---
title: dibs — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «dibs» in the school dictionary: A claim to have or do something first: if you say «Dibs on the front seat!», you mean you get it. 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/dibs/)

<!-- 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/) / dibs

# dibs

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** you, I, Ellie, Dibs, He · **What happens:** have, do, say, mean, get, call · **To what, where:** something, Dibs, front seat, seat, last slice, pizza · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A claim to have or do something first: if you say «Dibs on the front seat!», you mean you get it.

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dibs:m1:1
# text = A claim to have or do something first: if you say «Dibs on the front seat!», you mean you get it.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	claim	claim	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	have	have	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	acl	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	conj	_	_
7	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	6	obj	_	_
8	first	first	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	23	punct	_	_
10	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
11	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
12	say	say	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	23	advcl	_	_
13	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	Dibs	Dibs	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	_
15	on	on	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
17	front	front	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
18	seat	seat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
22	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	23	nsubj	_	_
23	mean	mean	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
24	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	25	nsubj	_	_
25	get	get	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	23	ccomp	_	_
26	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	25	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **do** | infinitive |  | something |  |  |  | first *property* | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Eventuality |
| 3 | **say** *speech: assert* *a condition, not said to happen* | present | you | Dibs |  | the front seat |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent dibs=Topic |
| 4 | **mean** | present | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 5 | **get** | present | you | seat |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer it=Stimulus |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Money.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dibs:m2:1
# text = Money.
1	Money	money	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dibs on the window seat!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dibs:x1:1
# text = Dibs on the window seat!
1	Dibs	dib	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
2	on	on	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	window	window	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	seat	seat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I called dibs on the last slice of pizza.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dibs:x2:1
# text = I called dibs on the last slice of pizza.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	called	call	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	dibs	dib	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	last	last	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	slice	slice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	pizza	pizza	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** | past | I | dibs |  | the last slice of pizza |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent dib=Recipient |
| 2 | **slice** |  |  | pizza |  |  |  |  | nom slice «possession transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
You can't have it, Ellie already has dibs.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dibs:x3:1
# text = You can't have it, Ellie already has dibs.
1	You	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	ca	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	have	have	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
7	Ellie	Ellie	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
8	already	already	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
10	dibs	dib	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **have** | can | You | it |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Patient |
| 2 | **have** | present | Ellie | dibs |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent dib=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dibs on going first!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dibs:x4:1
# text = Dibs on going first!
1	Dibs	dib	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	on	on	SCONJ	IN	_	3	mark	_	_
3	going	go	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	first	first	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	3	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go** | gerund | Dibs |  |  |  |  | first *property* | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Who's got dibs on the top bunk?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dibs:x5:1
# text = Who's got dibs on the top bunk?
1	Who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	3	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	got	get	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	dibs	dib	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	top	top	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	bunk	bunk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** | present · passive |  | dibs |  | the top bunk |  |  | vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP PP.source»: agent=Agent dib=Theme on bunk=Source |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He shouted «dibs!» before anyone else could.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dibs:x6:1
# text = He shouted «dibs!» before anyone else could.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	shouted	shout	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	dibs	dib	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
7	before	before	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
8	anyone	anyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	10	nsubj	_	_
9	else	else	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
10	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **shout** *speech: express* | past | He | dibs |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent dib=Topic |

<!-- 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: [diatom](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/diatom/)
- next →: [dice](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dice/)
- ↑ back to [D in school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/)