---
title: discern — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «discern» in the school dictionary: To see, hear or notice something that is hard to see or hear. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# discern

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** you, we, she, Babies, Good readers, clues · **What happens:** see, hear, notice, be, understand, recognise · **To what, where:** something, lighthouse, fog, pattern, numbers, voice

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To see, hear or notice something that is hard to see or hear.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:discern:m1:1
# text = To see, hear or notice something that is hard to see or hear.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	see	see	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
4	hear	hear	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	notice	notice	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
7	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	6	obj	_	_
8	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	10	nsubj	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
10	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	acl:relcl	_	_
11	to	to	PART	TO	_	12	mark	_	_
12	see	see	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	xcomp	_	_
13	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	hear	hear	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **see** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **hear** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn see-30.1-1-1 «NP V PP.stimulus»: agent=Experiencer |
| 3 | **notice** | infinitive | you *not said here* | something |  |  |  |  | vn see-30.1-1 «NP V S»: agent=Experiencer something=Stimulus |
| 4 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | hard *property* | tree rules |
| 5 | **see** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 6 | **hear** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn see-30.1-1-1 «NP V PP.stimulus»: agent=Experiencer |

<!-- .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 -->
To understand or recognise something, often a difference, by thinking carefully.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:discern:m2:1
# text = To understand or recognise something, often a difference, by thinking carefully.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	understand	understand	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	recognise	recognise	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
5	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
7	often	often	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	difference	difference	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
11	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
12	thinking	think	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	advcl	_	_
13	carefully	carefully	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **understand** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **recognise** | infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer something=Stimulus |
| 3 | **think** *speech: other* | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | carefully *property* | vn focus-87.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To tell apart, such as right from wrong.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:discern:m3:1
# text = To tell apart, such as right from wrong.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	tell	tell	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	apart	apart	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
5	such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|ExtPos=ADP	7	case	_	_
6	as	as	ADP	IN	_	5	fixed	_	_
7	right	right	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	ccomp	_	_
8	from	from	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell apart** *speech: assert* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | apart *property* | vn distinguish-23.5 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Through the fog we could just discern the lighthouse.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:discern:x1:1
# text = Through the fog we could just discern the lighthouse.
1	Through	through	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	fog	fog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
4	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
5	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
6	just	just	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	discern	discern	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	lighthouse	lighthouse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **discern** | could | we | the lighthouse |  | the fog |  |  | vn see-30.1-1 «NP V S»: agent=Experiencer lighthouse=Stimulus |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Can you discern a pattern in these numbers?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:discern:x2:1
# text = Can you discern a pattern in these numbers?
1	Can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
2	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	discern	discern	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	pattern	pattern	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	these	this	DET	DT	Number=Plur|PronType=Dem	8	det	_	_
8	numbers	number	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **discern** | can | you | a pattern |  | this numbers |  |  | vn see-30.1-1 «NP V S»: agent=Experiencer pattern=Stimulus |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It was hard to discern what she meant.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:discern:x3:1
# text = It was hard to discern what she meant.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	expl	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	discern	discern	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	csubj	_	_
6	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	5	obj	_	_
7	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	meant	mean	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past |  |  |  |  |  | hard *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **discern** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn see-30.1-1 «NP V S»: agent=Experiencer what=Stimulus |
| 3 | **mean** | past | she |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Babies soon learn to discern their mother's voice.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:discern:x4:1
# text = Babies soon learn to discern their mother's voice.
1	Babies	baby	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	soon	soon	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	3	advmod	_	_
3	learn	learn	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	discern	discern	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	mother	mother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	's	's	PART	POS	_	7	case	_	_
9	voice	voice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **learn** | present | Babies |  |  |  |  | soon *property* | vn learn-14-2-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **discern** | to-infinitive | Babies *not said here* | Babies's mother's voice |  |  |  |  | vn see-30.1-1 «NP V S»: agent=Experiencer voice=Stimulus |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Good readers discern clues the writer has hidden.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:discern:x5:1
# text = Good readers discern clues the writer has hidden.
1	Good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	readers	reader	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	discern	discern	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	clues	clue	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	writer	writer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj:pass	_	_
7	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
8	hidden	hide	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **discern** | present | Good readers | clues |  |  |  |  | vn see-30.1-1 «NP V S»: agent=Experiencer clue=Stimulus |
| 2 | **hide** | present · perfect · passive | clues *not said here* | the writer |  |  |  |  | vn concealment-16-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He could not discern any difference between the two cakes.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:discern:x6:1
# text = He could not discern any difference between the two cakes.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	discern	discern	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	6	det	_	_
6	difference	difference	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	between	between	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	10	nummod	_	_
10	cakes	cake	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **discern** | could | He | any difference |  |  |  | between the two cakes | vn see-30.1-1 «NP V S»: agent=Experiencer difference=Stimulus |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The judge must discern truth from lies.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:discern:x7:1
# text = The judge must discern truth from lies.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	judge	judge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	discern	discern	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	truth	truth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
6	from	from	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	lies	lie	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **discern** | must | the judge | truth |  | lies |  |  | vn see-30.1-1 «NP V S»: agent=Experiencer truth=Stimulus |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
So rapidly did they grow, that Cadmus now discerned the fierce countenance of a man beneath every one.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:discern:x8:1
# text = So rapidly did they grow, that Cadmus now discerned the fierce countenance of a man beneath every one.
1	So	so	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
2	rapidly	rapidly	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
3	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
4	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
5	grow	grow	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
7	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
8	Cadmus	Cadmus	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
9	now	now	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	10	advmod	_	_
10	discerned	discern	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	fierce	fierce	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	countenance	countenance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	_
14	of	of	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nmod	_	_
17	beneath	beneath	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
18	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	19	det	_	_
19	one	one	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **grow** | past · do-support | they |  |  |  |  | rapidly *property* | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **discern** | past | Cadmus | the fierce countenance of a man |  |  | now | beneath every one | vn see-30.1-1 «NP V S»: agent=Experiencer countenance=Stimulus |

<!-- 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 -->
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