---
title: desperation — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «desperation» in the school dictionary: Desperation is the feeling of having almost no hope, which makes you willing to try anything, even something risky. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/desperation/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/) / [school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/) / [D](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/) / desperation

# desperation

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Desperation, feeling, hope, you, Toad, hungry fox · **What happens:** be, have, make, try, lose, shout · **To what, where:** feeling, hope, you, anything, lost boy, desperation

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Desperation is the feeling of having almost no hope, which makes you willing to try anything, even something risky.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:desperation:m1:1
# text = Desperation is the feeling of having almost no hope, which makes you willing to try anything, even something risky.
1	Desperation	desperation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	feeling	feeling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
6	having	have	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	4	acl	_	_
7	almost	almost	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
8	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	9	det	_	_
9	hope	hope	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
11	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	12	nsubj	_	_
12	makes	make	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	acl:relcl	_	_
13	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	12	obj	_	_
14	willing	willing	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	xcomp	_	_
15	to	to	PART	TO	_	16	mark	_	_
16	try	try	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	14	xcomp	_	_
17	anything	anything	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	16	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	20	punct	_	_
19	even	even	ADV	RB	_	20	advmod	_	_
20	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	17	conj	_	_
21	risky	risky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	20	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Desperation | the feeling |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **have** | gerund | the feeling *not said here* | no hope |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent hope=Patient |
| 3 | **make** | present | no hope | you |  |  |  | willing *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset you=Product |
| 4 | **try** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* | anything |  |  |  |  | vn try-61.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent anything=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.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In desperation, the lost boy shouted for help.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:desperation:x1:1
# text = In desperation, the lost boy shouted for help.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	desperation	desperation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	lost	lose	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	amod	_	_
6	boy	boy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	shouted	shout	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	acl	_	_
8	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	help	help	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lose** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **shout** *speech: express* | participle |  | the lost boy *not said here* |  |  |  | for help | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V PP.recipient S\_INF»: agent=Agent for help=Recipient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Out of desperation, Toad dressed up as a washerwoman.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:desperation:x2:1
# text = Out of desperation, Toad dressed up as a washerwoman.
1	Out	out	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	of	of	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	desperation	desperation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	Toad	Toad	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	dressed	dress	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	up	up	ADP	RP	_	6	compound:prt	_	_
8	as	as	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	washerwoman	washerwoman	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 | **dress up** | past | Toad |  |  | desperation |  | as a washerwoman | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
There was desperation in her voice.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:desperation:x3:1
# text = There was desperation in her voice.
1	There	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	2	expl	_	_
2	was	be	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	desperation	desperation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	voice	voice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **be** | past | desperation |  |  | desperation's voice; there |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in voice=Location |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The hungry fox raided the bins in desperation.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:desperation:x4:1
# text = The hungry fox raided the bins in desperation.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	hungry	hungry	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	fox	fox	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	raided	raid	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	bins	bin	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	desperation	desperation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **raid** | past | the hungry fox | the bins |  | desperation |  |  | vn investigate-35.4 «NP V NP.location»: agent=Agent bin=Location |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In desperation, he tried the last key.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:desperation:x5:1
# text = In desperation, he tried the last key.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	desperation	desperation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
5	tried	try	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	last	last	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	key	key	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **try** | past | he | the last key |  | desperation |  |  | vn try-61.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent key=Eventuality |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The team played with desperation in the final minutes.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:desperation:x6:1
# text = The team played with desperation in the final minutes.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	team	team	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	played	play	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	desperation	desperation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	final	final	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	minutes	minute	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **play** | past | the team |  |  |  | minute | with desperation | vn play-114.2-1 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent with desperation=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In desperation, he returned home and knocked at the door.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:desperation:x7:1
# text = In desperation, he returned home and knocked at the door.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	desperation	desperation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
5	returned	return	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	home	home	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	knocked	knock	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
9	at	at	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	door	door	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **return** | past | he |  |  | desperation |  | home *property* | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **knock** | past | he *not said here* |  |  |  |  | at the door | vn hit-18.1-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent at door=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 -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [desperately](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/desperately/)
- next →: [despise](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/despise/)
- ↑ back to [D in school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/)