---
title: decoy — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «decoy» in the school dictionary: A decoy is a person or thing used to trick someone and lead them away or into a trap. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# decoy

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** decoy, army, One friend, others, mother bird, striker · **What happens:** be, use, trick, lead, attract, decoy · **To what, where:** person, someone, model, wooden duck, real birds, way

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A decoy is a person or thing used to trick someone and lead them away or into a trap.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:decoy:m1:1
# text = A decoy is a person or thing used to trick someone and lead them away or into a trap.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	decoy	decoy	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	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	thing	thing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
8	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	acl	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	trick	trick	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	advcl	_	_
11	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	10	obj	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	lead	lead	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	conj	_	_
14	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	obj	_	_
15	away	away	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
16	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
17	into	into	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
18	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	trap	trap	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a decoy | a person or thing |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **use** | participle |  | a person or thing *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **trick** | to-infinitive |  | someone |  |  |  |  | vn trick-59.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent someone=Patient |
| 4 | **lead** | infinitive |  | person |  |  |  | away *property* | vn accompany-51.7 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=Theme |

<!-- .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 decoy is a model of a bird, such as a wooden duck, used by hunters to attract real birds.

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:decoy:m2:1
# text = A decoy is a model of a bird, such as a wooden duck, used by hunters to attract real birds.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	decoy	decoy	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	model	model	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	bird	bird	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
10	such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|ExtPos=ADP	14	case	_	_
11	as	as	ADP	IN	_	10	fixed	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	wooden	wooden	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	duck	duck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
16	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	14	acl	_	_
17	by	by	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
18	hunters	hunter	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	obl	_	_
19	to	to	PART	TO	_	20	mark	_	_
20	attract	attract	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	16	advcl	_	_
21	real	real	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	22	amod	_	_
22	birds	bird	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	20	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a decoy | a model |  |  |  | of a bird | tree rules |
| 2 | **use** | participle |  | a wooden duck *not said here* |  |  |  | by hunters | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **attract** | to-infinitive |  | real birds |  |  |  |  | vn lure-59.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent bird=Patient |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To decoy someone is to trick them in this way.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:decoy:m3:1
# text = To decoy someone is to trick them in this way.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	decoy	decoy	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
3	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	trick	trick	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	10	det	_	_
10	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **decoy** | to-infinitive |  | someone |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  | this way |  | trick *property* | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The duck decoy floated on the pond.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:decoy:x1:1
# text = The duck decoy floated on the pond.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	duck	duck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	decoy	decoy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	floated	float	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	acl	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	pond	pond	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 | **float** | participle |  | the duck decoy *not said here* |  | the pond |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme on pond=Trajectory |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The army used inflatable tanks as decoys.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:decoy:x2:1
# text = The army used inflatable tanks as decoys.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	army	army	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	used	use	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	inflatable	inflatable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	tanks	tank	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	as	as	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	decoys	decoy	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | past | the army | inflatable tanks |  |  |  | as decoys | vn spend\_time-104 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Agent tank=Duration as decoy=Attribute |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
One friend acted as a decoy while the others hid the present.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:decoy:x3:1
# text = One friend acted as a decoy while the others hid the present.
1	One	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	2	nummod	_	_
2	friend	friend	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	acted	act	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	as	as	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	decoy	decoy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	while	while	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	others	other	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	nsubj	_	_
10	hid	hide	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	present	present	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **act** | participle | One friend |  |  |  |  | as a decoy | vn masquerade-29.6-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Agent as decoy=Attribute |
| 2 | **hide** | past | the others | the present |  |  |  |  | vn concealment-16-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent present=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The mother bird pretended to be hurt as a decoy.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:decoy:x4:1
# text = The mother bird pretended to be hurt as a decoy.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	mother	mother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	bird	bird	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	pretended	pretend	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
6	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	aux:pass	_	_
7	hurt	hurt	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	ccomp	_	_
8	as	as	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	decoy	decoy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pretend** | past | the mother bird |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **hurt** | to-infinitive · passive | the mother bird *not said here* |  |  |  |  | as a decoy | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle» |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The striker made a decoy run to draw the defender.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:decoy:x5:1
# text = The striker made a decoy run to draw the defender.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	striker	striker	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	decoy	decoy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	run	run	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	draw	draw	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	defender	defender	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past | the striker | a decoy run |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset run=Product |
| 2 | **draw** | to-infinitive | the striker *not said here* | the defender |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent defender=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The spy was decoyed into a trap.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:decoy:x6:1
# text = The spy was decoyed into a trap.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	spy	spy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	decoyed	decoy	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	into	into	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	trap	trap	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **decoy** | past · passive |  | the spy |  | a trap |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The bird-trap was quite empty, as he had caught nothing, and he had to kill a pied Partridge, which he had tamed for a decoy.

<!-- fold The tree, 26 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:decoy:x7:1
# text = The bird-trap was quite empty, as he had caught nothing, and he had to kill a pied Partridge, which he had tamed for a decoy.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
2	bird	bird	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	trap	trap	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
5	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	quite	quite	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	empty	empty	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
9	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
10	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj:pass	_	_
11	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	12	aux	_	_
12	caught	catch	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	advcl	_	_
13	nothing	nothing	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	12	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
15	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
16	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	17	nsubj	_	_
17	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	parataxis	_	_
18	to	to	PART	TO	_	19	mark	_	_
19	kill	kill	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	17	xcomp	_	_
20	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
21	pied	pi	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	22	amod	_	_
22	Partridge	Partridge	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	19	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	27	punct	_	_
24	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	27	nsubj:pass	_	_
25	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	27	nsubj:pass	_	_
26	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	27	aux	_	_
27	tamed	tame	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	22	acl:relcl	_	_
28	for	for	ADP	IN	_	30	case	_	_
29	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	30	det	_	_
30	decoy	decoy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	27	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
31	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the bird trap |  |  |  |  | empty *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **catch** | past · perfect · passive |  | he |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP.beneficiary NP»: subject=Beneficiary nothing=Theme |
| 3 | **have** | past | he |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **kill** | to-infinitive | he *not said here* | a pied Partridge |  |  |  |  | vn remove-10.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent partridge=Theme |
| 5 | **pi** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 6 | **tame** | past · perfect · passive |  | a pied Partridge |  |  |  | for a decoy | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: subject=Patient |

<!-- 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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