---
title: decision — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «decision» in the school dictionary: A decision is a choice you make after thinking about what to do: a hard decision. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# decision

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** decision, you, judge, I, It, class · **What happens:** be, make, think, do, decide, rule · **To what, where:** choice, ability, sport, decision, hard decision, old toys

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A decision is a choice you make after thinking about what to do: a hard decision.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:decision:m1:1
# text = A decision is a choice you make after thinking about what to do: a hard decision.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	decision	decision	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	choice	choice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	make	make	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	after	after	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
9	thinking	think	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	7	advcl	_	_
10	about	about	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	9	obl	_	_
12	to	to	PART	TO	_	13	mark	_	_
13	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	17	punct	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
16	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	amod	_	_
17	decision	decision	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a decision | a choice and a hard decision |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **make** | present | you | a choice and a hard decision *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent choice=Product |
| 3 | **think** *speech: other* | gerund | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn focus-87.1-1 «NP V PP.topic»: agent=Agent about what=Topic |
| 4 | **do** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: 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 -->
Decision (uncountable) is the ability to decide quickly and firmly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:decision:m2:1
# text = Decision (uncountable) is the ability to decide quickly and firmly.
1	Decision	decision	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
2	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	uncountable	uncountable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	3	punct	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	ability	ability	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	decide	decide	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	acl	_	_
10	quickly	quickly	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	firmly	firmly	ADV	RB	_	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Decision | the ability |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **decide** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | quickly *property* | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In sport, a decision is the referee's or judge's ruling.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:decision:m3:1
# text = In sport, a decision is the referee's or judge's ruling.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	sport	sport	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	decision	decision	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	referee	referee	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	's	's	PART	POS	_	8	case	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
11	judge	judge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	's	's	PART	POS	_	11	case	_	_
13	ruling	ruling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | a decision |  |  | sport |  | 's the referee or judge's ruling | tree rules |
| 2 | **rule** |  | judge |  |  |  |  |  | nom ruling «act transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I have to make a decision: football or swimming?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:decision:x1:1
# text = I have to make a decision: football or swimming?
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	have	have	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	decision	decision	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	8	punct	_	_
8	football	football	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	swimming	swimming	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | I |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **make** | to-infinitive | I *not said here* | a decision and football or swimming |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset decision=Product |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It was a hard decision to give away my old toys.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:decision:x2:1
# text = It was a hard decision to give away my old toys.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	decision	decision	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	give	give	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	acl	_	_
8	away	away	ADP	RP	_	7	compound:prt	_	_
9	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	11	nmod:poss	_	_
10	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	toys	toy	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | It | a hard decision |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **give away** | to-infinitive |  | my old toys |  |  |  |  | vn contribute-13.2 «NP V NP.theme (PP)»: agent=Agent toy=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The class voted and came to a decision.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:decision:x3:1
# text = The class voted and came to a decision.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	class	class	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	voted	vote	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	came	come	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
6	to	to	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	decision	decision	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **vote** | past | the class |  |  |  |  |  | vn dub-29.3.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **come** | past | the class *not said here* |  |  | a decision |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme to decision=Initial\_Location |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The referee's decision was final.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:decision:x4:1
# text = The referee's decision was final.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	referee	referee	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	decision	decision	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
5	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
6	final	final	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	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 referee's decision |  |  |  |  | final *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **decide** |  | the referee |  |  |  |  |  | nom decision «act transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Think about the results before you make a decision.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:decision:x5:1
# text = Think about the results before you make a decision.
1	Think	think	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	about	about	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	results	result	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obl	_	_
5	before	before	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
6	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	make	make	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	advcl	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	decision	decision	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **think** *speech: other* | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | about the results | vn focus-87.1-1 «NP V PP.topic»: agent=Agent about result=Topic |
| 2 | **make** | present | you | a decision |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent decision=Product |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Moving house was a big decision for our family.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:decision:x6:1
# text = Moving house was a big decision for our family.
1	Moving	move	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	csubj	_	_
2	house	house	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	decision	decision	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	family	family	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **move** | gerund |  | house |  |  |  |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent house=Theme |
| 2 | **is a** | past | Moving | a big decision |  |  |  | for our family | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Use a decision tree to sort the animals.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:decision:x7:1
# text = Use a decision tree to sort the animals.
1	Use	use	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	decision	decision	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	tree	tree	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	sort	sort	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	advcl	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	animals	animal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | imperative | you *not said here* | a decision tree |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent tree=Patient |
| 2 | **sort** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* | the animals |  |  |  |  | vn classify-29.10 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent animal=Theme |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
They agreed to appoint Momus as judge, and to abide by his decision.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:decision:x8:1
# text = They agreed to appoint Momus as judge, and to abide by his decision.
1	They	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	agreed	agree	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	appoint	appoint	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
5	Momus	momus	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
6	as	as	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	judge	judge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	abide	abide	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	conj	_	_
12	by	by	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	14	nmod:poss	_	_
14	decision	decision	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **agree** *speech: agree* | past | They |  |  |  |  |  | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V what S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **appoint** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | They *not said here* | Momus |  |  |  | as judge | vn appoint-29.1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Agent momus=Theme as judge=Attribute |
| 3 | **abide** | to-infinitive | They *not said here* |  |  |  |  | by his decision | tree rules |
| 4 | **decide** |  | his *= he* |  |  |  |  |  | nom decision «act transitive»: poss=agent |

<!-- 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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