---
title: determinate — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «determinate» in the school dictionary: Determinate means fixed, exact and clearly limited, not vague. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# determinate

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** determinate plant, problem, prisoner, you, tomato plants, recipe · **What happens:** determinate, mean, fix, grow, stop, have · **To what, where:** determinate answer, determinate sentence, five years, one metre, determinate amount, flour · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«determinate» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 6 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: [determinate in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/determinate.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Determinate means fixed, exact and clearly limited, not vague.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:determinate:m1:1
# text = Determinate means fixed, exact and clearly limited, not vague.
1	Determinate	determinate	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	csubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	fixed	fix	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
5	exact	exact	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	conj	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
7	clearly	clearly	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	limited	limited	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
10	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	11	advmod	_	_
11	vague	vague	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **determinate** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **fix** *not said to happen* | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn shake-22.3-2 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=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}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A determinate plant, like some tomato plants, grows to a fixed size and then stops.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:determinate:m2:1
# text = A determinate plant, like some tomato plants, grows to a fixed size and then stops.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	determinate	determinate	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	compound	_	_
3	plant	plant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
5	like	like	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	8	det	_	_
7	tomato	tomato	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	plants	plant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
10	grows	grow	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
11	to	to	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	fixed	fix	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	14	amod	_	_
14	size	size	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	_
15	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
16	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	17	advmod	_	_
17	stops	stop	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **determinate** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **grow** | present | a determinate plant and some tomato plants |  |  |  |  | to a fixed size | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **fix** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn shake-22.3-2 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Patient |
| 4 | **stop** | present | a determinate plant and some tomato plants *not said here* |  |  |  | then |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The problem has a determinate answer: 12.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:determinate:x1:1
# text = The problem has a determinate answer: 12.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	problem	problem	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	determinate	determinate	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	answer	answer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	8	punct	_	_
8	12	12	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	6	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | the problem | a determinate answer |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent answer=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The prisoner got a determinate sentence of five years.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:determinate:x2:1
# text = The prisoner got a determinate sentence of five years.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	prisoner	prisoner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	got	get	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	determinate	determinate	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	sentence	sentence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	five	five	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	9	nummod	_	_
9	years	year	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** | past | the prisoner | a determinate sentence of five years |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer sentence=Stimulus |
| 2 | **sentence** |  |  | five years |  |  |  |  | nom sentence «communication transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Determinate tomato plants stop growing at about one metre.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:determinate:x3:1
# text = Determinate tomato plants stop growing at about one metre.
1	Determinate	determinate	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	tomato	tomato	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	plants	plant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	stop	stop	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	ccomp	_	_
5	growing	grow	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	4	xcomp	_	_
6	at	at	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	about	about	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	9	nummod	_	_
9	metre	metre	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **determinate** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **stop** | present | tomato plants |  |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Affector clause=Eventuality |
| 3 | **grow** | gerund | tomato plants *not said here* |  |  | one metre |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme at metre=Location |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The recipe gives a determinate amount of flour.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:determinate:x4:1
# text = The recipe gives a determinate amount of flour.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	recipe	recipe	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	gives	give	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	determinate	determinate	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	compound	_	_
6	amount	amount	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	flour	flour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | present | the recipe | a determinate amount of flour |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent amount=Theme |
| 2 | **determinate** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **amount** |  |  | flour |  |  |  |  | nom amount «possession transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The number of people at the party was determinate, so we bought exactly enough cake.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:determinate:x5:1
# text = The number of people at the party was determinate, so we bought exactly enough cake.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	number	number	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nmod	_	_
5	at	at	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	party	party	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
8	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
9	determinate	determinate	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
11	so	so	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
12	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
13	bought	buy	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	conj	_	_
14	exactly	exactly	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
15	enough	enough	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	cake	cake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the number of people at the party |  |  |  |  | determinate *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **buy** | past | we | enough cake |  |  |  |  | vn accept-77.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent cake=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Some puzzles have more than one answer and are not determinate.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:determinate:x6:1
# text = Some puzzles have more than one answer and are not determinate.
1	Some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	2	det	_	_
2	puzzles	puzzle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	have	have	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp|ExtPos=ADV	6	advmod	_	_
5	than	than	ADP	IN	_	4	fixed	_	_
6	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	7	nummod	_	_
7	answer	answer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
9	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
10	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	11	advmod	_	_
11	determinate	determinate	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | some puzzles | one answer |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent answer=Patient |
| 2 | **not** **is** | present | some puzzles *not said here* |  |  |  |  | determinate *property* | tree rules |

<!-- 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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