---
title: brutal — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «brutal» in the school dictionary: Brutal means very cruel and violent. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# brutal

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Brutal, truth, maths test, brutal king, soldiers, winter · **What happens:** mean, say, hurt, be, punish, disagree · **To what, where:** Brutal honesty, anyone, brutal attack, village, meat, hot day · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Brutal means very cruel and violent.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:brutal:m1:1
# text = Brutal means very cruel and violent.
1	Brutal	brutal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	very	very	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	cruel	cruel	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	violent	violent	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Brutal |  |  |  |  | cruel *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 -->
Brutal means very harsh, severe or unpleasant, as with weather or a test.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:brutal:m2:1
# text = Brutal means very harsh, severe or unpleasant, as with weather or a test.
1	Brutal	brutal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	very	very	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	harsh	harsh	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
6	severe	severe	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	unpleasant	unpleasant	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
10	as	as	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	with	with	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	weather	weather	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	parataxis	_	_
13	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	test	test	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

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

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: informal — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Brutal honesty or truth is said directly, even if it hurts.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:brutal:m3:1
# text = Brutal honesty or truth is said directly, even if it hurts.
1	Brutal	brutal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	honesty	honesty	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	truth	truth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux:pass	_	_
6	said	say	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
7	directly	directly	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
9	even	even	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
10	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
11	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
12	hurts	hurt	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present · passive |  | Brutal honesty or truth |  |  |  | directly *property* | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: subject=Topic |
| 2 | **hurt** *a condition, not said to happen* | present | truth |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP-PRO-ARB»: agent=Stimulus |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: slang — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Brutal can mean really bad or tough: «That maths test was brutal.».

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:brutal:m4:1
# text = Brutal can mean really bad or tough: «That maths test was brutal.».
1	Brutal	brutal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	nsubj	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	really	really	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	xcomp	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	tough	tough	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	14	punct	_	_
9	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	That	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	12	det	_	_
11	maths	math	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	compound	_	_
12	test	test	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nsubj	_	_
13	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	14	cop	_	_
14	brutal	brutal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | can | Brutal |  |  |  |  | bad *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **is** *in a quote* | past | that maths test |  |  |  |  | brutal *property* | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The brutal king punished anyone who disagreed.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:brutal:x1:1
# text = The brutal king punished anyone who disagreed.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	brutal	brutal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	king	king	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	punished	punish	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	acl	_	_
5	anyone	anyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	4	obj	_	_
6	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	disagreed	disagree	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **punish** | participle | the brutal king *not said here* | anyone |  |  |  |  | vn prosecute-33.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent anyone=Patient |
| 2 | **disagree** | past |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn correspond-36.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The soldiers carried out a brutal attack on the village.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:brutal:x2:1
# text = The soldiers carried out a brutal attack on the village.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	soldiers	soldier	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	carried	carry	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	out	out	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	brutal	brutal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	attack	attack	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
8	on	on	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	village	village	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 | **carry out** | past | the soldiers | a brutal attack |  | the village |  |  | vn act-114 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent attack=Eventuality |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The winter in Canada was brutal, with temperatures of minus thirty.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:brutal:x3:1
# text = The winter in Canada was brutal, with temperatures of minus thirty.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	winter	winter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	Canada	Canada	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
5	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
6	brutal	brutal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	temperatures	temperature	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	minus	minus	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	thirty	thirty	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the winter in Canada |  |  |  |  | with temperatures of minus thirty; brutal *property* | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
(informal) That cross-country run was brutal!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:brutal:x4:1
# text = (informal) That cross-country run was brutal!
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	informal	informal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	2	punct	_	_
4	That	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	6	det	_	_
5	cross-country	cross-country	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	run	run	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
7	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
8	brutal	brutal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | informal |  |  |  |  | brutal *property* | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
With brutal honesty, my friend said my drawing looked like a potato.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:brutal:x5:1
# text = With brutal honesty, my friend said my drawing looked like a potato.
1	With	with	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	brutal	brutal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	honesty	honesty	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	friend	friend	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	drawing	drawing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
10	looked	look	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	ccomp	_	_
11	like	like	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	potato	potato	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | my friend |  |  |  |  | with brutal honesty | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **look** | past | my drawing |  |  |  |  | like a potato | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Stimulus |
| 3 | **draw** |  | my |  |  |  |  |  | nom drawing «communication intransitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The wolf's brutal teeth tore the meat.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:brutal:x6:1
# text = The wolf's brutal teeth tore the meat.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	wolf	wolf	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	brutal	brutal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	teeth	tooth	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
6	tore	tore	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	meat	meat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tore** | past | the wolf's brutal teeth | the meat |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It was a brutally hot day.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:brutal:x7:1
# text = It was a brutally hot day.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
4	brutally	brutally	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	hot	hot	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | It | a hot day |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Hook itched to do it, but it seemed too brutal.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:brutal:x8:1
# text = Hook itched to do it, but it seemed too brutal.
1	Hook	hook	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
2	itched	itch	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	1	acl	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
5	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
7	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	seemed	seem	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
10	too	too	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
11	brutal	brutal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **itch** | participle |  | Hook *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn long-32.2 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Pivot clause=Theme |
| 2 | **do** | to-infinitive |  | Hook |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Eventuality |
| 3 | **seem** | past | Hook |  |  |  |  | brutal *property* | vn seem-109-1-1-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=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 -->

<!-- pn -->
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