---
title: canny — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «canny» in the school dictionary: Canny means clever and careful, especially with money or in business; hard to trick: «a canny shopper». Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# canny

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Canny, lass, canny fox, Gran, That, canny move · **What happens:** mean, trick, be, go, not fall, find · **To what, where:** clever money, Ca, trap, bargain, canny move, queen · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«canny» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 6 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: [canny in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/canny.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Canny means clever and careful, especially with money or in business; hard to trick: «a canny shopper».

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:canny:m1:1
# text = Canny means clever and careful, especially with money or in business; hard to trick: «a canny shopper».
1	Canny	canny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	clever	clever	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	careful	careful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
7	especially	especially	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	money	money	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
11	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	business	business	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
14	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	ccomp	_	_
15	to	to	PART	TO	_	16	mark	_	_
16	trick	trick	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	14	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	21	punct	_	_
18	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	21	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
20	canny	canny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	21	amod	_	_
21	shopper	shopper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	21	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Canny | clever money or business |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **trick** | to-infinitive | Canny *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn trick-59.2 «NP V NP»: 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}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: North-East England, Scotland, informal — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Canny means nice, good or pretty: «a canny lass», «it's canny cold».

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:canny:m2:1
# text = Canny means nice, good or pretty: «a canny lass», «it's canny cold».
1	Canny	canny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	nice	nice	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
5	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	conj	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	pretty	pretty	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	12	punct	_	_
9	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	canny	canny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	lass	lass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
15	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	19	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	19	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	19	cop	_	_
18	canny	canny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	19	amod	_	_
19	cold	cold	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	19	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Canny |  |  |  |  | nice *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **is** *in a quote* | present | lass |  |  |  |  | cold *property* | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Ca' canny» means be careful, go gently.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:canny:m3:1
# text = «Ca' canny» means be careful, go gently.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Ca	Ca	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	'	'	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
4	canny	canny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
6	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	cop	_	_
8	careful	careful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
10	go	go	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	6	ccomp	_	_
11	gently	gently	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | canny | Ca |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **is** *not said to happen* | infinitive | canny *not said here* |  |  |  |  | careful *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **go** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | gently *property* | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The canny fox did not fall into the trap.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:canny:x1:1
# text = The canny fox did not fall into the trap.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	canny	canny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	fox	fox	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
5	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	6	advmod	_	_
6	fall	fall	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
7	into	into	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	trap	trap	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **fall** | past · do-support | the canny fox |  |  |  |  | into the trap *result* | vn become-109.1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient into trap=Result |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Gran is canny with money and always finds a bargain.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:canny:x2:1
# text = Gran is canny with money and always finds a bargain.
1	Gran	Gran	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	canny	canny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	money	money	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
7	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	8	advmod	_	_
8	finds	find	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	bargain	bargain	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 | **is** | present | Gran |  |  |  |  | with money; canny *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **find** | present | Gran *not said here* | a bargain |  |  |  | always *property* | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent bargain=Topic |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
That was a canny move, swapping your queen for two rooks!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:canny:x3:1
# text = That was a canny move, swapping your queen for two rooks!
1	That	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	5	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	canny	canny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	move	move	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
7	swapping	swap	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	acl	_	_
8	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	queen	queen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
10	for	for	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	12	nummod	_	_
12	rooks	rook	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | That | a canny move |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **swap** | gerund | a canny move *not said here* | your queen |  |  |  | for two rooks | vn exchange-13.6.1 «NP V NP PP.co-theme»: agent=Agent queen=Theme for rook=Co-Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«He's a canny lad,» said the man from Newcastle, meaning a nice boy.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:canny:x4:1
# text = «He's a canny lad,» said the man from Newcastle, meaning a nice boy.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	canny	canny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	lad	lad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	_
9	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
12	from	from	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	Newcastle	Newcastle	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	11	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
15	meaning	mean	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	9	advcl	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
17	nice	nice	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
18	boy	boy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** *in a quote* | present | He | a canny lad |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | the man from Newcastle |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **mean** | gerund | the man from Newcastle *not said here* | a nice boy |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent boy=Topic |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It's canny windy today! (Geordie)

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* It's canny windy today!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:canny:x5:1
# text = It's canny windy today!
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	canny	canny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	windy	windy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	today	today	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | It |  |  |  | today | windy *property* | tree rules |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* (Geordie)

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:canny:x5:2
# text = (Geordie)
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Geordie	Geordie	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	2	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The canny shopkeeper raised his prices before the holiday.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:canny:x6:1
# text = The canny shopkeeper raised his prices before the holiday.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	canny	canny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	shopkeeper	shopkeeper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	raised	raise	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	prices	price	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
7	before	before	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	holiday	holiday	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **raise** | past | the canny shopkeeper | shopkeeper's prices |  | the holiday |  |  | vn put\_direction-9.4 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent price=Theme before holiday=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 -->

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