---
title: butter — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «butter» in the school dictionary: Butter is a soft, yellow food made from cream, which people spread on bread or use in cooking. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# butter

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Butter, people, something, Peanut butter, you, Mum · **What happens:** be, make, spread, use, mean, crush · **To what, where:** soft yellow food, cream, bread, cooking, butter, crushed nuts

<!-- .vabout -->
«butter» in the school dictionary: its 3 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: [butter in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/butter.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Butter is a soft, yellow food made from cream, which people spread on bread or use in cooking.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:butter:m1:1
# text = Butter is a soft, yellow food made from cream, which people spread on bread or use in cooking.
1	Butter	butter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
4	soft	soft	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	yellow	yellow	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	acl	_	_
9	from	from	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	cream	cream	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
12	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	14	obj	_	_
13	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	nsubj	_	_
14	spread	spread	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	parataxis	_	_
15	on	on	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
16	bread	bread	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	_
17	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
18	use	use	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	14	conj	_	_
19	in	in	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
20	cooking	cooking	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Butter | a soft yellow food |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **make** | participle |  | a soft yellow food *not said here* |  | cream |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V PP»: agent=Asset from cream=Material |
| 3 | **spread** | present | people | a soft yellow food |  | bread |  |  | vn spray-9.7-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent which=Theme on bread=Destination |
| 4 | **use** | infinitive | people *not said here* |  |  | cooking |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: 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 -->
To butter something means to spread butter on it.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:butter:m2:1
# text = To butter something means to spread butter on it.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	butter	butter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	4	nsubj	_	_
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	spread	spread	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	butter	butter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
8	on	on	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | something |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **spread** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | something *not said here* | butter |  | butter |  |  | vn spray-9.7-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent butter=Theme on it=Destination |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Peanut butter and other «butters» are smooth spreads made from crushed nuts or seeds.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:butter:m3:1
# text = Peanut butter and other «butters» are smooth spreads made from crushed nuts or seeds.
1	Peanut	peanut	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	butter	butter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
3	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
4	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
5	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	butters	butter	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	_
8	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
9	smooth	smooth	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	conj	_	_
10	spreads	spread	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
11	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	10	xcomp	_	_
12	from	from	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	crushed	crush	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	14	amod	_	_
14	nuts	nut	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	obl	_	_
15	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
16	seeds	seed	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Peanut butter and other butters *not said here* |  |  |  |  | smooth *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **spread** | present | Peanut butter and other butters |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **make** | participle | Peanut butter and other butters *not said here* |  |  | crushed nuts or seeds |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V PP»: agent=Asset from nut=Material |
| 4 | **crush** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn carve-21.2-1 «NP V ADVP-Middle»: agent=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Spread some butter on your toast.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:butter:x1:1
# text = Spread some butter on your toast.
1	Spread	spread	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	3	det	_	_
3	butter	butter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	toast	toast	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **spread** | imperative | you *not said here* | some butter |  | your toast |  |  | vn spray-9.7-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent butter=Theme on toast=Destination |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mum buttered the bread for our sandwiches.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:butter:x2:1
# text = Mum buttered the bread for our sandwiches.
1	Mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	buttered	butter	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	bread	bread	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	sandwiches	sandwich	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 | **butter** | past | Mum | the bread |  |  |  | for our sandwiches | vn butter-9.9 «NP V NP.destination»: agent=Agent bread=Destination |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Butter melts in a hot pan.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:butter:x3:1
# text = Butter melts in a hot pan.
1	Butter	butter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	melts	melt	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	hot	hot	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	pan	pan	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **melt** | present | Butter |  |  | a hot pan |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4-1 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We made butter at school by shaking cream in a jar.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:butter:x4:1
# text = We made butter at school by shaking cream in a jar.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	butter	butter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	at	at	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
7	shaking	shake	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
8	cream	cream	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	jar	jar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past | We | butter |  | school |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent butter=Product |
| 2 | **shake** | gerund | We *not said here* | cream |  | a jar |  |  | vn funnel-9.3-1-1 «NP V NP PP.trajectory»: agent=Agent cream=Theme in jar=Trajectory |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Keep the butter in the fridge so it stays fresh.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:butter:x5:1
# text = Keep the butter in the fridge so it stays fresh.
1	Keep	keep	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	butter	butter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	fridge	fridge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
7	so	so	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	stays	stay	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	advcl	_	_
10	fresh	fresh	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **keep** | imperative | you *not said here* | the butter |  | the fridge |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent butter=Theme in fridge=Location |
| 2 | **stay** | present | butter |  |  |  |  | fresh *property* | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I'm allergic to peanuts, so I can't eat peanut butter.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:butter:x6:1
# text = I'm allergic to peanuts, so I can't eat peanut butter.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	'm	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	allergic	allergic	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	peanuts	peanut	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
7	so	so	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
8	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
9	ca	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	11	advmod	_	_
11	eat	eat	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	parataxis	_	_
12	peanut	peanut	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	compound	_	_
13	butter	butter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | I |  |  |  |  | to peanuts; allergic *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **eat** | can | I | peanut butter |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent butter=Patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
You need butter, sugar, flour and eggs to make a cake.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:butter:x7:1
# text = You need butter, sugar, flour and eggs to make a cake.
1	You	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	need	need	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	butter	butter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
5	sugar	sugar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
7	flour	flour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	eggs	egg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	conj	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	cake	cake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **need** | present | You | butter and sugar and flour and eggs |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Pivot butter=Theme |
| 2 | **make** | to-infinitive | You *not said here* | a cake |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset cake=Product |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Oops, butterfingers! You dropped the ball again.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Oops, butterfingers!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:butter:x8:1
# text = Oops, butterfingers!
1	Oops	oops	INTJ	UH	_	3	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	butterfingers	butterfinger	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* You dropped the ball again.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:butter:x8:2
# text = You dropped the ball again.
1	You	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	dropped	drop	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	ball	ball	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	again	again	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **drop** | past | You | the ball |  |  | again |  | vn put\_direction-9.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent ball=Theme |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
“Curly is taking both butter and honey.”

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:butter:x9:1
# text = “Curly is taking both butter and honey.”
1	“	"	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Curly	curly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	taking	take	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	both	both	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc:preconj	_	_
6	butter	butter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	honey	honey	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	”	"	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **take** *in a quote* | present · progressive |  | butter and honey |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent butter=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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