---
title: comforting — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «comforting» in the school dictionary: Comforting means making you feel calmer, safer or less sad or worried: comforting words, a comforting hug. 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/comforting/)

<!-- 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/) / comforting

# comforting

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Comforting, you, hug, Mum, She, help · **What happens:** mean, make, feel, be, help, hug · **To what, where:** you, Comforting ing form, someone, dark, few comforting words, friend · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«comforting» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 9 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: [comforting in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/comforting.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Comforting means making you feel calmer, safer or less sad or worried: comforting words, a comforting hug.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:comforting:m1:1
# text = Comforting means making you feel calmer, safer or less sad or worried: comforting words, a comforting hug.
1	Comforting	comforting	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	making	make	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	xcomp	_	_
4	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	obj	_	_
5	feel	feel	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	calmer	calm	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	5	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
8	safer	safe	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	6	conj	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
10	less	less	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	11	advmod	_	_
11	sad	sad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	conj	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	worried	worried	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	16	punct	_	_
15	comforting	comforting	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	20	punct	_	_
18	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
19	comforting	comforting	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	20	amod	_	_
20	hug	hug	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Comforting |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **make** *not said to happen* | gerund | Comforting *not said here* | you |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **feel** *not said to happen* | infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | calm *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |

<!-- .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 -->
Comforting is also the -ing form of «comfort»: helping someone who is upset to feel better.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:comforting:m2:1
# text = Comforting is also the -ing form of «comfort»: helping someone who is upset to feel better.
1	Comforting	comforting	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
3	also	also	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
5	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	ing	ing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	form	form	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	comfort	comfort	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	13	punct	_	_
13	helping	help	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	conj	_	_
14	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	13	obj	_	_
15	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	17	nsubj	_	_
16	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	17	cop	_	_
17	upset	upset	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	acl:relcl	_	_
18	to	to	PART	TO	_	19	mark	_	_
19	feel	feel	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	17	xcomp	_	_
20	better	good	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	19	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present |  | the Comforting ing form |  |  |  | of comfort | tree rules |
| 2 | **help** | gerund |  |  | someone |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent someone=Beneficiary |
| 3 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | upset *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **feel** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | good *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mum's hug was very comforting.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:comforting:x1:1
# text = Mum's hug was very comforting.
1	Mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	's	PART	POS	_	1	case	_	_
3	hug	hug	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	very	very	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	comforting	comforting	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | Mum's hug |  |  |  |  | comforting *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **hug** |  | Mum |  |  |  |  |  | nom hug «act transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She was comforting her little brother after his fall.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:comforting:x2:1
# text = She was comforting her little brother after his fall.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|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	comforting	comforting	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
5	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	brother	brother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
7	after	after	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	fall	fall	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | She |  |  |  |  | comforting *property* | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is comforting to know help is near.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:comforting:x3:1
# text = It is comforting to know help is near.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	expl	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	comforting	comforting	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	know	know	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	csubj	_	_
6	help	help	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
8	near	near	ADV	RB	_	5	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | comforting *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **know** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 3 | **is** | present | help |  |  |  |  | near *property* | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The night light is comforting in the dark.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:comforting:x4:1
# text = The night light is comforting in the dark.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	night	night	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	light	light	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	comforting	comforting	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	dark	dark	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | the night light |  |  | the dark |  | comforting *property* | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He said a few comforting words to his friend.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:comforting:x5:1
# text = He said a few comforting words to his friend.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
4	few	few	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
5	comforting	comforting	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	friend	friend	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 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | He | a few comforting words | his friend |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: agent=Agent word=Topic to friend=Recipient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The smell of soup was warm and comforting.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:comforting:x6:1
# text = The smell of soup was warm and comforting.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	smell	smell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	soup	soup	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
5	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
6	warm	warm	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	comforting	comforting	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the smell of soup |  |  |  |  | warm *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **be** |  | the smell of soup *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **smell** |  | soup |  |  |  |  |  | nom smell «cognition intransitive»: of=agent |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Thank you for comforting me when I was sad.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:comforting:x7:1
# text = Thank you for comforting me when I was sad.
1	Thank	thank	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	1	obj	_	_
3	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	4	mark	_	_
4	comforting	comfort	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	1	advcl	_	_
5	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	obj	_	_
6	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	9	mark	_	_
7	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
8	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
9	sad	sad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **thank** *speech: thank* | present |  |  | you |  |  |  | vn judgment-33.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent you=Theme |
| 2 | **comfort** | gerund |  | me |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus i=Experiencer |
| 3 | **is** | past | I |  |  |  |  | sad *property* | tree rules |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Hot cocoa is a comforting drink on a cold day.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:comforting:x8:1
# text = Hot cocoa is a comforting drink on a cold day.
1	Hot	hot	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	cocoa	cocoa	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	comforting	comforting	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	drink	drink	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	on	on	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	cold	cold	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	day	day	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** | present | Hot cocoa | a comforting drink |  |  | day |  | tree rules |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"To eternal life," says the comforting voice of religion.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:comforting:x9:1
# text = "To eternal life," says the comforting voice of religion.
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	To	to	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	eternal	eternal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	life	life	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	7	punct	_	_
7	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	comforting	comforting	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	voice	voice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
11	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	religion	religion	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | the comforting voice of religion |  | eternal life |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V PP.recipient S-Quote»: agent=Agent to life=Recipient |

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