---
title: diabolical — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «diabolical» in the school dictionary: Very wicked or cruel, as if done by the Devil, as in «a diabolical plan». 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/diabolical/)

<!-- 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/) / diabolical

# diabolical

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** traffic, villain, weather, That, witch, handwriting · **What happens:** do, be, reveal, flood, plan, give · **To what, where:** diabolical plan, city, diabolical penalty decision, diabolical cackle, hurry

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Very wicked or cruel, as if done by the Devil, as in «a diabolical plan».

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:diabolical:m1:1
# text = Very wicked or cruel, as if done by the Devil, as in «a diabolical plan».
1	Very	very	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
2	wicked	wicked	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	cruel	cruel	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
6	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
7	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
8	done	do	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	conj	_	_
9	by	by	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	Devil	Devil	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
13	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	18	mark	_	_
14	in	in	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
15	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
17	diabolical	diabolical	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
18	plan	plan	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | by the Devil | tree rules |

<!-- .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: UK, informal — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Extremely bad or of very poor quality, as in «The traffic was diabolical».

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:diabolical:m2:1
# text = Extremely bad or of very poor quality, as in «The traffic was diabolical».
1	Extremely	extremely	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
2	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	very	very	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	poor	poor	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	quality	quality	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
9	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	15	mark	_	_
10	in	in	SCONJ	IN	_	15	mark	_	_
11	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	traffic	traffic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nsubj	_	_
14	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	15	cop	_	_
15	diabolical	diabolical	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** *in a quote* | past | the traffic |  |  |  |  | diabolical *property* | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The villain revealed his diabolical plan to flood the city.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:diabolical:x1:1
# text = The villain revealed his diabolical plan to flood the city.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	villain	villain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	revealed	reveal	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
5	diabolical	diabolical	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	plan	plan	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	flood	flood	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	city	city	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 | **reveal** | past | the villain | villain's diabolical plan |  |  |  |  | vn confess-37.10 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent plan=Topic |
| 2 | **flood** | to-infinitive | the villain *not said here* | the city |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent city=Patient |
| 3 | **plan** |  | villain |  |  |  |  |  | nom plan «cognition transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The weather on our holiday was diabolical.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:diabolical:x2:1
# text = The weather on our holiday was diabolical.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	weather	weather	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	on	on	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	holiday	holiday	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	diabolical	diabolical	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the weather on our holiday |  |  |  |  | diabolical *property* | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
That's a diabolical penalty decision!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:diabolical:x3:1
# text = That's a diabolical penalty decision!
1	That	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	6	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
4	diabolical	diabolical	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
5	penalty	penalty	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	decision	decision	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | That | a diabolical penalty decision |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The witch gave a diabolical cackle.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:diabolical:x4:1
# text = The witch gave a diabolical cackle.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	witch	witch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	gave	give	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	diabolical	diabolical	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	cackle	cackle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | past | the witch | a diabolical cackle |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent cackle=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My handwriting was diabolical when I was in a hurry.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:diabolical:x5:1
# text = My handwriting was diabolical when I was in a hurry.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	handwriting	handwriting	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	diabolical	diabolical	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	10	advmod	_	_
6	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
7	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	hurry	hurry	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | My handwriting |  |  |  |  | diabolical *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | past | I |  |  | a hurry |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **handwrite** |  | My |  |  |  |  |  | nom handwriting «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The trap was diabolically clever.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:diabolical:x6:1
# text = The trap was diabolically clever.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	trap	trap	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	diabolically	diabolically	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	clever	clever	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the trap |  |  |  |  | clever, diabolically *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 -->

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