---
title: butcher — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «butcher» in the school dictionary: A butcher is a person whose job is cutting and selling meat. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# butcher

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** butcher, job, He, Mum, I, your · **What happens:** be, cut, sell, butcher, cut up, buy · **To what, where:** person, meat, shop, animal, people, something · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«butcher» in the school dictionary: its 5 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: [butcher in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/butcher.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A butcher is a person whose job is cutting and selling meat.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:butcher:m1:1
# text = A butcher is a person whose job is cutting and selling meat.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	butcher	butcher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	whose	whose	PRON	WP$	Poss=Yes|PronType=Rel	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	job	job	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
9	cutting	cut	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	5	acl:relcl	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	selling	sell	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	9	conj	_	_
12	meat	meat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a butcher | a person |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **cut** | present · progressive | job |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |
| 3 | **sell** | gerund | job *not said here* | meat |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent meat=Theme |

<!-- .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 butcher's is the shop where meat is sold.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:butcher:m2:1
# text = The butcher's is the shop where meat is sold.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	butcher	butcher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	shop	shop	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj:pass	_	_
7	where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	10	advmod	_	_
8	meat	meat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj:pass	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux:pass	_	_
10	sold	sell	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present |  | the butcher's shop |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **sell** | present · passive |  | the butcher's shop |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To butcher an animal is to kill it and cut it up for meat.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:butcher:m3:1
# text = To butcher an animal is to kill it and cut it up for meat.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	butcher	butcher	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	advcl	_	_
3	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	animal	animal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	kill	kill	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	cut	cut	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	_
11	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	obj	_	_
12	up	up	ADP	RP	_	10	compound:prt	_	_
13	for	for	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	meat	meat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **butcher** | to-infinitive |  | a animal |  |  |  |  | vn murder-42.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent animal=Patient |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | kill *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **cut up** | infinitive |  | animal |  |  |  | for meat | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP PP.beneficiary»: agent=Agent it=Material for meat=Beneficiary |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To butcher people is to kill them cruelly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:butcher:m4:1
# text = To butcher people is to kill them cruelly.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	butcher	butcher	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
3	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	kill	kill	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	cruelly	cruelly	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **butcher** | to-infinitive |  | people |  |  |  |  | vn murder-42.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent people=Patient |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | cruelly, kill *property* | tree rules |

## Meaning 5 {#m5}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To butcher something is to spoil it badly: «He butchered that song».

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:butcher:m5:1
# text = To butcher something is to spoil it badly: «He butchered that song».
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	butcher	butcher	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
3	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	spoil	spoil	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	badly	badly	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	12	punct	_	_
10	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
12	butchered	butcher	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	parataxis	_	_
13	that	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	14	det	_	_
14	song	song	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **butcher** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn murder-42.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Patient |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | badly, spoil *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **butcher** *in a quote* | past | He | that song |  |  |  |  | vn murder-42.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent song=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mum bought sausages at the butcher's.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:butcher:x1:1
# text = Mum bought sausages at the butcher's.
1	Mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	bought	buy	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	sausages	sausage	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
4	at	at	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	butcher	butcher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	's	's	PART	POS	_	6	case	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **buy** | past | Mum | sausages |  | the butcher |  |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP PP.source NP.asset»: agent=Agent sausage=Theme at butcher=Asset |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The butcher cut the meat into chops.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:butcher:x2:1
# text = The butcher cut the meat into chops.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	butcher	butcher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	cut	cut	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	meat	meat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	into	into	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	chops	chop	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cut** | past | the butcher | the meat |  | chops |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP.material PP.product»: agent=Agent meat=Material into chop=Product |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Our butcher wears a striped apron.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:butcher:x3:1
# text = Our butcher wears a striped apron.
1	Our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	butcher	butcher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	wears	wear	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	striped	striped	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	apron	apron	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wear** | present | Our butcher | a striped apron |  |  |  |  | vn wipe\_manner-10.4.1-1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent apron=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Sorry, I totally butchered your name.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:butcher:x4:1
# text = Sorry, I totally butchered your name.
1	Sorry	sorry	INTJ	UH	_	5	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
4	totally	totally	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	butchered	butcher	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	name	name	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **butcher** | past | I | your name |  |  |  | totally *property* | vn murder-42.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent name=Patient |
| 2 | **name** |  | your |  |  |  |  |  | nom name «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The singer butchered the national anthem.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:butcher:x5:1
# text = The singer butchered the national anthem.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	singer	singer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	butchered	butcher	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	national	national	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	anthem	anthem	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **butcher** | past | the singer | the national anthem |  |  |  |  | vn murder-42.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent anthem=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Give us a butcher's at your new phone.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:butcher:x6:1
# text = Give us a butcher's at your new phone.
1	Give	give	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	1	iobj	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	butcher	butcher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	's	's	PART	POS	_	4	case	_	_
6	at	at	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
8	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	phone	phone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | imperative | you *not said here* | a butcher | us | your new phone |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP NP PP.asset»: agent=Agent we=Recipient butcher=Theme at phone=Asset |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The cruel king was called a butcher by his people.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:butcher:x7:1
# text = The cruel king was called a butcher by his people.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	cruel	cruel	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	king	king	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	butcher	butcher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	xcomp	_	_
8	by	by	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
10	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** | past · passive | king's people | the cruel king |  |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent subject=Recipient |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"I'm a butcher by trade, not a doctor."

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:butcher:x8:1
# text = "I'm a butcher by trade, not a doctor."
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	'm	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	butcher	butcher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	by	by	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	trade	trade	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
9	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	11	advmod	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	doctor	doctor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** *in a quote* | present | I | a butcher and a doctor |  |  |  | by trade | 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 -->
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