---
title: comedy — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «comedy» in the school dictionary: Films, plays, shows or stories meant to make people laugh. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# comedy

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Films, people, We, you, comedy, one person · **What happens:** play, show, mean, make, laugh, watch · **To what, where:** stories, people, comedy, up, one person, jokes · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«comedy» in the school dictionary: its 4 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: [comedy in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/comedy.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Films, plays, shows or stories meant to make people laugh.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:comedy:m1:1
# text = Films, plays, shows or stories meant to make people laugh.
1	Films	film	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	plays	play	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
5	shows	show	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	stories	story	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	conj	_	_
8	meant	mean	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	acl	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	xcomp	_	_
11	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obj	_	_
12	laugh	laugh	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **play** | present | Films |  |  |  |  |  | vn performance-26.7-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **show** | present | Films *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **mean** | participle |  | stories *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 4 | **make** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  | people |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 5 | **laugh** *not said to happen* | infinitive | people *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V»: 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}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A single funny film, play or show (a comedy).

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:comedy:m2:1
# text = A single funny film, play or show (a comedy).
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
2	single	single	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
3	funny	funny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	film	film	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
6	play	play	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	show	show	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	_
9	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	comedy	comedy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

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

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The funny side of something (the comedy of the situation).

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:comedy:m3:1
# text = The funny side of something (the comedy of the situation).
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	funny	funny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	side	side	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	3	nmod	_	_
6	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	comedy	comedy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	appos	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	situation	situation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

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

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A play with a happy ending, as in Shakespeare's comedies.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:comedy:m4:1
# text = A play with a happy ending, as in Shakespeare's comedies.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	play	play	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	with	with	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	happy	happy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	ending	ending	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
8	as	as	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	Shakespeare	Shakespeare	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	12	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	's	's	PART	POS	_	10	case	_	_
12	comedies	comedy	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We watched a comedy and laughed all night.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:comedy:x1:1
# text = We watched a comedy and laughed all night.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	watched	watch	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	comedy	comedy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	laughed	laugh	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
7	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	8	det	_	_
8	night	night	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **watch** | past | We | a comedy |  |  |  |  | vn assessment-34.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent comedy=Theme |
| 2 | **laugh** | past | We *not said here* |  |  |  | night |  | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Stand-up comedy is one person telling jokes on stage.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:comedy:x2:1
# text = Stand-up comedy is one person telling jokes on stage.
1	Stand	stand	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	up	up	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	comedy	comedy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	7	nummod	_	_
7	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	parataxis	_	_
8	telling	tell	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	acl	_	_
9	jokes	joke	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obj	_	_
10	on	on	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	stage	stage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stand** | imperative | you *not said here* | up |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer up=Stimulus |
| 2 | **is a** | present | comedy | one person |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **tell** *speech: assert* | gerund | one person *not said here* | jokes |  | stage |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent joke=Recipient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The school play was a comedy about a lost goat.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:comedy:x3:1
# text = The school play was a comedy about a lost goat.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	play	play	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	comedy	comedy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	about	about	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	lost	lose	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	10	amod	_	_
10	goat	goat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | the school play | a comedy |  |  |  | about a lost goat | tree rules |
| 2 | **lose** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Shakespeare wrote comedies and tragedies.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:comedy:x4:1
# text = Shakespeare wrote comedies and tragedies.
1	Shakespeare	Shakespeare	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	wrote	write	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	comedies	comedy	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	tragedies	tragedy	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write** | past | Shakespeare | comedies and tragedies |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent comedy=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The trip was a comedy of errors.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:comedy:x5:1
# text = The trip was a comedy of errors.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	trip	trip	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	comedy	comedy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	errors	error	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | the trip | a comedy |  |  |  | of errors | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
There's a lot of comedy in the book.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:comedy:x6:1
# text = There's a lot of comedy in the book.
1	There	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	2	expl	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	lot	lot	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	comedy	comedy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	book	book	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 | **be** | present | a lot of comedy in the book |  |  | there |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"In tragedies they die, in comedies they marry one another."

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:comedy:x7:1
# text = "In tragedies they die, in comedies they marry one another."
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	tragedies	tragedy	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	_
4	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
5	die	die	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	comedies	comedy	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obl	_	_
9	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	marry	marry	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
11	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	10	obj	_	_
12	another	another	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	11	fixed	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **die** *in a quote* | present | tragedies *= tragedy* |  |  |  |  | in tragedies | vn calibratable\_cos-45.6.1 «NP.patient V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient in tragedy=Attribute |
| 2 | **marry** *in a quote* | present | tragedies *= tragedy* | one |  | comedies |  |  | vn amalgamate-22.2-3-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent one=Patient |

<!-- 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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