---
title: definite — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «definite» in the school dictionary: Definite means clear, sure and fixed, with no doubt. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# definite

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Definite, definite article, We, Friday, definite smell, She · **What happens:** mean, fix, decide, be, cancel, need · **To what, where:** definite plan, word, trip, definite answer, The, house · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Definite means clear, sure and fixed, with no doubt.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:definite:m1:1
# text = Definite means clear, sure and fixed, with no doubt.
1	Definite	definite	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	clear	clear	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
5	sure	sure	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	parataxis	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	fixed	fix	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
9	with	with	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	11	det	_	_
11	doubt	doubt	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Definite |  |  |  |  | clear *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **fix** | participle | Definite *not said here* |  |  |  |  | with no doubt | vn shake-22.3-2 «NP V NP PP»: agent=Agent with doubt=Co-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 -->
A definite plan, date or answer has been decided.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:definite:m2:1
# text = A definite plan, date or answer has been decided.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	definite	definite	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	plan	plan	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj:pass	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
5	date	date	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	answer	answer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	_
8	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
9	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	10	aux:pass	_	_
10	decided	decide	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **decide** | present · perfect · passive |  | a definite plan and date or answer |  |  |  |  | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V S»: subject=Topic |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The definite article is the word «the».

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:definite:m3:1
# text = The definite article is the word «the».
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	definite	definite	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	article	article	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Is the trip definite, or might it be cancelled?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:definite:x1:1
# text = Is the trip definite, or might it be cancelled?
1	Is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	trip	trip	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl:unmarked	_	_
4	definite	definite	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
7	might	might	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj:pass	_	_
9	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	aux:pass	_	_
10	cancelled	cancel	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | the trip *obl:unmarked*; definite *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **cancel** | might · passive |  | trip |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We need a definite answer by Friday.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:definite:x2:1
# text = We need a definite answer by Friday.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	need	need	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	definite	definite	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	answer	answer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	by	by	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	Friday	Friday	PROPN	NNP	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 | **need** | present | We | a definite answer |  |  |  | by Friday | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Pivot answer=Theme |
| 2 | **answer** |  | Friday |  |  |  |  |  | nom answer «communication transitive»: by=agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
There's a definite smell of burning in here!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:definite:x3:1
# text = There's a definite smell of burning in here!
1	There	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	2	expl	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	definite	definite	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	smell	smell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
6	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
7	burning	burn	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	acl	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	here	here	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **be** | present | a definite smell |  |  | there |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **burn** | gerund | a definite smell *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn light\_emission-43.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in here=Location |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«The» is called the definite article.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:definite:x4:1
# text = «The» is called the definite article.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	nsubj:pass	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	definite	definite	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	article	article	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** | present · passive |  | The |  |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: subject=Recipient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She gave a definite «no».

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:definite:x5:1
# text = She gave a definite «no».
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	gave	give	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	definite	definite	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	_
5	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	no	no	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Neg	4	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | past | She |  |  |  |  | definite *property* | vn break\_down-45.8 «NP V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Nothing is definite yet, but we may move house.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:definite:x6:1
# text = Nothing is definite yet, but we may move house.
1	Nothing	nothing	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	definite	definite	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	yet	yet	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
6	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
7	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
8	may	may	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
9	move	move	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	parataxis	_	_
10	house	house	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Nothing |  |  |  | yet | definite *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **move** | may | we | house |  |  |  |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent house=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
There is a definite improvement in your handwriting.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:definite:x7:1
# text = There is a definite improvement in your handwriting.
1	There	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	2	expl	_	_
2	is	be	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	definite	definite	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	improvement	improvement	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	handwriting	handwriting	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **be** | present | a definite improvement in your handwriting |  |  | there |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **handwrite** |  | your |  |  |  |  |  | nom handwriting «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Unfortunately, the form in which it occurs is mutilated, and we cannot draw any definite conclusion from it.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:definite:x8:1
# text = Unfortunately, the form in which it occurs is mutilated, and we cannot draw any definite conclusion from it.
1	Unfortunately	unfortunately	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	form	form	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj:pass	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	8	obl	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	occurs	occur	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	acl:relcl	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux:pass	_	_
10	mutilated	mutilate	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
13	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	16	nsubj	_	_
14	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	16	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	16	advmod	_	_
16	draw	draw	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	conj	_	_
17	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	19	det	_	_
18	definite	definite	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	19	amod	_	_
19	conclusion	conclusion	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obj	_	_
20	from	from	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
21	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **occur** | present | form |  |  | the form |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Theme in which=Location |
| 2 | **mutilate** | present · passive |  | the form |  |  |  | unfortunately *property* | vn destroy-44 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |
| 3 | **not** **draw** | can | we | any definite conclusion |  | form |  |  | vn carry-11.4 «NP V NP PP.initial\_location»: agent=Agent conclusion=Theme from it=Initial\_Location |

<!-- 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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