	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past | They | their rush |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset rush=Product |
| 2 | **escape** | past | I |  |  |  |  | from them *= they*; barely *property* | vn escape-51.1-1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme from they=Initial\_Location |
| 3 | **rush** |  | their *= they* |  |  |  |  |  | nom rush «act transitive»: poss=agent |

<!-- 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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