---
title: compass — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «compass» in the school dictionary: An instrument with a magnetic needle that always points north, used to find directions. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# compass

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** magnetic needle, Compass points, compass needle, We, you, four compass points · **What happens:** point, use, find, draw, call, be · **To what, where:** instrument, directions, tool, circles, compasses, British English · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An instrument with a magnetic needle that always points north, used to find directions.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:compass:m1:1
# text = An instrument with a magnetic needle that always points north, used to find directions.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	instrument	instrument	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	magnetic	magnetic	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	needle	needle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
7	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	9	nsubj	_	_
8	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	9	advmod	_	_
9	points	point	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	acl:relcl	_	_
10	north	north	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
12	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
13	to	to	PART	TO	_	14	mark	_	_
14	find	find	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	advcl	_	_
15	directions	direction	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **point** | present | a magnetic needle |  |  |  |  | always, north *property* | vn wink-40.3.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **use** | participle |  | a instrument with a magnetic needle *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **find** | to-infinitive |  | directions |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent direction=Topic |

<!-- .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 tool with two arms, one with a point and one with a pencil, used to draw circles; in British English often called "compasses" or "a pair of compasses".

<!-- fold The tree, 29 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:compass:m2:1
# text = A tool with two arms, one with a point and one with a pencil, used to draw circles; in British English often called "compasses" or "a pair of compasses".
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	tool	tool	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	with	with	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	arms	arm	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
7	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	5	appos	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	point	point	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	7	conj	_	_
13	with	with	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	pencil	pencil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
17	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
18	to	to	PART	TO	_	19	mark	_	_
19	draw	draw	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	17	advcl	_	_
20	circles	circle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	19	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	26	punct	_	_
22	in	in	ADP	IN	_	24	case	_	_
23	British	British	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	24	amod	_	_
24	English	English	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	26	obl	_	_
25	often	often	ADV	RB	_	26	advmod	_	_
26	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	parataxis	_	_
27	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	28	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	compasses	compass	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	26	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	28	punct	_	_
30	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	33	cc	_	_
31	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	33	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
32	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	33	det	_	_
33	pair	pair	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	26	conj	_	_
34	of	of	ADP	IN	_	35	case	_	_
35	compasses	compass	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	33	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
36	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	33	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
37	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | participle |  | a tool with two arms *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **draw** | to-infinitive |  | circles |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent circle=Theme |
| 3 | **call** | participle |  | compasses |  | British English |  | often *property* | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"Compass points" are north, south, east and west.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:compass:m3:1
# text = "Compass points" are north, south, east and west.
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Compass	compass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	points	point	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
5	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
6	north	north	ADV	RB	_	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
8	south	south	ADV	RB	_	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
10	east	east	ADV	RB	_	6	conj	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	west	west	ADV	RB	_	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Compass points |  |  |  |  | north *property* | tree rules |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To compass something is to achieve or bring it about, an old-fashioned use.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:compass:m4:1
# text = To compass something is to achieve or bring it about, an old-fashioned use.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	3	mark	_	_
2	compass	compass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	0	root	_	_
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	achieve	achieve	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	acl:relcl	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	bring	bring	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	conj	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	_
10	about	about	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
12	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
13	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	fashioned	fashioned	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	use	use	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | achieve *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **bring** | infinitive |  | it |  |  |  | about *property* | vn bring-11.3-1 «NP V NP together»: agent=Agent it=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The compass needle points north.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:compass:x1:1
# text = The compass needle points north.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	compass	compass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	needle	needle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	points	point	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	north	north	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **point** | present | the compass needle |  |  |  |  | north *property* | vn wink-40.3.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We used a map and compass on the hike.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:compass:x2:1
# text = We used a map and compass on the hike.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	used	use	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	map	map	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	compass	compass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	_
7	on	on	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	hike	hike	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 | **use** | past | We | a map and compass |  | the hike |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent map=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Set the compasses to 5 centimetres to draw a circle with a radius of 5 cm.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:compass:x3:1
# text = Set the compasses to 5 centimetres to draw a circle with a radius of 5 cm.
1	Set	set	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	compasses	compass	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obj	_	_
4	to	to	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	5	5	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	6	nummod	_	_
6	centimetres	centimetre	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obl	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	draw	draw	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	1	advcl	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	circle	circle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
11	with	with	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	radius	radius	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
14	of	of	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	5	5	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	16	nummod	_	_
16	cm	cm	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **set** | imperative | you *not said here* | the compasses |  |  |  | to 5 centimetres | vn other\_cos-45.4-1 «NP V NP ADJ»: agent=Patient compass=Result |
| 2 | **draw** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* | a circle |  |  |  | with a radius of 5 cm | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent circle=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The four compass points are north, south, east and west.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:compass:x4:1
# text = The four compass points are north, south, east and west.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
2	four	four	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	4	nummod	_	_
3	compass	compass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	points	point	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
5	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
6	north	north	ADV	RB	_	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
8	south	south	ADV	RB	_	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
10	east	east	ADV	RB	_	6	conj	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	west	west	ADV	RB	_	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | the four compass points |  |  |  |  | north *property* | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Keep magnets away from the compass.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:compass:x5:1
# text = Keep magnets away from the compass.
1	Keep	keep	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	magnets	magnet	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obj	_	_
3	away	away	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	_
4	from	from	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	compass	compass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **keep away** | imperative | you *not said here* | magnets |  | the compass |  | away *property* | vn forbid-64.4 «NP V NP PP.theme»: agent=Causer magnet=Beneficiary from compass=Eventuality |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The sailors steered by compass.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:compass:x6:1
# text = The sailors steered by compass.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	sailors	sailor	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
3	steered	steer	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	by	by	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	compass	compass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **steer** | participle |  | the sailors *not said here* |  |  |  | by compass | vn accompany-51.7 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent by compass=Destination |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He has more cleverness than ten thousand men, and he found means to compass his end.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:compass:x7:1
# text = He has more cleverness than ten thousand men, and he found means to compass his end.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	4	amod	_	_
4	cleverness	cleverness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	than	than	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	ten	ten	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	7	compound	_	_
7	thousand	thousand	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	8	nummod	_	_
8	men	man	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
11	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
12	found	find	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
13	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	parataxis	_	_
14	to	to	PART	TO	_	15	mark	_	_
15	compass	compass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obj	_	_
16	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	17	nmod:poss	_	_
17	end	end	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | He | more cleverness |  |  |  | than thousand men | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent cleverness=Patient |
| 2 | **is a** | past |  | he |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **mean** | present | he | compass |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent compass=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 -->

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