---
title: dilate — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «dilate» in the school dictionary: To become wider or bigger, especially an opening in the body. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# dilate

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** pupils, more light, doctor, you, optician, blood vessels · **What happens:** become, dilate, get, come in, use, look · **To what, where:** dark, drops, pupils, length, dark room, eyes

<!-- .vabout -->
«dilate» in the school dictionary: its 4 meanings 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: [dilate in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/dilate.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To become wider or bigger, especially an opening in the body.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dilate:m1:1
# text = To become wider or bigger, especially an opening in the body.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	become	become	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	wider	wide	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	2	advmod	_	_
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	bigger	big	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
7	especially	especially	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
8	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	opening	opening	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	body	body	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **become** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | wide *property* | vn become-109.1-1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: 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}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The pupils of your eyes dilate (get bigger) in the dark so more light can come in.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dilate:m2:1
# text = The pupils of your eyes dilate (get bigger) in the dark so more light can come in.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	pupils	pupil	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	eyes	eye	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nmod	_	_
6	dilate	dilate	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	get	get	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
9	bigger	big	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	8	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	8	punct	_	_
11	in	in	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	dark	dark	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
14	so	so	ADV	RB	_	18	advmod	_	_
15	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	16	amod	_	_
16	light	light	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	nsubj	_	_
17	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	18	aux	_	_
18	come	come	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	xcomp	_	_
19	in	in	ADV	RB	_	18	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **dilate** | present | the pupils of your eyes |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **get** | infinitive | the pupils of your eyes *not said here* |  |  | the dark |  | big *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer clause=Stimulus |
| 3 | **come in** | can | more light |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A doctor may use drops to dilate your pupils to look inside your eyes.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dilate:m3:1
# text = A doctor may use drops to dilate your pupils to look inside your eyes.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	doctor	doctor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	may	may	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	use	use	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	drops	drop	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	dilate	dilate	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	advcl	_	_
8	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	pupils	pupil	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	look	look	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	advcl	_	_
12	inside	inside	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	14	nmod:poss	_	_
14	eyes	eye	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | may | a doctor | drops |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent drop=Patient |
| 2 | **dilate** | to-infinitive | a doctor *not said here* | your pupils |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent pupil=Patient |
| 3 | **look** | to-infinitive | a doctor *not said here* |  |  |  |  | inside your eyes | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent inside eye=Theme |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To talk or write at length about something.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dilate:m4:1
# text = To talk or write at length about something.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	talk	talk	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	write	write	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
5	at	at	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	length	length	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
7	about	about	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **talk** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn talk-37.5 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **write** | infinitive |  |  |  | length about something |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Your pupils dilate when you walk into a dark room.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dilate:x1:1
# text = Your pupils dilate when you walk into a dark room.
1	Your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	pupils	pupil	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	dilate	dilate	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	6	mark	_	_
5	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	walk	walk	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
7	into	into	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	dark	dark	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	room	room	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **dilate** | present | Your pupils |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **walk** | present | you |  |  |  |  | into a dark room *result* | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V PP.result»: agent=Theme into room=Result |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The optician put drops in my eyes to dilate them.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dilate:x2:1
# text = The optician put drops in my eyes to dilate them.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	optician	optician	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	put	put	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	drops	drop	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	eyes	eye	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	dilate	dilate	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
10	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **put** | past | the optician | drops |  | my eyes |  |  | vn put-9.1-2 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent drop=Theme in eye=Destination |
| 2 | **dilate** | to-infinitive | the optician *not said here* | drops *= drop* |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent they=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
When you are hot, blood vessels in your skin dilate.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dilate:x3:1
# text = When you are hot, blood vessels in your skin dilate.
1	When	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	4	advmod	_	_
2	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	hot	hot	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
6	blood	blood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	vessels	vessel	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	nsubj	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
10	skin	skin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	_
11	dilate	dilate	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | you |  |  |  |  | hot *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **dilate** | infinitive | blood vessels in your skin |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Cat's eyes dilate into big black circles at night.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dilate:x4:1
# text = Cat's eyes dilate into big black circles at night.
1	Cat	cat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	's	PART	POS	_	1	case	_	_
3	eyes	eye	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	dilate	dilate	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	into	into	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
7	black	black	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	circles	circle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	_
9	at	at	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	night	night	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 | **dilate** | present | Cat's eyes |  |  | big black circles | night |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Watch a friend's eyes dilate when you turn off the light.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dilate:x5:1
# text = Watch a friend's eyes dilate when you turn off the light.
1	Watch	watch	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	friend	friend	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	's	's	PART	POS	_	3	case	_	_
5	eyes	eye	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
6	dilate	dilate	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	parataxis	_	_
7	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	9	advmod	_	_
8	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	turn	turn	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	advcl	_	_
10	off	off	ADP	RP	_	9	compound:prt	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	light	light	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **watch** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn search-35.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **dilate** | present | a friend's eyes |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 3 | **turn off** | present | you | the light |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent light=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The nurse checked whether the patient's pupils were dilated.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dilate:x6:1
# text = The nurse checked whether the patient's pupils were dilated.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	nurse	nurse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	checked	check	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	whether	whether	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	patient	patient	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	's	's	PART	POS	_	6	case	_	_
8	pupils	pupil	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	nsubj	_	_
9	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux:pass	_	_
10	dilated	dilate	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **check** | past | the nurse |  |  |  |  |  | vn assessment-34.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **dilate** | past · passive |  | the patient's pupils |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: subject=Patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The opposite of dilate is constrict.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dilate:x7:1
# text = The opposite of dilate is constrict.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	opposite	opposite	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	4	mark	_	_
4	dilate	dilate	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	acl	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
6	constrict	constrict	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **dilate** | infinitive | the opposite *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **is** | present | the opposite |  |  |  |  | constrict *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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