---
title: distressful — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «distressful» in the school dictionary: Causing pain, worry or sadness; upsetting. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# distressful

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** It, crew, news, lost puppy, Moving, old poem · **What happens:** cause, be, see, flood, have, lose · **To what, where:** pain, distressful sight, flooded houses, long distressful voyage, storm, distressful whine · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«distressful» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 6 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: [distressful in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/distressful.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Causing pain, worry or sadness; upsetting.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:distressful:m1:1
# text = Causing pain, worry or sadness; upsetting.
1	Causing	cause	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	8	csubj	_	_
2	pain	pain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
4	worry	worry	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	sadness	sadness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	8	punct	_	_
8	upsetting	upsetting	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cause** | gerund |  | pain and worry or sadness |  |  |  |  | vn engender-27.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Precondition pain=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 -->
Full of trouble and suffering.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:distressful:m2:1
# text = Full of trouble and suffering.
1	Full	full	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
2	of	of	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	trouble	trouble	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	suffering	suffering	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It was a distressful sight to see the flooded houses.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:distressful:x1:1
# text = It was a distressful sight to see the flooded houses.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	distressful	distressful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	sight	sight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	see	see	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	acl	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	flooded	flood	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	10	amod	_	_
10	houses	house	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | It | a distressful sight |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **see** | to-infinitive |  | the flooded houses |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer house=Stimulus |
| 3 | **flood** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The ship's crew had a long, distressful voyage through the storm.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:distressful:x2:1
# text = The ship's crew had a long, distressful voyage through the storm.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	ship	ship	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	crew	crew	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
7	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
9	distressful	distressful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	voyage	voyage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
11	through	through	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	storm	storm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | the ship's crew | a long distressful voyage |  | the storm |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent voyage=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The news of the accident was distressful for the whole town.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:distressful:x3:1
# text = The news of the accident was distressful for the whole town.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	news	news	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	accident	accident	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	distressful	distressful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
8	for	for	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	whole	whole	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	town	town	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the news of the accident |  |  |  |  | for the whole town; distressful *property* | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The lost puppy gave a distressful whine.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:distressful:x4:1
# text = The lost puppy gave a distressful whine.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	lost	lose	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	amod	_	_
3	puppy	puppy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	gave	give	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	distressful	distressful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	whine	whine	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lose** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **give** | past | the lost puppy | a distressful whine |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent whine=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Moving away from all her friends was a distressful time for Ella.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:distressful:x5:1
# text = Moving away from all her friends was a distressful time for Ella.
1	Moving	move	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	10	csubj	_	_
2	away	away	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	_
3	from	from	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	all	all	DET	PDT	PronType=Tot	6	det:predet	_	_
5	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	friends	friend	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obl	_	_
7	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	distressful	distressful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
11	for	for	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	Ella	Ella	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **move away** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | from her friends; away *property* | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V PP.trajectory»: agent=Theme from friend=Trajectory |
| 2 | **is a** | past | Moving | a distressful time |  |  |  | for Ella | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The old poem tells of distressful days of war and hunger.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:distressful:x6:1
# text = The old poem tells of distressful days of war and hunger.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	poem	poem	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	tells	tell	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	distressful	distressful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	days	day	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	war	war	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	hunger	hunger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | present | the old poem |  |  |  | day |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

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**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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