---
title: dilemma — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «dilemma» in the school dictionary: A dilemma is a hard choice between two (or more) options when each one has a bad side, so it is hard to know what is right. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# dilemma

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** dilemma, one, moral dilemma, two good rules, I, Telling · **What happens:** be, have, know, pull, go, tell · **To what, where:** hard choice, bad side, choice, dilemma, party, truth · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«dilemma» in the school dictionary: its 2 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: [dilemma in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/dilemma.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A dilemma is a hard choice between two (or more) options when each one has a bad side, so it is hard to know what is right.

<!-- fold The tree, 27 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dilemma:m1:1
# text = A dilemma is a hard choice between two (or more) options when each one has a bad side, so it is hard to know what is right.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	dilemma	dilemma	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	choice	choice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	between	between	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
8	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	13	nummod	_	_
9	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	13	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	11	punct	_	_
13	options	option	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	_
14	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	17	mark	_	_
15	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	16	det	_	_
16	one	one	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	nsubj	_	_
17	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	advcl	_	_
18	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
19	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	20	amod	_	_
20	side	side	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	25	punct	_	_
22	so	so	ADV	RB	_	25	advmod	_	_
23	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	25	expl	_	_
24	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	25	cop	_	_
25	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	conj	_	_
26	to	to	PART	TO	_	27	mark	_	_
27	know	know	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	25	csubj	_	_
28	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	30	nsubj	_	_
29	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	30	cop	_	_
30	right	right	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	27	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
31	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a dilemma | a hard choice |  |  |  | between two more options | tree rules |
| 2 | **have** | present | each one | a bad side |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent side=Patient |
| 3 | **is** | present | a dilemma *not said here* |  |  |  |  | hard *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **know** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 5 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | right *property* | 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: ethics — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A moral dilemma is a choice where two good rules pull against each other, like being honest and being kind.

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dilemma:m2:1
# text = A moral dilemma is a choice where two good rules pull against each other, like being honest and being kind.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	moral	moral	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	dilemma	dilemma	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	choice	choice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	11	advmod	_	_
8	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	10	nummod	_	_
9	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	rules	rule	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	nsubj	_	_
11	pull	pull	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	acl:relcl	_	_
12	against	against	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	each	each	DET	DT	ExtPos=PRON|PronType=Rcp	11	obl	_	_
14	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	fixed	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
16	like	like	SCONJ	IN	_	18	mark	_	_
17	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	18	cop	_	_
18	honest	honest	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	parataxis	_	_
19	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	21	cc	_	_
20	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	21	cop	_	_
21	kind	kind	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a moral dilemma | a choice |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **pull** | present | two good rules |  |  |  |  | against each | vn push-12-1 «NP V PP-Conative»: agent=Agent against each=Theme |
| 3 | **is** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | honest *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **is** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | kind *property* | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I had a dilemma: go to my best friend's party or my cousin's.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dilemma:x1:1
# text = I had a dilemma: go to my best friend's party or my cousin's.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	dilemma	dilemma	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	6	punct	_	_
6	go	go	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
8	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
9	best	good	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	10	amod	_	_
10	friend	friend	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	's	's	PART	POS	_	10	case	_	_
12	party	party	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
13	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
14	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	15	nmod:poss	_	_
15	cousin	cousin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	's	's	PART	POS	_	15	case	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | I | a dilemma |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent dilemma=Patient |
| 2 | **go** | infinitive | I *not said here* |  |  | my best friend's party 's my cousin |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme to party=Initial\_Location |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Telling the truth would hurt Sam's feelings — it was a real dilemma.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dilemma:x2:1
# text = Telling the truth would hurt Sam's feelings — it was a real dilemma.
1	Telling	tell	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	csubj	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	truth	truth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	hurt	hurt	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	Sam	Sam	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	's	's	PART	POS	_	6	case	_	_
8	feelings	feeling	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	_
9	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	14	punct	_	_
10	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
11	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	14	cop	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	real	real	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	dilemma	dilemma	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | gerund |  | the truth |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent truth=Recipient |
| 2 | **hurt** | would | Telling | Sam's feelings |  |  |  |  | vn hurt-40.8.3-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer feeling=Patient |
| 3 | **is a** | past | truth | a real dilemma |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The class argued about a moral dilemma for an hour.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dilemma:x3:1
# text = The class argued about a moral dilemma for an hour.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	class	class	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	argued	argue	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	about	about	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	moral	moral	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	dilemma	dilemma	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
8	for	for	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	hour	hour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **argue** *speech: disagree* | past | the class |  |  |  | hour | about a moral dilemma | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V PP.theme S»: agent=Agent about dilemma=Topic |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The hero's dilemma was to save the town or save his dog.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dilemma:x4:1
# text = The hero's dilemma was to save the town or save his dog.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	hero	hero	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	dilemma	dilemma	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
5	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	save	save	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	town	town	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	save	save	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	conj	_	_
12	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	13	nmod:poss	_	_
13	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the hero's dilemma |  |  |  |  | save *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **save** | infinitive | the hero's dilemma *not said here* | his dog |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent dog=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mum faced a dilemma: work late or see my concert.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dilemma:x5:1
# text = Mum faced a dilemma: work late or see my concert.
1	Mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	faced	face	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	dilemma	dilemma	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	6	punct	_	_
6	work	work	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
7	late	late	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	2	advmod	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	see	see	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	conj	_	_
10	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	11	nmod:poss	_	_
11	concert	concert	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **face** | past | Mum | a dilemma |  |  |  | work *obl*; late *property* | vn fill-9.8-1 «NP V NP.destination»: agent=Agent dilemma=Destination |
| 2 | **see** | infinitive | Mum *not said here* | my concert |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer concert=Stimulus |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Our team won the ethics olympiad by explaining the dilemma clearly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dilemma:x6:1
# text = Our team won the ethics olympiad by explaining the dilemma clearly.
1	Our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	team	team	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	won	win	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	ethics	ethic	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	compound	_	_
6	olympiad	olympiad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
8	explaining	explain	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	advcl	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	dilemma	dilemma	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
11	clearly	clearly	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **win** | past | Our team | the ethics olympiad |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent olympiad=Eventuality |
| 2 | **explain** *speech: assert* | gerund | Our team *not said here* | the dilemma |  |  |  | clearly *property* | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent dilemma=Topic |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
This question placed Iwanich in a dilemma.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dilemma:x7:1
# text = This question placed Iwanich in a dilemma.
1	This	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	2	det	_	_
2	question	question	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	placed	place	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	Iwanich	Iwanich	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	dilemma	dilemma	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **place** | past | this question | Iwanich |  | a dilemma |  |  | vn put-9.1-2 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent iwanich=Theme in dilemma=Destination |

<!-- 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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