---
title: cheeky — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «cheeky» in the school dictionary: Cheeky means rude or not respectful, but often in a funny or playful way. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# cheeky

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Cheeky, cheeky smile, something, you, He, It · **What happens:** mean, be, not have, do, not be, give · **To what, where:** bit, small treat, cheeky grin, me, chips, last slice · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: informal, UK, Ireland, Australia, NZ — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Cheeky means rude or not respectful, but often in a funny or playful way.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cheeky:m1:1
# text = Cheeky means rude or not respectful, but often in a funny or playful way.
1	Cheeky	cheeky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	rude	rude	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	_
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
5	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	6	advmod	_	_
6	respectful	respectful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
8	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
9	often	often	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
12	funny	funny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
13	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	playful	playful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	conj	_	_
15	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Cheeky |  |  |  |  | rude *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: 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: informal, UK — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A cheeky smile or grin is playful and a bit naughty.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cheeky:m2:1
# text = A cheeky smile or grin is playful and a bit naughty.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	cheeky	cheeky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	smile	smile	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	grin	grin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	playful	playful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	bit	bit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl:unmarked	_	_
11	naughty	naughty	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | a cheeky smile or grin |  |  |  |  | playful *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **be** |  | a cheeky smile or grin *not said here* | a bit |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"A cheeky" something means a small treat you shouldn't really have.

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cheeky:m3:1
# text = "A cheeky" something means a small treat you shouldn't really have.
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
3	cheeky	cheeky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	_
5	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	6	nsubj	_	_
6	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	treat	treat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
10	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
11	should	should	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	14	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	14	advmod	_	_
13	really	really	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	_
14	have	have	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | something | a small treat |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent treat=Topic |
| 2 | **not** **have** | should | you | a small treat *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent treat=Patient |

<!-- .note -->
The example in this meaning, parsed on its own:

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"a cheeky biscuit".

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cheeky:m3e:1
# text = "a cheeky biscuit".
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	cheeky	cheeky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	biscuit	biscuit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Don't be cheeky to your teacher!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cheeky:x1:1
# text = Don't be cheeky to your teacher!
1	Do	do	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
3	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	cop	_	_
4	cheeky	cheeky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	obj	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **not** **is** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | to your teacher; cheeky *property* | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He gave me a cheeky grin.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cheeky:x2:1
# text = He gave me a cheeky grin.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	gave	give	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	iobj	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	cheeky	cheeky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	grin	grin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | past | He | a cheeky grin | me |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent i=Recipient grin=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
You cheeky monkey, you ate my chips!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cheeky:x3:1
# text = You cheeky monkey, you ate my chips!
1	You	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
2	cheeky	cheeky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	monkey	monkey	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
5	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	ate	eat	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	chips	chip	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **eat** | past | You | my chips |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent chip=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It was cheeky of her to take the last slice.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cheeky:x4:1
# text = It was cheeky of her to take the last slice.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	cheeky	cheeky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	obl	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	take	take	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	last	last	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	slice	slice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | It |  |  |  |  | of her *= she*; cheeky *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **take** | to-infinitive |  | the last slice |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent slice=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The cheeky seagull stole my sandwich.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cheeky:x5:1
# text = The cheeky seagull stole my sandwich.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	cheeky	cheeky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	seagull	seagull	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	stole	steal	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	sandwich	sandwich	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **steal** | past | the cheeky seagull | my sandwich |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location sandwich=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Fancy a cheeky ice cream on the way home?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cheeky:x6:1
# text = Fancy a cheeky ice cream on the way home?
1	Fancy	fancy	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
3	cheeky	cheeky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
4	ice	ice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	cream	cream	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
9	home	home	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fancy** | imperative | you *not said here* | a cheeky ice cream |  | the way |  | home *property* | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer cream=Stimulus |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"Is that your homework or your dog's?" asked the cheeky boy.

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cheeky:x7:1
# text = "Is that your homework or your dog's?" asked the cheeky boy.
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
4	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	homework	homework	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
7	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	's	's	PART	POS	_	8	case	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	8	punct	_	_
12	asked	ask	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
14	cheeky	cheeky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	boy	boy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	12	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** *in a quote* | present |  | your homework or your dog |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **ask** *speech: ask* | past | your homework or your dog |  | the cheeky boy |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent boy=Recipient |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Granny laughed at his cheeky joke.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cheeky:x8:1
# text = Granny laughed at his cheeky joke.
1	Granny	Granny	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	laughed	laugh	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	at	at	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
5	cheeky	cheeky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	joke	joke	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 | **laugh** | past | Granny |  |  | his cheeky joke |  |  | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **joke** |  | his *= he* |  |  |  |  |  | nom joke «communication intransitive»: poss=agent |

<!-- 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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