---
title: contrived — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «contrived» in the school dictionary: Seeming false and planned, not natural or believable: «The ending of the film felt contrived». Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# contrived

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** ending, She, They, happy ending, story, contrived smile · **What happens:** seem, plan, feel, contrive, end, manage · **To what, where:** film, something, raft, old barrels, rope, bedsheets · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Seeming false and planned, not natural or believable: «The ending of the film felt contrived».

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:contrived:m1:1
# text = Seeming false and planned, not natural or believable: «The ending of the film felt contrived».
1	Seeming	seem	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	17	advcl	_	_
2	false	false	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	xcomp	_	_
3	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	planned	plan	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
6	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	7	advmod	_	_
7	natural	natural	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	parataxis	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	believable	believable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	1	punct	_	_
11	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	ending	ending	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	nsubj	_	_
14	of	of	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	film	film	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nmod	_	_
17	felt	feel	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
18	contrived	contrive	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	17	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	17	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **seem** | gerund | the ending of the film *not said here* |  |  |  |  | false *property* | vn seem-109-1-1-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **plan** | participle | the ending of the film *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **feel** *in a quote* | past | the ending of the film |  |  |  |  |  | vn conjecture-29.5-2 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 4 | **contrive** *in a quote* | participle | the ending of the film *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn create-26.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 5 | **end** *in a quote* |  |  | the film |  |  |  |  | nom ending «communication transitive»: of=patient |

<!-- .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: verb, past of contrive — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Managed to do something by being clever or tricky: «She contrived to escape».

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:contrived:m2:1
# text = Managed to do something by being clever or tricky: «She contrived to escape».
1	Managed	manage	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
2	to	to	PART	TO	_	3	mark	_	_
3	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	xcomp	_	_
4	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	3	obj	_	_
5	by	by	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	7	cop	_	_
7	clever	clever	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	obl	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	tricky	tricky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	13	punct	_	_
11	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
13	contrived	contrive	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	1	parataxis	_	_
14	to	to	PART	TO	_	15	mark	_	_
15	escape	escape	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	13	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **manage** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-1-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **do** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Eventuality |
| 3 | **is** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | clever *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **be** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 5 | **contrive** *in a quote* | past | She |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 6 | **escape** *in a quote* | to-infinitive | She *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: verb, past of contrive — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Made or invented something cleverly: «They contrived a raft from old barrels».

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:contrived:m3:1
# text = Made or invented something cleverly: «They contrived a raft from old barrels».
1	Made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
2	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
3	invented	invent	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	1	conj	_	_
4	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	3	obj	_	_
5	cleverly	cleverly	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	9	punct	_	_
7	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	They	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	contrived	contrive	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	1	parataxis	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	raft	raft	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
12	from	from	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	barrels	barrel	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **invent** | participle |  | something |  |  |  | cleverly *property* | vn create-26.4-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Result |
| 3 | **contrive** *in a quote* | past | They | a raft |  | old barrels |  |  | vn create-26.4 «NP V NP PP.material»: agent=Agent raft=Result from barrel=Material |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The story's happy ending felt contrived.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:contrived:x1:1
# text = The story's happy ending felt contrived.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	happy	happy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	ending	ending	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	felt	feel	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	contrived	contrive	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **feel** | past | the story's happy ending |  |  |  |  |  | vn conjecture-29.5-2 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 2 | **contrive** | participle | the story's happy ending *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn create-26.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **end** |  | the story |  |  |  |  |  | nom ending «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
His contrived smile showed he was not really pleased.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:contrived:x2:1
# text = His contrived smile showed he was not really pleased.
1	His	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	contrived	contrive	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	amod	_	_
3	smile	smile	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	showed	show	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
6	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
7	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	9	advmod	_	_
8	really	really	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	pleased	pleased	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **contrive** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn create-26.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **show** | past | His contrived smile |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **not** **is** | past | smile |  |  |  |  | pleased *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **smile** |  | His *= he* |  |  |  |  |  | nom smile «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The prisoners contrived a rope from their bedsheets.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:contrived:x3:1
# text = The prisoners contrived a rope from their bedsheets.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	prisoners	prisoner	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	contrived	contrive	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	rope	rope	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	from	from	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	bedsheets	bedsheet	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **contrive** | past | the prisoners | a rope |  | prisoners's bedsheets |  |  | vn create-26.4 «NP V NP PP.material»: agent=Agent rope=Result from bedsheet=Material |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She somehow contrived to finish her homework during breakfast.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:contrived:x4:1
# text = She somehow contrived to finish her homework during breakfast.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	somehow	somehow	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	contrived	contrive	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	finish	finish	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	homework	homework	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	during	during	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	breakfast	breakfast	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **contrive** | past | She |  |  |  |  | somehow *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **finish** | to-infinitive | She *not said here* | her homework |  |  | during breakfast |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V NP.eventuality»: agent=Subeventuality homework=Eventuality |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The film's coincidences were so contrived that we laughed.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:contrived:x5:1
# text = The film's coincidences were so contrived that we laughed.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	film	film	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	coincidences	coincidence	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj:pass	_	_
5	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux:pass	_	_
6	so	so	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	contrived	contrive	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
8	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
9	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	laughed	laugh	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **contrive** | past · passive |  | the film's coincidences |  |  |  |  | vn create-26.4 «NP V NP»: subject=Result |
| 2 | **laugh** | past | we |  |  |  |  |  | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Write dialogue that sounds natural, not contrived.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:contrived:x6:1
# text = Write dialogue that sounds natural, not contrived.
1	Write	write	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	dialogue	dialogue	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
3	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	4	nsubj	_	_
4	sounds	sound	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	acl:relcl	_	_
5	natural	natural	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
7	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	8	advmod	_	_
8	contrived	contrive	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write** | imperative | you *not said here* | dialogue |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent dialogue=Theme |
| 2 | **sound** | present | dialogue |  |  |  |  | natural *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |
| 3 | **not** **contrive** | participle | dialogue *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn create-26.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
How they contrived to keep themselves alive is more than I can imagine.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:contrived:x7:1
# text = How they contrived to keep themselves alive is more than I can imagine.
1	How	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	3	advmod	_	_
2	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	contrived	contrive	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	advcl	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	keep	keep	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	themselves	themselves	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	5	obj	_	_
7	alive	alive	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	xcomp	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
9	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	0	root	_	_
10	than	than	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
11	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
12	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	13	aux	_	_
13	imagine	imagine	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **contrive** | past | they |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **keep** | to-infinitive | they *not said here* | themselves *= they* |  |  |  | alive *property* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent themselves=Theme |
| 3 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | more *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **imagine** | can | I |  |  |  |  |  | vn wish-62 «NP V for NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot |

<!-- 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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