---
title: crime — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «crime» in the school dictionary: An action that is against the law and can be punished, such as stealing or hurting someone. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# crime

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** that, action, Stealing, detective, police, Breaking · **What happens:** be, punish, steal, hurt, solve, find · **To what, where:** someone, crime, footprint, town, shop window, purpose · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An action that is against the law and can be punished, such as stealing or hurting someone.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:crime:m1:1
# text = An action that is against the law and can be punished, such as stealing or hurting someone.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	action	action	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nsubj	_	_
3	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
5	against	against	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	law	law	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
9	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
10	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	aux:pass	_	_
11	punished	punish	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
13	such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|ExtPos=SCONJ	15	mark	_	_
14	as	as	ADP	IN	_	13	fixed	_	_
15	stealing	steal	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
16	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
17	hurting	hurt	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	15	conj	_	_
18	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	17	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	15	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | that |  |  |  |  | against the law | tree rules |
| 2 | **punish** | can · passive | that *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn prosecute-33.2-1 «NP V NP» |
| 3 | **steal** | gerund | a action |  |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **hurt** | gerund | a action *not said here* | someone |  |  |  |  | vn hurt-40.8.3-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer someone=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}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Such actions in general, in a place.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:crime:m2:1
# text = Such actions in general, in a place.
1	Such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	actions	action	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	general	general	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	place	place	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Something that is very wrong or a shame.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:crime:m3:1
# text = Something that is very wrong or a shame.
1	Something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	0	root	_	_
2	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	very	very	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	acl:relcl	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	shame	shame	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Stealing is a crime.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:crime:x1:1
# text = Stealing is a crime.
1	Stealing	stealing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	crime	crime	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Stealing | a crime |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The detective solved the crime by finding a footprint.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:crime:x2:1
# text = The detective solved the crime by finding a footprint.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	detective	detective	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	solved	solve	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	crime	crime	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
7	finding	find	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	advcl	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	footprint	footprint	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **solve** | past | the detective | the crime |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent crime=Topic |
| 2 | **find** | gerund | the detective *not said here* | a footprint |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent footprint=Topic |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The police are trying to stop crime in our town.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:crime:x3:1
# text = The police are trying to stop crime in our town.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	police	police	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	trying	try	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	stop	stop	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	crime	crime	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
10	town	town	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **try** | present · progressive | the police |  |  |  |  |  | vn try-61.1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **stop** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | the police *not said here* | crime |  | our town |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V NP.eventuality»: agent=Subeventuality crime=Eventuality |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Breaking a shop window on purpose is a crime.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:crime:x4:1
# text = Breaking a shop window on purpose is a crime.
1	Breaking	break	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	9	csubj	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	shop	shop	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	window	window	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	purpose	purpose	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	crime	crime	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **break** | gerund |  | a shop window |  | purpose |  |  | vn hurt-40.8.3-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer window=Patient |
| 2 | **is a** | present | Breaking | a crime |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Sherlock Holmes looked carefully at the scene of the crime.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:crime:x5:1
# text = Sherlock Holmes looked carefully at the scene of the crime.
1	Sherlock	Sherlock	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	Holmes	Holmes	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	1	flat	_	_
3	looked	look	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	carefully	carefully	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
5	at	at	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	scene	scene	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	crime	crime	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** | past | Sherlock |  |  |  |  | at the scene of the crime; carefully *property* | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent at scene=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Crime went down after they put in more street lights.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:crime:x6:1
# text = Crime went down after they put in more street lights.
1	Crime	crime	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	down	down	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
4	after	after	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
5	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	put	put	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	10	amod	_	_
9	street	street	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	lights	light	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go down** | past | Crime |  |  |  |  | down *property* | vn calibratable\_cos-45.6.1-1 «NP.attribute V»: agent=Attribute |
| 2 | **put** | past | they |  |  | more street lights |  |  | vn put-9.1-2 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent in light=Destination |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It's a crime to waste all this food!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:crime:x7:1
# text = It's a crime to waste all this food!
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	crime	crime	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	waste	waste	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	acl	_	_
7	all	all	DET	PDT	PronType=Tot	9	det:predet	_	_
8	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	9	det	_	_
9	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | It | a crime |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **waste** | to-infinitive |  | all food |  |  |  |  | vn destroy-44 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent food=Patient |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
If you see a crime, tell an adult and stay safe.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:crime:x8:1
# text = If you see a crime, tell an adult and stay safe.
1	If	if	SCONJ	IN	_	3	mark	_	_
2	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	see	see	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	advcl	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	crime	crime	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
7	tell	tell	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	adult	adult	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	stay	stay	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	_
12	safe	safe	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **see** *a condition, not said to happen* | present | you | a crime |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer crime=Stimulus |
| 2 | **tell** *speech: assert* | imperative | you *not said here* |  | a adult |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent adult=Recipient |
| 3 | **stay** | infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | safe *property* | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"Who committed the crime!" said Ivan.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:crime:x9:1
# text = "Who committed the crime!" said Ivan.
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	3	nsubj	_	_
3	committed	commit	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	ccomp	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	crime	crime	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
8	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	Ivan	Ivan	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **commit** *in a quote* | past |  | the crime |  |  |  |  | vn confine-92-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent crime=Theme |
| 2 | **say** *speech: express* | past | Ivan |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |

<!-- 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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