---
title: circus — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «circus» in the school dictionary: A circus is a travelling show, often in a big tent, with acrobats, clowns, jugglers and sometimes trained animals. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# circus

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** circus, several streets, kitchen, We, circus tent, 275 seats · **What happens:** travel, be, train, meet, go, see · **To what, where:** travelling show, round open place, noisy situation, circus, juggler, 400 people

<!-- .vabout -->
«circus» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 7 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: [circus in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/circus.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A circus is a travelling show, often in a big tent, with acrobats, clowns, jugglers and sometimes trained animals.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:circus:m1:1
# text = A circus is a travelling show, often in a big tent, with acrobats, clowns, jugglers and sometimes trained animals.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	circus	circus	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	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	travelling	travel	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	amod	_	_
6	show	show	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
8	often	often	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	tent	tent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
14	with	with	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	acrobats	acrobat	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
17	clowns	clown	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	15	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
19	jugglers	juggler	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	15	conj	_	_
20	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	23	cc	_	_
21	sometimes	sometimes	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	22	advmod	_	_
22	trained	train	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	23	amod	_	_
23	animals	animal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	15	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **travel** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **is a** | present | a circus | a travelling show and a big tent |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **train** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | sometimes *property* | vn hire-13.5.3 «NP V NP»: 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: UK — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A circus is a round open place where several streets meet, as in Piccadilly Circus in London.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:circus:m2:1
# text = A circus is a round open place where several streets meet, as in Piccadilly Circus in London.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	circus	circus	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
5	round	round	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
6	open	open	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	place	place	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	11	advmod	_	_
9	several	several	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	streets	street	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	nsubj	_	_
11	meet	meet	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
13	as	as	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
14	in	in	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	Piccadilly	Piccadilly	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	16	compound	_	_
16	Circus	Circus	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	_
17	in	in	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
18	London	London	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	16	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a circus | a round open place |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **meet** | present | several streets |  |  |  |  | as Piccadilly Circus in London | vn meet-36.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A circus is a noisy, messy or silly situation: «The kitchen was a circus this morning.».

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:circus:m3:1
# text = A circus is a noisy, messy or silly situation: «The kitchen was a circus this morning.».
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	circus	circus	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
5	noisy	noisy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
7	messy	messy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	conj	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	silly	silly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	conj	_	_
10	situation	situation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	10	punct	_	_
12	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	17	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	kitchen	kitchen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	nsubj	_	_
15	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	17	cop	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	circus	circus	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	appos	_	_
18	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	19	det	_	_
19	morning	morning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	17	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	17	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a circus | a noisy situation |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is a** *in a quote* | past | the kitchen | a circus |  |  | morning |  | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We went to the circus and saw a juggler.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:circus:x1:1
# text = We went to the circus and saw a juggler.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	circus	circus	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	saw	see	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	juggler	juggler	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go** | past | We |  |  | the circus |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme to circus=Initial\_Location |
| 2 | **see** | past | We *not said here* | a juggler |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer juggler=Stimulus |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The circus tent holds 400 people; 275 seats are full — how many are empty?

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:circus:x2:1
# text = The circus tent holds 400 people; 275 seats are full — how many are empty?
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	circus	circus	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	tent	tent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	holds	hold	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	400	400	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	6	nummod	_	_
6	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	11	punct	_	_
8	275	275	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	9	nummod	_	_
9	seats	seat	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	nsubj	_	_
10	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
11	full	full	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	parataxis	_	_
12	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	16	punct	_	_
13	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	14	advmod	_	_
14	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	nsubj	_	_
15	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	16	cop	_	_
16	empty	empty	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hold** | present | the circus tent | 400 people |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent people=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | present | 275 seats |  |  |  |  | full *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **is** | present | many |  |  |  |  | empty *property* | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The clown fell over and everyone laughed.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:circus:x3:1
# text = The clown fell over and everyone laughed.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	clown	clown	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	fell	fall	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	over	over	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
6	everyone	everyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	7	nsubj	_	_
7	laughed	laugh	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fall over** | past | the clown |  |  |  |  | over *property* | vn occur-48.3 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **laugh** | past | everyone |  |  |  |  |  | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Piccadilly Circus is busy with traffic.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:circus:x4:1
# text = Piccadilly Circus is busy with traffic.
1	Piccadilly	Piccadilly	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	Circus	Circus	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	busy	busy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	traffic	traffic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Piccadilly Circus |  |  |  |  | with traffic; busy *property* | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
With five kids and a dog, breakfast is a circus.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:circus:x5:1
# text = With five kids and a dog, breakfast is a circus.
1	With	with	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	five	five	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	3	nummod	_	_
3	kids	kid	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
8	breakfast	breakfast	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	circus	circus	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | breakfast | a circus |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The circus came to town for a week.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:circus:x6:1
# text = The circus came to town for a week.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	circus	circus	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	came	come	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	town	town	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	week	week	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come** | past | the circus |  |  | town | week |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme to town=Initial\_Location |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I’d much rather go back to Kansas with you and be in a circus again.”

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:circus:x7:1
# text = I’d much rather go back to Kansas with you and be in a circus again.”
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	’d	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	much	much	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
4	rather	rather	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	go	go	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	2	ccomp	_	_
6	back	back	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	Kansas	Kansas	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
9	with	with	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	5	obl	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
12	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	15	cop	_	_
13	in	in	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	circus	circus	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
16	again	again	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	”	"	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | I |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **go back** | infinitive | I *not said here* |  | Kansas |  |  | with you | vn convert-26.6.2 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Patient to kansas=Result |
| 3 | **is** | infinitive | I *not said here* |  |  | a circus | again |  | tree rules |

<!-- 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 -->

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