---
title: civil — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «civil» in the school dictionary: Polite in a formal way, but not especially friendly: he gave a civil reply. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/civil/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/) / [school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/) / [C](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/) / civil

# civil

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** he, they, Martin, civil engineer, Mum, You · **What happens:** give, do, treat, argue, try, stay · **To what, where:** civil reply, army, Civil rights, civil case, American Civil War, bridges · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«civil» in the school dictionary: its 5 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: [civil in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/civil.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Polite in a formal way, but not especially friendly: he gave a civil reply.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:civil:m1:1
# text = Polite in a formal way, but not especially friendly: he gave a civil reply.
1	Polite	polite	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
2	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	formal	formal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
7	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
8	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	10	advmod	_	_
9	especially	especially	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
10	friendly	friendly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	13	punct	_	_
12	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
13	gave	give	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	conj	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
15	civil	civil	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	reply	reply	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | past | he | a civil reply |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent reply=Theme |

<!-- .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 do with ordinary people (citizens), not the army or the church: civil life, civil wedding.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:civil:m2:1
# text = To do with ordinary people (citizens), not the army or the church: civil life, civil wedding.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	do	do	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	with	with	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	ordinary	ordinary	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
6	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	citizens	citizen	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
10	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	12	advmod	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	army	army	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
13	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	church	church	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	18	punct	_	_
17	civil	civil	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
18	life	life	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
20	civil	civil	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	21	amod	_	_
21	wedding	wedding	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | to-infinitive |  | the army or the church |  |  |  | with ordinary people; civil life and civil wedding *obl* | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Inside one country, between its own people: a civil war.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:civil:m3:1
# text = Inside one country, between its own people: a civil war.
1	Inside	inside	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	3	nummod	_	_
3	country	country	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
5	between	between	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
7	own	own	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	12	punct	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	civil	civil	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	war	war	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	12	punct	_	_
```

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

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Civil rights: the rights every citizen should have, such as being treated equally.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:civil:m4:1
# text = Civil rights: the rights every citizen should have, such as being treated equally.
1	Civil	civil	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	rights	right	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	nsubj:pass	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	9	punct	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	rights	right	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nsubj	_	_
6	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	7	det	_	_
7	citizen	citizen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
8	should	should	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
9	have	have	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	14	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
11	such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|ExtPos=SCONJ	14	mark	_	_
12	as	as	ADP	IN	_	11	fixed	_	_
13	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	14	aux:pass	_	_
14	treated	treat	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
15	equally	equally	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	14	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **treat** | infinitive · passive |  | Civil rights |  |  |  | equally *property* | vn equip-13.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: subject=Recipient |

## Meaning 5 {#m5}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To do with private disagreements between people, not crimes: a civil case.

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:civil:m5:1
# text = To do with private disagreements between people, not crimes: a civil case.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	do	do	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	with	with	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	private	private	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	disagreements	disagreement	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
6	between	between	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
9	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	10	advmod	_	_
10	crimes	crime	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	14	punct	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	civil	civil	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	case	case	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | to-infinitive |  | a civil case |  |  |  | with private disagreements between people and crimes | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Even when they argue, they try to stay civil.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:civil:x1:1
# text = Even when they argue, they try to stay civil.
1	Even	even	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
2	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	4	mark	_	_
3	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	argue	argue	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	try	try	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	stay	stay	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	xcomp	_	_
10	civil	civil	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **argue** *speech: disagree* | present | they |  |  |  |  |  | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **try** | present | they |  |  |  |  |  | vn try-61.1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 3 | **stay** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | they *not said here* |  |  |  |  | civil *property* | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The American Civil War was fought between the northern and southern states.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:civil:x2:1
# text = The American Civil War was fought between the northern and southern states.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
2	American	American	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
3	Civil	Civil	PROPN	NNP	_	4	flat	_	_
4	War	War	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nsubj:pass	_	_
5	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux:pass	_	_
6	fought	fight	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
7	between	between	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
9	northern	northern	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	southern	southern	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	conj	_	_
12	states	state	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fight** | past · passive |  | the American Civil War |  |  |  | between the northern states | vn battle-36.4-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Co-Agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Martin Luther King worked for civil rights.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:civil:x3:1
# text = Martin Luther King worked for civil rights.
1	Martin	Martin	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	Luther	Luther	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	1	flat	_	_
3	King	King	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	1	flat	_	_
4	worked	work	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	civil	civil	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	rights	right	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 | **work** | past | Martin |  |  |  |  | for civil rights | vn employment-95.3 «NP V PP.beneficiary»: agent=Agent for right=Beneficiary |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A civil engineer designs bridges and roads.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:civil:x4:1
# text = A civil engineer designs bridges and roads.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	civil	civil	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	engineer	engineer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	designs	design	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	bridges	bridge	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	roads	road	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **design** | present | a civil engineer | bridges and roads |  |  |  |  | vn create-26.4-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent bridge=Result |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
They had a civil wedding at the town hall.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:civil:x5:1
# text = They had a civil wedding at the town hall.
1	They	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	civil	civil	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	wedding	wedding	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	at	at	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	town	town	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	hall	hall	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | They | a civil wedding |  | the town hall |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent wedding=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mum works as a civil servant for the government.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:civil:x6:1
# text = Mum works as a civil servant for the government.
1	Mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	works	work	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	as	as	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	civil	civil	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	servant	servant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
7	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	government	government	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **work** | present | Mum |  |  |  |  | as a civil servant for the government | vn employment-95.3 «NP V PP.attribute PP.beneficiary»: agent=Agent as servant=Attribute |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"You are a good and civil boy," said the mayor.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:civil:x7:1
# text = "You are a good and civil boy," said the mayor.
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	You	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
5	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	civil	civil	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	conj	_	_
8	boy	boy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	8	punct	_	_
11	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	mayor	mayor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** *in a quote* | present | You | a good boy |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | a good boy | the mayor |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent mayor=Topic |

<!-- 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 -->
- ← previous: [civic](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/civic/)
- next →: [civilian](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/civilian/)
- ↑ back to [C in school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/)