---
title: counter — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «counter» in the school dictionary: A counter is a long flat top in a kitchen, or the long table in a shop where you pay. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# counter

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** counter, you, machine, 6 cups, Tim, baker · **What happens:** be, pay, use, count, play, act · **To what, where:** long flat top, kitchen, small round piece, board games, machine, things

<!-- .vabout -->
«counter» in the school dictionary: its 4 meanings for a pupil and its 9 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: [counter in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/counter.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A counter is a long flat top in a kitchen, or the long table in a shop where you pay.

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:counter:m1:1
# text = A counter is a long flat top in a kitchen, or the long table in a shop where you pay.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	counter	counter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
5	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
6	flat	flat	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	top	top	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	kitchen	kitchen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
14	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	table	table	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	_
16	in	in	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	shop	shop	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nmod	_	_
19	where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	21	advmod	_	_
20	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	21	nsubj	_	_
21	pay	pay	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	18	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a counter | a long flat top or the long table in a shop |  | a kitchen |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **pay** | present | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn pay-68-1 «NP V NP»: 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 -->
A counter is a small round piece used to count or to play board games.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:counter:m2:1
# text = A counter is a small round piece used to count or to play board games.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	counter	counter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
5	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
6	round	round	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	piece	piece	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	acl	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	count	count	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	advcl	_	_
11	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
12	to	to	PART	TO	_	13	mark	_	_
13	play	play	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	conj	_	_
14	board	board	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	compound	_	_
15	games	game	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a counter | a small round piece |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **use** | participle |  | a small round piece *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **count** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn matter-91 «NP V»: agent=Stimulus |
| 4 | **play** | to-infinitive |  | board games |  |  |  |  | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent game=Theme |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A counter is a machine that counts things.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:counter:m3:1
# text = A counter is a machine that counts things.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	counter	counter	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	machine	machine	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	counts	count	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a counter | a machine |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **count** | present | a machine | things |  |  |  |  | vn multiply-108 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent thing=Theme |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To counter is to answer or act against something.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:counter:m4:1
# text = To counter is to answer or act against something.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	counter	counter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	advcl	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	answer	answer	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	act	act	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	conj	_	_
8	against	against	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | answer *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **act** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | against something | vn act-114-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Put 10 counters in a row.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:counter:x1:1
# text = Put 10 counters in a row.
1	Put	put	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	10	10	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	3	nummod	_	_
3	counters	counter	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obj	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	row	row	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 | **put** | imperative | you *not said here* | 10 counters |  | a row |  |  | vn put-9.1-2 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent counter=Theme in row=Destination |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
There are 6 cups on the counter.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:counter:x2:1
# text = There are 6 cups on the counter.
1	There	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	2	expl	_	_
2	are	be	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	6	6	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	4	nummod	_	_
4	cups	cup	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	counter	counter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **does** | present | 6 cups on the counter |  |  | there |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Tim has 15 red counters and 9 blue counters.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:counter:x3:1
# text = Tim has 15 red counters and 9 blue counters.
1	Tim	Tim	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	15	15	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
4	red	red	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	counters	counter	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
7	9	9	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	9	nummod	_	_
8	blue	blue	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	counters	counter	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | Tim | 15 red counters and 9 blue counters |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent counter=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The baker put 24 muffins on the counter.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:counter:x4:1
# text = The baker put 24 muffins on the counter.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	baker	baker	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	put	put	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	24	24	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	muffins	muffin	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	counter	counter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **put** | past | the baker | 24 muffins |  | the counter |  |  | vn put-9.1-2 «NP V PP.destination NP»: agent=Agent muffin=Theme on counter=Destination |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Pay at the counter.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:counter:x5:1
# text = Pay at the counter.
1	Pay	pay	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	at	at	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	counter	counter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pay** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  | the counter |  |  | vn pay-68-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Move your counter 4 spaces.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:counter:x6:1
# text = Move your counter 4 spaces.
1	Move	move	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
3	counter	counter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	4	4	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	spaces	space	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **move** | imperative | you *not said here* | your counter |  |  |  |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V NP ADJ.result»: agent=Agent counter=Theme space=Result |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The step counter showed 8000 steps.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:counter:x7:1
# text = The step counter showed 8000 steps.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	step	step	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	counter	counter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	showed	show	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	8000	8000	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	6	nummod	_	_
6	steps	step	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **show** | past | the step counter | 8000 steps |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent step=Recipient |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Wipe the kitchen counter after cooking.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:counter:x8:1
# text = Wipe the kitchen counter after cooking.
1	Wipe	wipe	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	kitchen	kitchen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	counter	counter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
5	after	after	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	cooking	cooking	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 | **wipe** | imperative | you *not said here* | the kitchen counter |  |  | after cooking |  | vn wipe\_manner-10.4.1-1 «NP V NP.source»: agent=Agent counter=Source |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Rufus!" and hearing his voice, I jumped on to the counter.

<!-- fold The tree, 11 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:counter:x9:1
# text = Rufus!" and hearing his voice, I jumped on to the counter.
1	Rufus	Rufus	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	1	punct	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	hearing	hear	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	1	conj	_	_
6	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	voice	voice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
9	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	jumped	jump	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
11	on	on	ADP	RP	_	10	compound:prt	_	_
12	to	to	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	counter	counter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hear** *in a quote* | gerund | Rufus *not said here* | Rufus's voice |  |  |  |  | vn see-30.1-1-1 «NP V S»: agent=Experiencer voice=Stimulus |
| 2 | **jump on** *in a quote* | past | Rufus |  |  |  |  | to the counter *result* | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V PP.result»: agent=Theme to counter=Result |

<!-- 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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