---
title: dismay — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «dismay» in the school dictionary: Dismay is a sudden sad, worried feeling when something bad or disappointing happens. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# dismay

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Dismay, something, they, someone, cream van, my · **What happens:** be, disappoint, happen, dismay, feel, mean · **To what, where:** sudden sad worried feeling, someone, dismay, everyone, He, post · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dismay is a sudden sad, worried feeling when something bad or disappointing happens.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dismay:m1:1
# text = Dismay is a sudden sad, worried feeling when something bad or disappointing happens.
1	Dismay	dismay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
4	sudden	sudden	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
5	sad	sad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
7	worried	worried	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	feeling	feeling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
9	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	14	advmod	_	_
10	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	14	nsubj	_	_
11	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	disappointing	disappoint	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	10	conj	_	_
14	happens	happen	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Dismay | a sudden sad worried feeling |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **disappoint** | gerund | something *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **happen** | present | something |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «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 -->
To dismay someone is to make them feel shocked and upset.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dismay:m2:1
# text = To dismay someone is to make them feel shocked and upset.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	dismay	dismay	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	csubj	_	_
3	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
7	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	feel	feel	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	xcomp	_	_
9	shocked	shocked	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	xcomp	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	upset	upset	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **dismay** | to-infinitive |  | someone |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus someone=Experiencer |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | make *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **feel** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | shocked *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To someone's dismay means «and they were upset that».

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dismay:m3:1
# text = To someone's dismay means «and they were upset that».
1	To	to	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
2	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	dismay	dismay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
8	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
9	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
10	upset	upset	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	ccomp	_	_
11	that	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | someone's dismay |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** *in a quote* | past | they |  |  |  |  | upset *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **dismay** |  | someone |  |  |  |  |  | nom dismay «feeling transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To my dismay, the ice cream van had gone.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dismay:x1:1
# text = To my dismay, the ice cream van had gone.
1	To	to	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
3	dismay	dismay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
6	ice	ice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	cream	cream	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	van	van	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
9	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
10	gone	go	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go** | past · perfect | the cream van |  |  | my dismay |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme to dismay=Initial\_Location |
| 2 | **dismay** |  | my |  |  |  |  |  | nom dismay «feeling transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She stared in dismay at the broken vase.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dismay:x2:1
# text = She stared in dismay at the broken vase.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	stared	stare	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	dismay	dismay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
5	at	at	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	broken	break	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	amod	_	_
8	vase	vase	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stare** | past | She |  |  |  |  | at the broken vase; in dismay | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent in dismay=Theme |
| 2 | **break** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn hurt-40.8.3-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The rain dismayed everyone at the sports day.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dismay:x3:1
# text = The rain dismayed everyone at the sports day.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	rain	rain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	dismayed	dismay	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	everyone	everyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	3	obj	_	_
5	at	at	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	sports	sport	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	compound	_	_
8	day	day	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 | **dismay** | past | the rain | everyone |  |  | day |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus everyone=Experiencer |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He was dismayed to find his homework was missing.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dismay:x4:1
# text = He was dismayed to find his homework was missing.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	dismayed	dismay	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	find	find	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
6	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	homework	homework	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
8	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
9	missing	missing	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **dismay** | past · passive |  | He |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: subject=Experiencer |
| 2 | **find** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn declare-29.4-1-1 «NP V what S\_INF»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **is** | past | his homework |  |  |  |  | missing *property* | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The fans groaned in dismay as the ball hit the post.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dismay:x5:1
# text = The fans groaned in dismay as the ball hit the post.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	fans	fan	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	groaned	groan	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	dismay	dismay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
6	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	ball	ball	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
9	hit	hit	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	post	post	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **groan** | past | the fans |  |  |  |  | in dismay | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent in dismay=Theme |
| 2 | **hit** | past | the ball | the post |  |  |  |  | vn contiguous\_location-47.8-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme post=Co-Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Much to our dismay, the trip was cancelled.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dismay:x6:1
# text = Much to our dismay, the trip was cancelled.
1	Much	much	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	case	_	_
2	to	to	ADP	IN	_	1	fixed	_	_
3	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	dismay	dismay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	trip	trip	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj:pass	_	_
8	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux:pass	_	_
9	cancelled	cancel	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cancel** | past · passive |  | the trip |  |  |  | much our dismay | tree rules |
| 2 | **dismay** |  | our |  |  |  |  |  | nom dismay «feeling transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The teacher was dismayed by the mess in the classroom.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dismay:x7:1
# text = The teacher was dismayed by the mess in the classroom.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	dismayed	dismay	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	by	by	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	mess	mess	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	classroom	classroom	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **dismay** | past · passive | the mess in the classroom | the teacher |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus subject=Experiencer |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
But I have eaten it!” exclaimed the baker in dismay.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dismay:x8:1
# text = But I have eaten it!” exclaimed the baker in dismay.
1	But	but	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
2	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
3	have	have	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	eaten	eat	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	”	"	PUNCT	''	_	8	punct	_	_
8	exclaimed	exclaim	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	baker	baker	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
11	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	dismay	dismay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **eat** | present · perfect | I | it |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Patient |
| 2 | **exclaim** *speech: express* *in a quote* | past | I *not said here* | the baker |  | dismay |  |  | vn say-37.7-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent baker=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 -->

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