---
title: brighten — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «brighten» in the school dictionary: To become brighter or lighter, or to make something brighter: «The sky brightened after the rain». Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# brighten

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Flowers, eyes, she, We, forecast, coat · **What happens:** become, make, brighten, brighten up, see, say · **To what, where:** something, sky, someone, face, place, classroom · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To become brighter or lighter, or to make something brighter: «The sky brightened after the rain».

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:brighten:m1:1
# text = To become brighter or lighter, or to make something brighter: «The sky brightened after the rain».
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	become	become	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	advcl	_	_
3	brighter	bright	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	2	xcomp	_	_
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	lighter	light	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	make	make	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
10	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	9	obj	_	_
11	brighter	bright	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	10	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	15	punct	_	_
13	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	sky	sky	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	parataxis	_	_
16	brightened	brighten	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	15	acl	_	_
17	after	after	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	rain	rain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **become** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | bright *property* | vn become-109.1-1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **make** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **brighten** *in a quote* | participle |  | the sky *not said here* |  |  | after the rain |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=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 -->
To become happier or more cheerful, or to make someone happier: «Her face brightened».

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:brighten:m2:1
# text = To become happier or more cheerful, or to make someone happier: «Her face brightened».
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	become	become	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	advcl	_	_
3	happier	happy	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	2	xcomp	_	_
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
5	more	more	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	6	advmod	_	_
6	cheerful	cheerful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	make	make	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
11	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	10	obj	_	_
12	happier	happy	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	10	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	16	punct	_	_
14	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	Her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	16	nmod:poss	_	_
16	face	face	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	parataxis	_	_
17	brightened	brighten	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	16	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	17	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **become** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | happy *property* | vn become-109.1-1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **make** | to-infinitive |  | someone |  |  |  | happy *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **brighten** *in a quote* | participle |  | Her face *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To make a place more colourful or pleasant: «Flowers brighten up the classroom».

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:brighten:m3:1
# text = To make a place more colourful or pleasant: «Flowers brighten up the classroom».
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	make	make	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	place	place	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	more	more	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	6	advmod	_	_
6	colourful	colourful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	pleasant	pleasant	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	12	punct	_	_
10	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	Flowers	flower	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	nsubj	_	_
12	brighten	brighten	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	conj	_	_
13	up	up	ADP	RP	_	12	compound:prt	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	classroom	classroom	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | to-infinitive |  | a place |  |  |  | colourful *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset place=Product |
| 2 | **brighten up** *in a quote* | present | Flowers | the classroom |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent classroom=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The sky brightened in the afternoon.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:brighten:x1:1
# text = The sky brightened in the afternoon.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	sky	sky	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	brightened	brighten	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	afternoon	afternoon	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **brighten** | participle |  | the sky *not said here* |  |  | afternoon |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Your card really brightened my day.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:brighten:x2:1
# text = Your card really brightened my day.
1	Your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	card	card	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	really	really	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	brightened	brighten	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **brighten** | participle · passive |  | Your card |  |  | day |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: subject=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Her eyes brightened when she saw the puppy.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:brighten:x3:1
# text = Her eyes brightened when she saw the puppy.
1	Her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	eyes	eye	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	brightened	brighten	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	6	advmod	_	_
5	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	saw	see	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	puppy	puppy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **brighten** | participle | Her eyes |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **see** | past | she | the puppy |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer puppy=Stimulus |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We brightened up the classroom with paintings.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:brighten:x4:1
# text = We brightened up the classroom with paintings.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	brightened	brighten	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
3	up	up	ADP	RP	_	2	compound:prt	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	classroom	classroom	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	paintings	painting	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **brighten up** | participle | We | the classroom |  |  |  | with paintings | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP PP.instrument»: agent=Agent classroom=Patient with painting=Instrument |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The forecast says it will brighten up after lunch.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:brighten:x5:1
# text = The forecast says it will brighten up after lunch.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	forecast	forecast	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
5	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	brighten	brighten	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	ccomp	_	_
7	up	up	ADP	RP	_	6	compound:prt	_	_
8	after	after	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	lunch	lunch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | the forecast |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **brighten up** | future | forecast |  |  |  | after lunch |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A coat of yellow paint brightened the old shed.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:brighten:x6:1
# text = A coat of yellow paint brightened the old shed.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	coat	coat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	yellow	yellow	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	paint	paint	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	brightened	brighten	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	shed	shed	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **brighten** | participle | a coat of yellow paint *not said here* | the old shed |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent shed=Patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grandma brightens whenever we visit.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:brighten:x7:1
# text = Grandma brightens whenever we visit.
1	Grandma	grandma	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	brightens	brighten	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	whenever	whenever	SCONJ	WRB	_	5	mark	_	_
4	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
5	visit	visit	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **brighten** | present | Grandma |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **visit** | present | we |  |  |  |  |  | vn meet-36.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
When the hunter's tale of the stranger's arrow reached the ears of the chieftain, his face brightened with a smile.

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:brighten:x8:1
# text = When the hunter's tale of the stranger's arrow reached the ears of the chieftain, his face brightened with a smile.
1	When	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	11	mark	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	hunter	hunter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	's	's	PART	POS	_	3	case	_	_
5	tale	tale	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	stranger	stranger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	's	's	PART	POS	_	8	case	_	_
10	arrow	arrow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
11	reached	reach	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	ears	ear	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	obj	_	_
14	of	of	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	chieftain	chieftain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
18	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	19	nmod:poss	_	_
19	face	face	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	appos	_	_
20	brightened	brighten	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	19	acl	_	_
21	with	with	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
22	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	23	det	_	_
23	smile	smile	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **reach** | past | the hunter's tale of the stranger's arrow | the ears of the chieftain |  |  |  |  | vn body\_motion-49.2-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Agent ear=Theme |
| 2 | **brighten** | participle |  | tale's face *not said here* |  |  |  | with a smile | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP PP.instrument»: agent=Agent with smile=Instrument |
| 3 | **tell** |  | the stranger's arrow |  |  |  |  |  | nom tale «communication intransitive»: of=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 -->

<!-- pn -->
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