---
title: constraint — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «constraint» in the school dictionary: Something that limits or controls what you can do (time constraints, money constraints). Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# constraint

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** you, answer, we, constraint, Money constraints, design brief · **What happens:** limit, control, do, follow, hold back, lack · **To what, where:** time constraints, rule, feelings, freedom, one museum, constraint · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«constraint» in the school dictionary: its 3 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: [constraint in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/constraint.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Something that limits or controls what you can do (time constraints, money constraints).

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:constraint:m1:1
# text = Something that limits or controls what you can do (time constraints, money constraints).
1	Something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	0	root	_	_
2	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	3	nsubj	_	_
3	limits	limit	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	acl:relcl	_	_
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	controls	control	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
6	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	9	obj	_	_
7	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
8	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
9	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	ccomp	_	_
10	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	compound	_	_
12	constraints	constraint	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
14	money	money	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	compound	_	_
15	constraints	constraint	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **limit** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn limit-76 «NP V NP»: agent=Causer |
| 2 | **control** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn enforce-63 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 3 | **do** | can | you | time constraints and money constraints |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent what=Eventuality |

<!-- .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: maths, design — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A condition or rule that an answer or design must follow.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:constraint:m2:1
# text = A condition or rule that an answer or design must follow.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	condition	condition	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	rule	rule	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
5	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
6	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	answer	answer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	design	design	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	_
10	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
11	follow	follow	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **follow** | must | a answer or design | rule *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn chase-51.6 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent rule=Theme |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Holding back your feelings or actions; a lack of freedom.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:constraint:m3:1
# text = Holding back your feelings or actions; a lack of freedom.
1	Holding	hold	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
2	back	back	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	_
3	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	feelings	feeling	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obj	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	actions	action	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	9	punct	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	lack	lack	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	freedom	freedom	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hold back** | gerund |  | your feelings or actions |  |  |  | a lack of freedom *obl* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent feeling=Theme |
| 2 | **lack** |  |  | freedom |  |  |  |  | nom lack «state transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Because of time constraints, we could only visit one museum.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:constraint:x1:1
# text = Because of time constraints, we could only visit one museum.
1	Because	because	ADP	IN	ExtPos=ADP	4	case	_	_
2	of	of	ADP	IN	_	1	fixed	_	_
3	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	constraints	constraint	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
7	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
8	only	only	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	visit	visit	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
10	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	11	nummod	_	_
11	museum	museum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **visit** | could | we | one museum |  |  |  | because time constraints | vn meet-36.3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent museum=Co-Agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The constraint was that the bridge must hold 1 kg.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:constraint:x2:1
# text = The constraint was that the bridge must hold 1 kg.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	constraint	constraint	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
4	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	bridge	bridge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
7	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
8	hold	hold	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
9	1	1	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	10	nummod	_	_
10	kg	kg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Money constraints mean we can't go abroad this year.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:constraint:x3:1
# text = Money constraints mean we can't go abroad this year.
1	Money	money	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	constraints	constraint	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	mean	mean	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
5	ca	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	7	advmod	_	_
7	go	go	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	ccomp	_	_
8	abroad	abroad	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
9	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	10	det	_	_
10	year	year	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Money constraints |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **not** **go** | can | we |  |  |  | year | abroad *property* | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the puzzle, the constraint is that each number is used once.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:constraint:x4:1
# text = In the puzzle, the constraint is that each number is used once.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	puzzle	puzzle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	constraint	constraint	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj:pass	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
8	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
9	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	10	det	_	_
10	number	number	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj:pass	_	_
11	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	aux:pass	_	_
12	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
13	once	once	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Mult	12	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	12	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present · passive |  | the constraint |  | the puzzle |  | once, use *property* | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A design brief lists all the constraints.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:constraint:x5:1
# text = A design brief lists all the constraints.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	design	design	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	brief	brief	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	lists	list	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	all	all	DET	PDT	PronType=Tot	7	det:predet	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	constraints	constraint	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **list** | present | a design brief | all constraints |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He spoke without constraint about his feelings.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:constraint:x6:1
# text = He spoke without constraint about his feelings.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	spoke	speak	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	without	without	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	constraint	constraint	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
5	about	about	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	feelings	feeling	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **speak** *speech: other* | past | He |  |  |  |  | without constraint about his feelings | vn talk-37.5 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He, however, only laughed at her advice, saying, that his father had always kept him in too great constraint, and that now he rejoiced at his new-found liberty.

<!-- fold The tree, 29 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:constraint:x7:1
# text = He, however, only laughed at her advice, saying, that his father had always kept him in too great constraint, and that now he rejoiced at his new-found liberty.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	however	however	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	only	only	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	laughed	laugh	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	at	at	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	advice	advice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
11	saying	say	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	6	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
13	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	18	mark	_	_
14	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	15	nmod:poss	_	_
15	father	father	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	nsubj:pass	_	_
16	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	18	aux	_	_
17	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	18	advmod	_	_
18	kept	keep	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	11	ccomp	_	_
19	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	18	obj	_	_
20	in	in	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
21	too	too	ADV	RB	_	22	advmod	_	_
22	great	great	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	23	amod	_	_
23	constraint	constraint	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	29	punct	_	_
25	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	29	cc	_	_
26	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	27	mark	_	_
27	now	now	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	29	advmod	_	_
28	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	29	nsubj	_	_
29	rejoiced	rejoice	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	conj	_	_
30	at	at	ADP	IN	_	35	case	_	_
31	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	35	nmod:poss	_	_
32	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	34	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
33	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	32	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
34	found	find	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	35	amod	_	_
35	liberty	liberty	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	29	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
36	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **laugh** | past | He |  |  | her advice |  | however *property* | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **keep** | past · perfect · passive |  | his father |  | great constraint |  | always *property* | vn sustain-55.6-1 «NP V NP ADJ»: subject=Theme he=Attribute |
| 4 | **rejoice** | past | he |  |  | his found liberty | now |  | vn marvel-31.3 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 5 | **find** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn declare-29.4-1-1 «NP V what S\_INF»: agent=Agent |

<!-- 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 -->
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