---
title: censure — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «censure» in the school dictionary: Censure is strong, official criticism or disapproval. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# censure

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Censure, they, vote, parliament, formal, report · **What happens:** be, censure, do, say, disapprove, vote · **To what, where:** someone, censure, public censure, library, minister, referee · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Censure is strong, official criticism or disapproval.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:censure:m1:1
# text = Censure is strong, official criticism or disapproval.
1	Censure	censure	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	strong	strong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
5	official	official	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	criticism	criticism	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	disapproval	disapproval	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Censure |  |  |  |  | official criticism or disapproval *obl*; strong *property* | tree rules |

<!-- .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: formal — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To censure someone is to criticise them strongly and officially, especially for something they did wrong.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:censure:m2:1
# text = To censure someone is to criticise them strongly and officially, especially for something they did wrong.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	censure	censure	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
3	someone	someone	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	criticise	criticise	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	strongly	strongly	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	officially	officially	ADV	RB	_	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
12	especially	especially	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	_
13	for	for	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	6	conj	_	_
15	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	nsubj	_	_
16	did	do	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	14	acl:relcl	_	_
17	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **censure** | to-infinitive |  | someone |  |  |  |  | vn judgment-33.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent someone=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | criticise, strongly *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **do** | past | they |  |  |  |  | wrong *property* | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A vote of censure is when a parliament or group officially says it disapproves of a leader or member.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:censure:m3:1
# text = A vote of censure is when a parliament or group officially says it disapproves of a leader or member.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	vote	vote	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	censure	censure	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
6	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	0	root	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	parliament	parliament	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	group	group	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	conj	_	_
11	officially	officially	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
12	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	parataxis	_	_
13	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
14	disapproves	disapprove	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	ccomp	_	_
15	of	of	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	leader	leader	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	_
18	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
19	member	member	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | a vote of censure |  |  |  |  | when *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | a parliament or group |  |  |  |  | officially *property* | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **disapprove** | present | vote |  |  |  |  | of a leader or member | vn marvel-31.3 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 4 | **vote** |  |  | censure |  |  |  |  | nom vote «act transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
(formal) The council faced public censure for closing the library.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:censure:x1:1
# text = (formal) The council faced public censure for closing the library.
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	formal	formal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	2	punct	_	_
4	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	council	council	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	faced	face	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	public	public	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	censure	censure	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
10	closing	close	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	6	advcl	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	library	library	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **face** | past | formal | public censure |  |  |  |  | vn fill-9.8-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme censure=Destination |
| 2 | **close** | gerund | formal *not said here* | the library |  |  |  |  | vn crane-40.3.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent library=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Parliament voted to censure the minister.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:censure:x2:1
# text = Parliament voted to censure the minister.
1	Parliament	Parliament	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	voted	vote	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	censure	censure	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	minister	minister	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **vote** | past | Parliament |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **censure** | to-infinitive | Parliament *not said here* | the minister |  |  |  |  | vn judgment-33.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent minister=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The referee was censured for unfair decisions.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:censure:x3:1
# text = The referee was censured for unfair decisions.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	referee	referee	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	censured	censure	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	unfair	unfair	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	decisions	decision	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **censure** | past · passive |  | the referee |  |  |  | for unfair decisions | vn judgment-33.1-1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: subject=Theme for decision=Attribute |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The report censured the company for polluting the river.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:censure:x4:1
# text = The report censured the company for polluting the river.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	report	report	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	censured	censure	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	company	company	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
7	polluting	pollute	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	acl	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	river	river	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **censure** | past | the report | the company |  |  |  |  | vn judgment-33.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent company=Theme |
| 2 | **pollute** | gerund | the company *not said here* | the river |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Cheating at the competition brought censure from the judges.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:censure:x5:1
# text = Cheating at the competition brought censure from the judges.
1	Cheating	cheat	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	csubj	_	_
2	at	at	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	competition	competition	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
5	brought	bring	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	censure	censure	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
7	from	from	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	judges	judge	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cheat** | gerund |  |  |  | the competition |  |  | vn cheat-10.6.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **bring** | past | Cheating | censure |  | the judges |  |  | vn bring-11.3-1 «NP V NP PP.initial\_location»: agent=Agent censure=Theme from judge=Initial\_Location |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The senator was formally censured by Congress.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:censure:x6:1
# text = The senator was formally censured by Congress.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	senator	senator	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux:pass	_	_
4	formally	formally	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	censured	censure	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	by	by	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	Congress	Congress	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **censure** | past · passive | Congress | the senator |  |  |  | formally *property* | vn judgment-33.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent subject=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
(formal) The headteacher's censure was severe but fair.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:censure:x7:1
# text = (formal) The headteacher's censure was severe but fair.
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	formal	formal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	2	punct	_	_
4	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	headteacher	headteacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	's	's	PART	POS	_	5	case	_	_
7	censure	censure	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
8	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
9	severe	severe	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
10	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	fair	fair	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | formal |  |  |  |  | severe *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **be** |  | formal *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **censure** |  | the headteacher |  |  |  |  |  | nom censure «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
If he is a true genius, he can bear the sharp voice of censure.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:censure:x8:1
# text = If he is a true genius, he can bear the sharp voice of censure.
1	If	if	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
2	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	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	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	genius	genius	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
8	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
9	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
10	bear	bear	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	sharp	sharp	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	voice	voice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	_
14	of	of	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	censure	censure	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** *a condition, not said to happen* | present | he | a true genius |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **bear** | can | he | the sharp voice of censure |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent voice=Patient |

<!-- 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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