---
title: characterize — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «characterize» in the school dictionary: To characterize something is to show what it is like by its special features. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# characterize

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** it, mark, clever animals, snub nose, strict rules, kindness · **What happens:** characterize, be, make · **To what, where:** something, mark, story, him, Many fables, whole tale

<!-- .vabout -->
«characterize» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 4 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: [characterize in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/characterize.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To characterize something is to show what it is like by its special features.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:characterize:m1:1
# text = To characterize something is to show what it is like by its special features.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	characterize	characterize	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	show	show	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	6	ccomp	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	cop	_	_
10	like	like	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
11	by	by	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
12	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	14	nmod:poss	_	_
13	special	special	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	features	feature	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **characterize** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent something=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | show *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **is** | present | it |  |  |  |  | like its special features | 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}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To characterize is to be the mark that makes something what it is.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:characterize:m2:1
# text = To characterize is to be the mark that makes something what it is.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	characterize	characterize	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	advcl	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
5	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	cop	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	mark	mark	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	9	nsubj	_	_
9	makes	make	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	acl:relcl	_	_
10	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	9	obj	_	_
11	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	10	nmod	_	_
12	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
13	is	be	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **characterize** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is a** | present |  | the mark |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **make** | present | the mark | something |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset something=Product |
| 4 | **be** | present | mark |  |  |  |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The story is characterized by clever animals.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:characterize:x1:1
# text = The story is characterized by clever animals.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	characterized	characterize	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	by	by	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	clever	clever	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	animals	animal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl:agent	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **characterize** | present · passive | clever animals | the story |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent subject=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
His snub nose and fat back characterized him.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:characterize:x2:1
# text = His snub nose and fat back characterized him.
1	His	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	snub	snub	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	nose	nose	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	fat	fat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	_
6	back	back	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	characterized	characterize	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **characterize** | past | His snub nose and fat | him *= he* |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent he=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Many fables are characterized by strict rules.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:characterize:x3:1
# text = Many fables are characterized by strict rules.
1	Many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	fables	fable	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	characterized	characterize	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	by	by	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	strict	strict	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	rules	rule	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl:agent	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **characterize** | present · passive | strict rules | Many fables |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent subject=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Her kindness characterizes the whole tale.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:characterize:x4:1
# text = Her kindness characterizes the whole tale.
1	Her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	kindness	kindness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	characterizes	characterize	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	whole	whole	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	tale	tale	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 | **characterize** | present | Her kindness | the whole tale |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent tale=Theme |

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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.

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