---
title: confederate — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «confederate» in the school dictionary: A confederate is a helper who works secretly with someone else, usually in a trick or a plot. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# confederate

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**Who acts:** confederate, helper, Two confederates, robber · **What happens:** be, work, share, hide, whisper, wait · **To what, where:** helper, partner, shared cause, curtain, answer, him

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«confederate» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 4 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: [confederate in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/confederate.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A confederate is a helper who works secretly with someone else, usually in a trick or a plot.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:confederate:m1:1
# text = A confederate is a helper who works secretly with someone else, usually in a trick or a plot.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	confederate	confederate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	helper	helper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	works	work	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	secretly	secretly	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
9	with	with	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	7	obl	_	_
11	else	else	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
13	usually	usually	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	_
14	in	in	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	trick	trick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	parataxis	_	_
17	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
18	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	plot	plot	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a confederate | a helper |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **work** | present | a helper |  |  |  |  | with someone; secretly *property* | vn cooperate-73.1-3 «NP V PP.co-agent PP.theme»: agent=Agent with someone=Co-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}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A confederate is a partner or ally in a shared cause.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:confederate:m2:1
# text = A confederate is a partner or ally in a shared cause.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	confederate	confederate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	partner	partner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	ally	ally	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	shared	share	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	11	amod	_	_
11	cause	cause	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a confederate | a partner or ally |  | a shared cause |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **share** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The magician's confederate hid behind the curtain.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:confederate:x1:1
# text = The magician's confederate hid behind the curtain.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	magician	magician	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	confederate	confederate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	hid	hide	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	behind	behind	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	curtain	curtain	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 | **hide** | past | the magician's confederate |  |  | the curtain |  |  | vn concealment-16-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent behind curtain=Location |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Two confederates whispered the answer to him.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:confederate:x2:1
# text = Two confederates whispered the answer to him.
1	Two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	2	nummod	_	_
2	confederates	confederate	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	whispered	whisper	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	answer	answer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **whisper** *speech: assert* | past | Two confederates | the answer | him *= he* |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: agent=Agent answer=Topic to he=Recipient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The robber waited at the gate for his confederate.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:confederate:x3:1
# text = The robber waited at the gate for his confederate.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	robber	robber	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	waited	wait	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	at	at	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	gate	gate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	for	for	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	confederate	confederate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wait** | past | the robber |  |  | the gate |  | for robber's confederate | vn exist-47.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme at gate=Location |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A confederate of the conjuror pretended to be a member of the crowd.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:confederate:x4:1
# text = A confederate of the conjuror pretended to be a member of the crowd.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	confederate	confederate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	conjuror	conjuror	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	pretended	pretend	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
8	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	cop	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	member	member	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	ccomp	_	_
11	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	crowd	crowd	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pretend** | past | a confederate of the conjuror |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is a** | to-infinitive | a confederate of the conjuror *not said here* | a member |  |  |  | of the crowd | tree rules |

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**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.

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