---
title: big — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «big» in the school dictionary: Big means large in size or amount: a big dog. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# big

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Big, Bigger, word, difference, We, big box · **What happens:** mean, not mean, add, ask, be, subtract · **To what, where:** older, larger, smaller number, 24 crayons, 8, biggest planet · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«big» in the school dictionary: its 4 meanings for a pupil and its 9 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: [big in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/big.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Big means large in size or amount: a big dog.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:big:m1:1
# text = Big means large in size or amount: a big dog.
1	Big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	large	large	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	size	size	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	amount	amount	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	11	punct	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Big |  |  |  |  | large *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: 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 -->
Big means important or serious: a big day, a big mistake.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:big:m2:1
# text = Big means important or serious: a big day, a big mistake.
1	Big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	important	important	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	_
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	serious	serious	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	9	punct	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	mistake	mistake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Big |  |  |  |  | important *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Big means older: my big sister.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:big:m3:1
# text = Big means older: my big sister.
1	Big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	older	old	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	2	punct	_	_
5	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
6	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	sister	sister	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Big | older |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Bigger means larger than another; biggest means larger than all the others.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:big:m4:1
# text = Bigger means larger than another; biggest means larger than all the others.
1	Bigger	big	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	larger	large	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	2	obj	_	_
4	than	than	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	another	another	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
7	biggest	big	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	8	amod	_	_
8	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	parataxis	_	_
9	larger	large	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	8	obj	_	_
10	than	than	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
11	all	all	DET	PDT	PronType=Tot	13	det:predet	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	others	other	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Bigger | larger |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent large=Topic |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  | larger |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent large=Topic |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Here the word «more» does not mean adding: it asks how big the difference is.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:big:x1:1
# text = Here the word «more» does not mean adding: it asks how big the difference is.
1	Here	here	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	3	advmod	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
4	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	3	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
7	does	do	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
8	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	9	advmod	_	_
9	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
10	adding	add	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	9	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	13	punct	_	_
12	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
13	asks	ask	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	parataxis	_	_
14	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	15	advmod	_	_
15	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	ccomp	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	difference	difference	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nsubj	_	_
18	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	15	cop	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **mean** | present · do-support | the word |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **add** *speech: assert* *not said to happen* | gerund | the word *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn mix-22.1-2 «NP V ADVP-Middle»: agent=Patient |
| 3 | **ask** *speech: ask* | present | word |  |  |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **is** | present | the difference |  |  |  |  | big *property* | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We always subtract the smaller number from the bigger one.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:big:x2:1
# text = We always subtract the smaller number from the bigger one.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	3	advmod	_	_
3	subtract	subtract	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	smaller	small	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	6	amod	_	_
6	number	number	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	from	from	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	bigger	big	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	10	amod	_	_
10	one	one	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **subtract** | present | We | the smaller number |  |  |  | from the bigger one; always *property* | vn multiply-108-2 «NP V NP PP.co-theme»: agent=Agent number=Theme from one=Co-Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A big box holds 24 crayons and a small box holds 8.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:big:x3:1
# text = A big box holds 24 crayons and a small box holds 8.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	box	box	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	holds	hold	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	24	24	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	6	nummod	_	_
6	crayons	crayon	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	box	box	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
11	holds	hold	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
12	8	8	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	11	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hold** | present | a big box | 24 crayons |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent crayon=Theme |
| 2 | **hold** | present | a small box | 8 |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent 8=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An elephant is bigger than a horse.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:big:x4:1
# text = An elephant is bigger than a horse.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	elephant	elephant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	bigger	big	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	0	root	_	_
5	than	than	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	horse	horse	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 | **is** | present | a elephant |  |  |  |  | than a horse; big *property* | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Jupiter is the biggest planet.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:big:x5:1
# text = Jupiter is the biggest planet.
1	Jupiter	Jupiter	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	biggest	big	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	5	amod	_	_
5	planet	planet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Tomorrow is a big day: the school play!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:big:x6:1
# text = Tomorrow is a big day: the school play!
1	Tomorrow	tomorrow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	9	punct	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	play	play	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Tomorrow | a big day and the school play |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My big brother helps me with homework.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:big:x7:1
# text = My big brother helps me with homework.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	brother	brother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	helps	help	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	obj	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	homework	homework	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 | **help** | present | My big brother |  | me |  |  | with homework | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.theme»: agent=Agent i=Beneficiary with homework=Theme |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Which number is bigger, 45 or 54?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:big:x8:1
# text = Which number is bigger, 45 or 54?
1	Which	which	DET	WDT	PronType=Int	2	det	_	_
2	number	number	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	bigger	big	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
6	45	45	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	4	obl	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	54	54	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | which number |  |  |  |  | 45 *obl*; big *property* | tree rules |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"Was he as big as this?"

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:big:x9:1
# text = "Was he as big as this?"
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
4	as	as	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
6	as	as	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	this	this	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** *in a quote* | past | he |  |  |  |  | as this; big *property* | tree rules |

<!-- 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: [bide](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/bide/)
- next →: [bigger](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/bigger/)
- ↑ back to [B in school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/)