---
title: bass — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «bass» in the school dictionary: Bass (said «base») means the lowest notes or sounds in music. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# bass

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Bass, large string instrument, you, windows, brother, He · **What happens:** say, mean, be, play, sing, rhyme · **To what, where:** lowest notes, bass guitar, low notes, man, bas, kind · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«bass» in the school dictionary: its 4 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: [bass in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/bass.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Bass (said «base») means the lowest notes or sounds in music.

<!-- fold The tree, 11 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:bass:m1:1
# text = Bass (said «base») means the lowest notes or sounds in music.
1	Bass	bass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
2	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	1	acl:relcl	_	_
4	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	base	base	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	3	punct	_	_
8	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	lowest	low	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	11	amod	_	_
11	notes	note	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obj	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	sounds	sound	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	conj	_	_
14	in	in	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	music	music	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | Bass *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **mean** | present | Bass | the lowest notes or sounds |  |  |  | in music | vn representation-110.1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Pivot note=Theme in music=Attribute |

<!-- .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 -->
A bass is a bass guitar or a double bass, a large string instrument that plays low notes.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:bass:m2:1
# text = A bass is a bass guitar or a double bass, a large string instrument that plays low notes.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	bass	bass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	bass	bass	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	guitar	guitar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	double	double	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	bass	bass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
13	large	large	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
14	string	string	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	compound	_	_
15	instrument	instrument	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	_
16	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	17	nsubj	_	_
17	plays	play	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	15	acl:relcl	_	_
18	low	low	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	19	amod	_	_
19	notes	note	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	17	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a bass | a bass guitar or a double bass and a large string instrument |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **play** | present | a large string instrument | low notes |  |  |  |  | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent note=Theme |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A bass is a man with a very deep singing voice.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:bass:m3:1
# text = A bass is a man with a very deep singing voice.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	bass	bass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
8	very	very	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	deep	deep	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
10	singing	sing	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	11	amod	_	_
11	voice	voice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a bass | a man |  |  |  | with a deep singing voice | tree rules |
| 2 | **sing** *speech: express* | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A bass (said «bas», to rhyme with «gas») is a kind of fish.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:bass:m4:1
# text = A bass (said «bas», to rhyme with «gas») is a kind of fish.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	bass	bass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	nsubj	_	_
3	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	acl:relcl	_	_
5	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	bas	ba	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	rhyme	rhyme	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	ccomp	_	_
11	with	with	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	gas	gas	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	4	punct	_	_
16	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	18	cop	_	_
17	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	kind	kind	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
19	of	of	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
20	fish	fish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	18	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | a bass *not said here* | bas |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **rhyme** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | with gas | vn amalgamate-22.2-2-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Patient with gas=Co-Patient |
| 3 | **is a** | present | a bass | a kind |  |  |  | of fish | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Turn the bass down — the windows are shaking!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:bass:x1:1
# text = Turn the bass down — the windows are shaking!
1	Turn	turn	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	bass	bass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	down	down	ADP	RP	_	1	compound:prt	_	_
5	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	9	punct	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	windows	window	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nsubj	_	_
8	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
9	shaking	shake	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	1	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **turn down** | imperative | you *not said here* | the bass |  |  |  |  | vn reject-77.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent bass=Theme |
| 2 | **shake** | present · progressive | the windows |  |  |  |  |  | vn shake-22.3-2 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My brother plays bass in a band.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:bass:x2:1
# text = My brother plays bass in a band.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	brother	brother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	plays	play	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	bass	bass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	band	band	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 | **play** | present | My brother | bass |  | a band |  |  | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent bass=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He sings bass in the choir.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:bass:x3:1
# text = He sings bass in the choir.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	sings	sing	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	bass	bass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	choir	choir	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 | **sing** *speech: express* | present | He | bass |  | the choir |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location bass=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We caught a sea bass off the pier.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:bass:x4:1
# text = We caught a sea bass off the pier.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	caught	catch	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	sea	sea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	bass	bass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	off	off	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	pier	pier	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 | **catch** | past | We | a sea bass |  |  |  | off the pier | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent bass=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The bass drum went boom boom.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:bass:x5:1
# text = The bass drum went boom boom.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	bass	bass	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	drum	drum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	boom	boom	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	boom	boom	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go** | past | the bass drum | boom boom |  |  |  |  | vn meander-47.7 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location boom=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Low notes are written in the bass clef.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:bass:x6:1
# text = Low notes are written in the bass clef.
1	Low	low	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	notes	note	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	written	write	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	bass	bass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	clef	clef	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write** | present · passive |  | Low notes |  | the bass clef |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: subject=Theme in clef=Destination |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The first to dance in the hot oil were the mullets, the bass followed, then the whitefish, the flounders, and the anchovies.

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:bass:x7:1
# text = The first to dance in the hot oil were the mullets, the bass followed, then the whitefish, the flounders, and the anchovies.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	first	first	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	11	amod	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	dance	dance	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	acl	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	hot	hot	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	oil	oil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
9	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	mullets	mullet	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	15	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	bass	bass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nsubj	_	_
15	followed	follow	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
17	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	19	advmod	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	whitefish	whitefish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	22	punct	_	_
21	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
22	flounders	flounder	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	19	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	26	punct	_	_
24	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	26	cc	_	_
25	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	26	det	_	_
26	anchovies	anchovy	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	19	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	15	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **dance** | to-infinitive |  |  |  | the hot oil |  |  | vn modes\_of\_being\_with\_motion-47.3 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in oil=Location |
| 2 | **is a** | past |  | the first mullets |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **follow** | past | the first mullets | the whitefish and the flounders and the anchovies |  |  |  |  | vn chase-51.6 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent whitefish=Theme |

<!-- 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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