---
title: blame — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «blame» in the school dictionary: To blame someone means to say or think that they caused something bad. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# blame

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** they, blame, one, you, He, She · **What happens:** blame, mean, say, think, cause, be · **To what, where:** someone, something, responsibility, one, it, sister · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To blame someone means to say or think that they caused something bad.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:blame:m1:1
# text = To blame someone means to say or think that they caused something bad.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	blame	blame	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	csubj	_	_
3	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	say	say	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	think	think	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	conj	_	_
9	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
10	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
11	caused	cause	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	ccomp	_	_
12	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	11	obj	_	_
13	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **blame** | to-infinitive |  | someone |  |  |  |  | vn judgment-33.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent someone=Theme |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **say** *speech: assert* *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **think** *speech: other* | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn consider-29.9-2 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 5 | **cause** | past | they | something |  |  |  |  | vn engender-27.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Precondition something=Patient |

<!-- .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 -->
The blame is the responsibility for something bad that happened.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:blame:m2:1
# text = The blame is the responsibility for something bad that happened.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	blame	blame	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	responsibility	responsibility	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	5	nmod	_	_
8	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
9	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	10	nsubj	_	_
10	happened	happen	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the blame | the responsibility |  |  |  | for something | tree rules |
| 2 | **happen** | past |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«To be to blame» means to be the one who caused it.

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:blame:m3:1
# text = «To be to blame» means to be the one who caused it.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	To	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
3	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	cop	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	blame	blame	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	7	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
7	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
9	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	cop	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	one	one	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
12	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	13	nsubj	_	_
13	caused	cause	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	acl:relcl	_	_
14	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** *in a quote* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | blame *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **is a** | to-infinitive |  | the one |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **cause** | past | the one | it |  |  |  |  | vn engender-27.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Precondition it=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Don't blame your sister; you broke the vase.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:blame:x1:1
# text = Don't blame your sister; you broke the vase.
1	Do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	blame	blame	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	sister	sister	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	8	punct	_	_
7	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	broke	break	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	parataxis	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	vase	vase	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **blame** | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* | your sister |  |  |  |  | vn judgment-33.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sister=Theme |
| 2 | **break** | past | you | the vase |  |  |  |  | vn hurt-40.8.3-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer vase=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He blamed the dog for eating his homework.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:blame:x2:1
# text = He blamed the dog for eating his homework.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	blamed	blame	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
6	eating	eat	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
7	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	homework	homework	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **blame** | past | He | the dog |  |  |  |  | vn judgment-33.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent dog=Theme |
| 2 | **eat** | gerund | He *not said here* | dog's homework |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent homework=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Who is to blame for this mess?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:blame:x3:1
# text = Who is to blame for this mess?
1	Who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	blame	blame	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	7	det	_	_
7	mess	mess	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 |  |  |  |  |  | for this mess; blame *property* | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She took the blame even though it wasn't her fault.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:blame:x4:1
# text = She took the blame even though it wasn't her fault.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	took	take	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	blame	blame	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	even	even	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
6	though	though	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
8	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	11	advmod	_	_
10	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	11	nmod:poss	_	_
11	fault	fault	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **take** | past | She | the blame |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent blame=Theme |
| 2 | **not** **is a** | past | blame | her fault |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The storm was to blame for the fallen tree.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:blame:x5:1
# text = The storm was to blame for the fallen tree.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	storm	storm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	blame	blame	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	fallen	fall	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	9	amod	_	_
9	tree	tree	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the storm |  |  |  |  | for the fallen tree; blame *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **fall** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I don't blame you for being upset.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:blame:x6:1
# text = I don't blame you for being upset.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	blame	blame	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	4	obj	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	8	cop	_	_
8	upset	upset	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **blame** | present · do-support | I | you |  |  |  |  | vn judgment-33.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent you=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | upset *property* | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It's not fair to blame someone without checking first.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:blame:x7:1
# text = It's not fair to blame someone without checking first.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	fair	fair	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	blame	blame	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	csubj	_	_
7	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	6	obj	_	_
8	without	without	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
9	checking	check	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	6	advcl	_	_
10	first	first	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	9	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **is** | present | It |  |  |  |  | fair *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **blame** | to-infinitive |  | someone |  |  |  |  | vn judgment-33.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent someone=Theme |
| 3 | **check** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | first *property* | vn assessment-34.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
They put the blame on the new boy.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:blame:x8:1
# text = They put the blame on the new boy.
1	They	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	put	put	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	blame	blame	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	boy	boy	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 | **put** | past | They | the blame |  |  |  | on the new boy | vn put-9.1-2 «NP V PP.destination NP»: agent=Agent blame=Theme on boy=Destination |

<!-- 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 -->
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