---
title: christen — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «christen» in the school dictionary: To christen a baby is to give it its name in a church ceremony, with water poured on its head. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# christen

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** baby, They, We, everyone · **What happens:** christen, be, pour, name, go on, wear · **To what, where:** baby, church ceremony, water, head, something, it

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«christen» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 5 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: [christen in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/christen.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To christen a baby is to give it its name in a church ceremony, with water poured on its head.

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:christen:m1:1
# text = To christen a baby is to give it its name in a church ceremony, with water poured on its head.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	christen	christen	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	advcl	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	baby	baby	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	give	give	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
9	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
10	name	name	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
11	in	in	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	church	church	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	compound	_	_
14	ceremony	ceremony	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
16	with	with	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
17	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	conj	_	_
18	poured	pour	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	17	acl	_	_
19	on	on	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
20	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	21	nmod:poss	_	_
21	head	head	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **christen** | to-infinitive |  | a baby |  |  |  |  | vn dub-29.3.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent baby=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  | a church ceremony and water |  | give *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **pour** | participle |  | water *not said here* |  | baby's head |  |  | vn substance\_emission-43.4-1 «NP V»: agent=Source |
| 4 | **name** |  | baby |  |  |  |  |  | nom name «communication transitive»: poss=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}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To christen something is to use or name it for the first time: christen the new boat.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:christen:m2:1
# text = To christen something is to use or name it for the first time: christen the new boat.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	christen	christen	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	use	use	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	name	name	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	6	conj	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	_
10	for	for	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	first	first	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	13	amod	_	_
13	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	15	punct	_	_
15	christen	christen	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	6	conj	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
17	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
18	boat	boat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **christen** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn dub-29.3.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | use *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **name** | infinitive |  | it |  |  | time |  | vn appoint-29.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Theme |
| 4 | **christen** | infinitive |  | the new boat |  |  |  |  | vn dub-29.3.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent boat=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The baby was christened in the old stone church.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:christen:x1:1
# text = The baby was christened in the old stone church.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	baby	baby	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	christened	christen	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
7	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
8	stone	stone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	church	church	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 | **christen** | past · passive |  | the baby |  | the old stone church |  |  | vn dub-29.3.2 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The boy was christened John.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:christen:x2:1
# text = The boy was christened John.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	boy	boy	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	christened	christen	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	John	John	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **christen** | past · passive |  | the boy |  |  |  |  | vn dub-29.3.2 «NP V NP NP»: subject=Theme john=Result |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
They christened each other and then went on.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:christen:x3:1
# text = They christened each other and then went on.
1	They	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	christened	christen	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	each	each	DET	DT	ExtPos=PRON|PronType=Rcp	2	obj	_	_
4	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	fixed	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
6	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	7	advmod	_	_
7	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
8	on	on	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **christen** | past | They | each |  |  |  |  | vn dub-29.3.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent each=Theme |
| 2 | **go on** | past | They *not said here* |  |  |  | then |  | vn function-105.2.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We christened our new boat Sunshine.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:christen:x4:1
# text = We christened our new boat Sunshine.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	christened	christen	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
4	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	boat	boat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	Sunshine	Sunshine	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **christen** | past | We | our new boat |  |  |  |  | vn dub-29.3.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent boat=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
At the christening, everyone wore their best clothes.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:christen:x5:1
# text = At the christening, everyone wore their best clothes.
1	At	at	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	christening	christening	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	everyone	everyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	6	nsubj	_	_
6	wore	wear	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
8	best	good	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	9	amod	_	_
9	clothes	clothes	NOUN	NNS	Number=Ptan	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wear** | past | everyone | their best clothes |  | the christening |  |  | vn wipe\_manner-10.4.1-1 «NP V NP.source»: agent=Agent clothes=Source |

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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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