---
title: caries — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «caries» in the school dictionary: Caries is tooth decay: the slow damage to teeth that makes holes called cavities. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# caries

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Caries, slow damage, holes, dentist, Sugary drinks, Fluoride toothpaste · **What happens:** be, make, call, mean, check, cause · **To what, where:** tooth decay, holes, cavities, decay, teeth, dental caries · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«caries» in the school dictionary: its 2 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: [caries in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/caries.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Caries is tooth decay: the slow damage to teeth that makes holes called cavities.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:caries:m1:1
# text = Caries is tooth decay: the slow damage to teeth that makes holes called cavities.
1	Caries	caries	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	tooth	tooth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	decay	decay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	8	punct	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	slow	slow	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	damage	damage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	appos	_	_
9	to	to	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	teeth	tooth	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nmod	_	_
11	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	12	nsubj	_	_
12	makes	make	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	acl:relcl	_	_
13	holes	hole	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	obj	_	_
14	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	13	acl	_	_
15	cavities	cavity	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Caries | tooth decay |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **make** | present | the slow damage to teeth | holes |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset hole=Product |
| 3 | **call** | participle | holes *not said here* | cavities |  |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «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}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Caries can also mean decay in bone.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:caries:m2:1
# text = Caries can also mean decay in bone.
1	Caries	cary	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	also	also	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	decay	decay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	bone	bone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | can | Caries | decay |  |  |  | in bone | vn representation-110.1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Pivot decay=Theme in bone=Attribute |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The dentist checked my teeth for caries.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:caries:x1:1
# text = The dentist checked my teeth for caries.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	dentist	dentist	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	checked	check	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	teeth	tooth	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	caries	cary	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 | **check** | past | the dentist | my teeth |  |  |  | for caries | vn assessment-34.1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Agent tooth=Theme for cary=Attribute |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Sugary drinks can cause dental caries.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:caries:x2:1
# text = Sugary drinks can cause dental caries.
1	Sugary	sugary	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	drinks	drink	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	cause	cause	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	dental	dental	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	caries	cary	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cause** | can | Sugary drinks | dental caries |  |  |  |  | vn engender-27.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Precondition cary=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Fluoride toothpaste helps protect against caries.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:caries:x3:1
# text = Fluoride toothpaste helps protect against caries.
1	Fluoride	fluoride	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	toothpaste	toothpaste	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	helps	help	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	protect	protect	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
5	against	against	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	caries	cary	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **help** | present | Fluoride toothpaste |  |  |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 2 | **protect** | infinitive | Fluoride toothpaste *not said here* |  |  |  |  | against caries | vn defend-72.3 «NP V NP PP.theme»: agent=Agent against cary=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Caries is the medical word for tooth decay.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:caries:x4:1
# text = Caries is the medical word for tooth decay.
1	Caries	caries	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	medical	medical	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	tooth	tooth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	decay	decay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Caries | the medical word |  |  |  | for tooth decay | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Brush twice a day to prevent caries.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:caries:x5:1
# text = Brush twice a day to prevent caries.
1	Brush	brush	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	twice	twice	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Mult	1	advmod	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl:unmarked	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	prevent	prevent	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	advcl	_	_
7	caries	cary	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **brush** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  | day | twice *property* | vn floss-41.2.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **prevent** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* | caries |  |  |  |  | vn forbid-64.4-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Causer cary=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Early caries looks like a small white spot on the tooth.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:caries:x6:1
# text = Early caries looks like a small white spot on the tooth.
1	Early	early	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	caries	caries	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	looks	look	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	like	like	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
6	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
7	white	white	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	spot	spot	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
9	on	on	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	tooth	tooth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** | present | Early caries |  |  |  |  | like a small white spot on the tooth | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Stimulus |

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**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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