---
title: criminal — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «criminal» in the school dictionary: A person who has broken the law and done a crime. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# criminal

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** person, It, police, Stealing, He, detective · **What happens:** break, do, be, waste, catch, have · **To what, where:** law, crime, food, criminal, criminal act, criminal record · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A person who has broken the law and done a crime.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:criminal:m1:1
# text = A person who has broken the law and done a crime.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	5	nsubj	_	_
4	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	broken	break	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	2	acl:relcl	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	law	law	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	done	do	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	5	conj	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	crime	crime	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **break** | present · perfect | a person | the law |  |  |  |  | vn hurt-40.8.3-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer law=Patient |
| 2 | **do** | participle | a person *not said here* | a crime |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent crime=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: adjective — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To do with crime or with the law about crime (a criminal act, criminal law).

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:criminal:m2:1
# text = To do with crime or with the law about crime (a criminal act, criminal law).
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	do	do	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	with	with	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	crime	crime	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	law	law	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	_
9	about	about	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	crime	crime	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	_
11	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	criminal	criminal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	act	act	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
16	criminal	criminal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	amod	_	_
17	law	law	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | with crime or the law about crime | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Very wrong, wasteful or unfair: «It's criminal to waste all that food.».

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:criminal:m3:1
# text = Very wrong, wasteful or unfair: «It's criminal to waste all that food.».
1	Very	very	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
2	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
4	wasteful	wasteful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	conj	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	unfair	unfair	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	11	punct	_	_
8	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
11	criminal	criminal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	conj	_	_
12	to	to	PART	TO	_	13	mark	_	_
13	waste	waste	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	csubj	_	_
14	all	all	DET	PDT	PronType=Tot	16	det:predet	_	_
15	that	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	16	det	_	_
16	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The police caught the criminal.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:criminal:x1:1
# text = The police caught the criminal.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	police	police	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	caught	catch	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	criminal	criminal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **catch** | past | the police | the criminal |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent criminal=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

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

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:criminal:x2:1
# text = Stealing is a criminal act.
1	Stealing	stealing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	criminal	criminal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	act	act	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He has no criminal record.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:criminal:x3:1
# text = He has no criminal record.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	5	det	_	_
4	criminal	criminal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	record	record	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | He | no criminal record |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent record=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It's criminal to throw away good food!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:criminal:x4:1
# text = It's criminal to throw away good food!
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	criminal	criminal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	throw	throw	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
6	away	away	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
7	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | It |  |  |  |  | criminal *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **throw away** | to-infinitive |  | good food |  |  |  | away *property* | vn throw-17.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent food=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The detective tracked down the criminals.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:criminal:x5:1
# text = The detective tracked down the criminals.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	detective	detective	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	tracked	track	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	down	down	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	criminals	criminal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **track down** | participle | the detective *not said here* | the criminals |  |  |  |  | vn stalk-35.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent criminal=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Spraying graffiti on walls is criminal damage.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:criminal:x6:1
# text = Spraying graffiti on walls is criminal damage.
1	Spraying	spray	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	csubj	_	_
2	graffiti	graffiti	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
3	on	on	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	walls	wall	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obl	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	criminal	criminal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	damage	damage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **spray** | gerund |  | graffiti |  | walls |  |  | vn spray-9.7-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent graffiti=Theme on wall=Destination |
| 2 | **is a** | present | Spraying | criminal damage |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The hardened criminal casts an impatient look at the bright ray.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:criminal:x7:1
# text = The hardened criminal casts an impatient look at the bright ray.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	hardened	harden	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	amod	_	_
3	criminal	criminal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	casts	cast	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	impatient	impatient	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	look	look	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
8	at	at	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	bright	bright	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	ray	ray	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **harden** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **cast** | present | the hardened criminal | a impatient look |  | the bright ray |  |  | vn throw-17.1 «NP V NP PP.destinations»: agent=Agent look=Theme at ray=Destination |

<!-- 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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