---
title: darkness — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «darkness» in the school dictionary: Darkness is when there is little or no light. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# darkness

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**Who acts:** Darkness, room, Owls, We, hero, children · **What happens:** be, mean, hunt, wait, fall, fight · **To what, where:** evil, total darkness, darkness, town, forces, stories

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«darkness» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 8 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: [darkness in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/darkness.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Darkness is when there is little or no light.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:darkness:m1:1
# text = Darkness is when there is little or no light.
1	Darkness	darkness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
3	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	6	advmod	_	_
4	there	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	6	expl	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
6	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
8	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	9	det	_	_
9	light	light	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

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

<!-- .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 -->
Darkness can also mean evil or sadness in stories.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:darkness:m2:1
# text = Darkness can also mean evil or sadness in stories.
1	Darkness	darkness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	also	also	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	evil	evil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	sadness	sadness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	stories	story	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | can | Darkness | evil or sadness |  |  |  | in stories | vn representation-110.1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Pivot evil=Theme in story=Attribute |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The room was in total darkness.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:darkness:x1:1
# text = The room was in total darkness.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	room	room	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	total	total	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	darkness	darkness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the room |  |  | total darkness |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Owls can hunt in the darkness.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:darkness:x2:1
# text = Owls can hunt in the darkness.
1	Owls	owl	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	hunt	hunt	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	darkness	darkness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hunt** | can | Owls |  |  | the darkness |  |  | vn hunt-35.1 «NP V PP.theme PP.location»: agent=Agent in darkness=Location |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We waited in the darkness for the fireworks.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:darkness:x3:1
# text = We waited in the darkness for the fireworks.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	waited	wait	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	darkness	darkness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	fireworks	firework	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wait** | past | We |  |  | the darkness |  | for the fireworks | vn exist-47.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in darkness=Location |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Darkness fell over the town.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:darkness:x4:1
# text = Darkness fell over the town.
1	Darkness	darkness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	fell	fall	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	over	over	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	town	town	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fall** | past | Darkness |  |  | the town |  |  | vn occur-48.3 «NP V PP»: agent=Theme over town=Location |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In stories, the hero fights the forces of darkness.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:darkness:x5:1
# text = In stories, the hero fights the forces of darkness.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	stories	story	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	hero	hero	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	fights	fight	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	forces	force	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	darkness	darkness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fight** | present | the hero | the forces of darkness |  | stories |  |  | vn battle-36.4-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent force=Co-Agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Some children feel scared of the darkness.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:darkness:x6:1
# text = Some children feel scared of the darkness.
1	Some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	2	det	_	_
2	children	child	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	feel	feel	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	scared	scared	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	xcomp	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	darkness	darkness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **feel** | present | some children |  |  |  |  | scared *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Cats see better than people in darkness.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:darkness:x7:1
# text = Cats see better than people in darkness.
1	Cats	cat	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	see	see	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	better	well	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	2	advmod	_	_
4	than	than	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	darkness	darkness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **see** | present | Cats |  |  |  |  | than people in darkness; well *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The darkness of night came on.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:darkness:x8:1
# text = The darkness of night came on.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	darkness	darkness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	night	night	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
5	came	come	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	on	on	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come on** | past | the darkness of night |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

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**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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