---
title: complicated — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «complicated» in the school dictionary: Complicated means having many parts or steps, so it is hard to understand or do. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# complicated

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** puzzle, recipe, you, rules, game, It · **What happens:** mean, have, be, understand, do, complicate · **To what, where:** many parts, situation, many problems, complicated problem, watch, sorts · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«complicated» in the school dictionary: its 2 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: [complicated in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/complicated.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Complicated means having many parts or steps, so it is hard to understand or do.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:complicated:m1:1
# text = Complicated means having many parts or steps, so it is hard to understand or do.
1	Complicated	complicated	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	csubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	having	have	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	xcomp	_	_
4	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	parts	part	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	steps	step	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
9	so	so	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
10	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	expl	_	_
11	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
12	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	ccomp	_	_
13	to	to	PART	TO	_	14	mark	_	_
14	understand	understand	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	xcomp	_	_
15	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
16	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	14	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **have** *not said to happen* | gerund |  | many parts or steps |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent part=Patient |
| 3 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | hard *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **understand** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 5 | **do** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «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 -->
Complicated describes a situation with many problems or feelings mixed up.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:complicated:m2:1
# text = Complicated describes a situation with many problems or feelings mixed up.
1	Complicated	complicate	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	csubj	_	_
2	describes	describe	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	situation	situation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	problems	problem	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	feelings	feeling	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	conj	_	_
10	mixed	mix	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	acl	_	_
11	up	up	ADP	RP	_	10	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **complicate** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **describe** | present |  | a situation |  |  |  | with many problems or feelings | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent situation=Theme |
| 3 | **mix up** | participle |  | many problems or feelings *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn mix-22.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
This puzzle is too complicated for me.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:complicated:x1:1
# text = This puzzle is too complicated for me.
1	This	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	2	det	_	_
2	puzzle	puzzle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	too	too	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	complicated	complicated	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | this puzzle |  |  |  |  | for me; complicated *property* | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The recipe looks complicated, but it isn't.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:complicated:x2:1
# text = The recipe looks complicated, but it isn't.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	recipe	recipe	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	looks	look	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	complicated	complicated	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
6	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	is	be	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** | present | the recipe |  |  |  |  | complicated *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |
| 2 | **not** **be** | present | recipe |  |  |  |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Break a complicated problem into smaller steps.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:complicated:x3:1
# text = Break a complicated problem into smaller steps.
1	Break	break	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	complicated	complicated	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	problem	problem	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
5	into	into	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	smaller	small	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	7	amod	_	_
7	steps	step	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **break** | imperative | you *not said here* | a complicated problem |  |  |  | into smaller steps *result* | vn break-45.1 «NP V NP PP.result»: agent=Agent problem=Patient into step=Result |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The rules of the game are complicated.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:complicated:x4:1
# text = The rules of the game are complicated.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	rules	rule	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	game	game	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	complicated	complicated	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | the rules of the game |  |  |  |  | complicated *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **rule** |  | the game |  |  |  |  |  | nom rule «cognition intransitive»: of=agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«It's complicated,» she said about her family.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:complicated:x5:1
# text = «It's complicated,» she said about her family.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	complicated	complicated	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
7	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	parataxis	_	_
9	about	about	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	11	nmod:poss	_	_
11	family	family	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** *in a quote* | present | It |  |  |  |  | complicated *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | she |  |  |  |  | about her family | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A watch has complicated parts inside.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:complicated:x6:1
# text = A watch has complicated parts inside.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	watch	watch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	complicated	complicate	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	parts	part	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
6	inside	inside	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **complicate** | present · perfect · passive |  | a watch |  |  |  | inside *property* | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Kay made all sorts of figures, the most complicated, for it was an ice-puzzle for the understanding.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:complicated:x7:1
# text = Kay made all sorts of figures, the most complicated, for it was an ice-puzzle for the understanding.
1	Kay	Kay	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	4	det	_	_
4	sorts	sort	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	figures	figure	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	most	most	ADV	RBS	Degree=Sup	10	advmod	_	_
10	complicated	complicated	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
12	for	for	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
13	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	18	nsubj	_	_
14	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	18	cop	_	_
15	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
16	ice	ice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	puzzle	puzzle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	parataxis	_	_
19	for	for	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
20	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
21	understanding	understanding	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past | Kay | all sorts of figures |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sort=Product |
| 2 | **is** | past | it |  |  |  |  | for a ice puzzle; for the understanding | tree rules |
| 3 | **sort** |  |  | figures |  |  |  |  | nom sort «cognition transitive»: of=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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