---
title: behead — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «behead» in the school dictionary: To cut off a person's head as a punishment or execution. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# behead

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Queen, executioner, you, we · **What happens:** cut off, behead, shout, say, not behead, learn · **To what, where:** head, Charles, 1649, history, Anne, Nobody · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To cut off a person's head as a punishment or execution.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:behead:m1:1
# text = To cut off a person's head as a punishment or execution.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	cut	cut	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	off	off	ADP	RP	_	2	compound:prt	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	's	's	PART	POS	_	5	case	_	_
7	head	head	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
8	as	as	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	punishment	punishment	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
11	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	execution	execution	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cut off** | to-infinitive |  | a person's head |  |  |  | as a punishment or execution | vn stop-55.4-1 «NP V NP.eventuality»: agent=Affector head=Eventuality |

<!-- .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.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Charles I was beheaded in 1649.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:behead:x1:1
# text = Charles I was beheaded in 1649.
1	Charles	Charles	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	beheaded	behead	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	1649	1649	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **behead** | past · passive |  | Charles |  | 1649 |  |  | vn poison-42.2 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Off with her head!» shouted the Queen.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:behead:x2:1
# text = «Off with her head!» shouted the Queen.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Off	off	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
3	with	with	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	head	head	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
8	shouted	shout	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	Queen	Queen	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **shout** *speech: express* | past | the Queen |  |  |  |  | with her head; off *property* | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The executioner said you can't behead a head with no body.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:behead:x3:1
# text = The executioner said you can't behead a head with no body.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	executioner	executioner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
5	ca	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	7	advmod	_	_
7	behead	behead	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	ccomp	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	head	head	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
10	with	with	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	12	det	_	_
12	body	body	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | the executioner |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **not** **behead** | can | you | a head |  |  |  | with no body | vn poison-42.2 «NP V NP PP.instrument»: agent=Agent head=Patient with body=Instrument |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In history we learned that Anne Boleyn was beheaded.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:behead:x4:1
# text = In history we learned that Anne Boleyn was beheaded.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	history	history	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
3	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	learned	learn	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
6	Anne	Anne	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	nsubj:pass	_	_
7	Boleyn	Boleyn	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	flat	_	_
8	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux:pass	_	_
9	beheaded	behead	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **learn** | past | we |  |  | history |  |  | vn learn-14-2-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **behead** | past · passive |  | Anne |  |  |  |  | vn poison-42.2 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Nobody was really beheaded in Wonderland.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:behead:x5:1
# text = Nobody was really beheaded in Wonderland.
1	Nobody	nobody	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
3	really	really	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	beheaded	behead	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	Wonderland	Wonderland	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **behead** | past · passive |  | Nobody |  | Wonderland |  |  | vn poison-42.2 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The guillotine was used to behead people in France.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:behead:x6:1
# text = The guillotine was used to behead people in France.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	guillotine	guillotine	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	behead	behead	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	France	France	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | past · passive |  | the guillotine |  |  |  |  | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: subject=Theme clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **behead** | to-infinitive |  | people |  | France |  |  | vn poison-42.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent people=Patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Go and behead him at once.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:behead:x7:1
# text = Go and behead him at once.
1	Go	go	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
3	behead	behead	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	1	conj	_	_
4	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	obj	_	_
5	at	at	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	once	once	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Mult	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **behead** | infinitive | you *not said here* | him *= he* |  |  |  |  | vn poison-42.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent he=Patient |

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**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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