---
title: dimmer — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «dimmer» in the school dictionary: Dimmer means less bright: «The light grew dimmer.». Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# dimmer

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Dimmer, light, switch, you, sun, We · **What happens:** mean, grow, be, let, make, get · **To what, where:** less, switch, you, light, dimmer, dimmer switch · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«dimmer» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 8 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: [dimmer in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/dimmer.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dimmer means less bright: «The light grew dimmer.».

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dimmer:m1:1
# text = Dimmer means less bright: «The light grew dimmer.».
1	Dimmer	dimmer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	less	less	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	2	obj	_	_
4	bright	bright	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	9	punct	_	_
6	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	light	light	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
9	grew	grow	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
10	dimmer	dim	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	9	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Dimmer | less |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent less=Topic |
| 2 | **grow** *in a quote* | past | the light |  |  |  |  | dim *property* | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- .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 -->
A dimmer (or dimmer switch) is a switch that lets you make a light brighter or less bright.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dimmer:m2:1
# text = A dimmer (or dimmer switch) is a switch that lets you make a light brighter or less bright.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	dimmer	dimmer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
3	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	dimmer	dim	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	6	amod	_	_
6	switch	switch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	6	punct	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	switch	switch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
11	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	12	nsubj	_	_
12	lets	let	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	acl:relcl	_	_
13	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	12	obj	_	_
14	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	xcomp	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	light	light	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obj	_	_
17	brighter	bright	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	14	xcomp	_	_
18	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
19	less	less	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	17	conj	_	_
20	bright	bright	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	19	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a dimmer | a switch |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **let** | present | a switch | you |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **make** | infinitive | you *not said here* | a light |  |  |  | bright *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset light=Product |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Informally, dimmer can mean less clever (from dim = not clever) — unkind.

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dimmer:m3:1
# text = Informally, dimmer can mean less clever (from dim = not clever) — unkind.
1	Informally	informally	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	dimmer	dimmer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	less	less	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	7	advmod	_	_
7	clever	clever	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	xcomp	_	_
8	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	from	from	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
10	dim	dim	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	nsubj	_	_
11	=	=	SYM	SYM	_	13	punct	_	_
12	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	13	advmod	_	_
13	clever	clever	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	13	punct	_	_
15	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	16	punct	_	_
16	unkind	unkind	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | can | dimmer |  |  |  |  | clever, informally *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The light got dimmer as the sun went down.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dimmer:x1:1
# text = The light got dimmer as the sun went down.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	light	light	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	got	get	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	dimmer	dim	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	3	xcomp	_	_
5	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	sun	sun	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
8	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
9	down	down	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** | past | the light |  |  |  |  | dim *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **go down** | past | the sun |  |  |  |  | down *property* | vn calibratable\_cos-45.6.1-1 «NP.attribute V»: agent=Attribute |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Turn the dimmer down for the film.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dimmer:x2:1
# text = Turn the dimmer down for the film.
1	Turn	turn	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	dimmer	dimmer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	down	down	ADP	RP	_	1	compound:prt	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	film	film	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **turn down** | imperative | you *not said here* | the dimmer |  |  |  | for the film | vn reject-77.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent dimmer=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We have a dimmer switch in the living room.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dimmer:x3:1
# text = We have a dimmer switch in the living room.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	have	have	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	dimmer	dim	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	5	amod	_	_
5	switch	switch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	living	living	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	room	room	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The torch got dimmer and dimmer.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dimmer:x4:1
# text = The torch got dimmer and dimmer.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	torch	torch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	got	get	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	dimmer	dim	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	3	xcomp	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	dimmer	dim	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** | past | the torch |  |  |  |  | dim *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Stars look dimmer near city lights.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dimmer:x5:1
# text = Stars look dimmer near city lights.
1	Stars	star	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	look	look	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	dimmer	dim	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	2	xcomp	_	_
4	near	near	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	city	city	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	lights	light	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** | present | Stars |  |  |  |  | dim *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The cave grew dimmer the further we went.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dimmer:x6:1
# text = The cave grew dimmer the further we went.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	cave	cave	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	grew	grow	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	dimmer	dimmer	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	further	further	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	nsubj	_	_
7	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **grow** | past | the cave |  |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **go** | past | the further |  |  |  |  |  | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Can you turn the dimmer up? I can't read.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Can you turn the dimmer up?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dimmer:x7:1
# text = Can you turn the dimmer up?
1	Can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
2	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	turn	turn	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	dimmer	dimmer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	up	up	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **turn up** | can | you | the dimmer |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location dimmer=Theme |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* I can't read.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dimmer:x7:2
# text = I can't read.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|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	read	read	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **read** | can | I |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
His voice grew dimmer as he walked away.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dimmer:x8:1
# text = His voice grew dimmer as he walked away.
1	His	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	voice	voice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	grew	grow	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	dimmer	dim	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	3	xcomp	_	_
5	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
6	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	walked	walk	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
8	away	away	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **grow** | past | His voice |  |  |  |  | dim *property* | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **walk away** | past | voice |  |  |  |  | away *property* | vn resign-10.11-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

<!-- 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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