---
title: drab — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «drab» in the school dictionary: Dull and boring, with no bright colours or interest. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# drab

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** classroom, we, female duck, male, She, town · **What happens:** look, put up, be, wear, turn, want · **To what, where:** paintings, drab grey coat, drab room, drab, space, mire

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dull and boring, with no bright colours or interest.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:drab:m1:1
# text = Dull and boring, with no bright colours or interest.
1	Dull	dull	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
2	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
3	boring	boring	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	8	det	_	_
7	bright	bright	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	colours	colour	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	interest	interest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

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

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grey or brownish in colour.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:drab:m2:1
# text = Grey or brownish in colour.
1	Grey	grey	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
2	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
3	brownish	brownish	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	conj	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	colour	colour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

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

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: of life or a place — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Without fun or excitement.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:drab:m3:1
# text = Without fun or excitement.
1	Without	without	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	fun	fun	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	excitement	excitement	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The classroom looked drab until we put up our paintings.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:drab:x1:1
# text = The classroom looked drab until we put up our paintings.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	classroom	classroom	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	looked	look	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	drab	drab	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	xcomp	_	_
5	until	until	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
6	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	put	put	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
8	up	up	ADP	RP	_	7	compound:prt	_	_
9	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
10	paintings	painting	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** | past | the classroom |  |  |  |  | drab *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |
| 2 | **put up** | past | we | our paintings |  |  |  |  | vn invest-13.5.4-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent painting=Goal |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The female duck is drab brown, but the male is bright green.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:drab:x2:1
# text = The female duck is drab brown, but the male is bright green.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	female	female	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	duck	duck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	drab	drab	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	brown	brown	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
8	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	male	male	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nsubj	_	_
11	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
12	bright	bright	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	green	green	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | the female duck |  |  |  |  | brown *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present | the male |  |  |  |  | green *property* | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She wore a drab grey coat.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:drab:x3:1
# text = She wore a drab grey coat.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	wore	wear	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
4	drab	drab	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
5	grey	grey	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	coat	coat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wear** | past | She | a drab grey coat |  |  |  |  | vn wipe\_manner-10.4.1-1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent coat=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The town looked drab in the winter rain.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:drab:x4:1
# text = The town looked drab in the winter rain.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	town	town	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	looked	look	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	drab	drab	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	xcomp	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	winter	winter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	rain	rain	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 | **look** | past | the town |  |  |  |  | in the winter rain; drab *property* | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent in rain=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Our new wallpaper turned a drab room into a happy one.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:drab:x5:1
# text = Our new wallpaper turned a drab room into a happy one.
1	Our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	wallpaper	wallpaper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	turned	turn	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	drab	drab	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	room	room	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
8	into	into	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	happy	happy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	one	one	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **turn** | past | Our new wallpaper | a drab room |  |  |  | into a happy one | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V NP PP.trajectory»: agent=Agent room=Theme into one=Trajectory |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He wanted to escape his drab, boring life.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:drab:x6:1
# text = He wanted to escape his drab, boring life.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	wanted	want	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	escape	escape	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
5	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	drab	drab	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
8	boring	boring	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	life	life	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **want** | past | He |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot clause=Theme |
| 2 | **escape** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | He *not said here* | his drab and boring life |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme drab=Initial\_Location |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Drab feathers help birds hide from foxes.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:drab:x7:1
# text = Drab feathers help birds hide from foxes.
1	Drab	drab	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	feathers	feather	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	help	help	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	birds	bird	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
5	hide	hide	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	xcomp	_	_
6	from	from	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	foxes	fox	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **help** | present | Drab feathers |  |  |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 2 | **hide** | present | birds |  |  |  |  | from foxes | vn concealment-16-1 «NP V PP.beneficiary»: agent=Agent from fox=Beneficiary |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She now came to a space of marshy ground in the wood, where large, fat water-snakes were rolling in the mire, and showing their ugly, drab-colored bodies.

<!-- fold The tree, 29 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:drab:x8:1
# text = She now came to a space of marshy ground in the wood, where large, fat water-snakes were rolling in the mire, and showing their ugly, drab-colored bodies.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	now	now	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	3	advmod	_	_
3	came	come	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	space	space	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	marshy	marshy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	ground	ground	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	wood	wood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
14	where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	15	advmod	_	_
15	large	large	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	22	punct	_	_
17	fat	fat	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	20	amod	_	_
18	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	snakes	snake	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	22	nsubj	_	_
21	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	22	aux	_	_
22	rolling	roll	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	15	advcl	_	_
23	in	in	ADP	IN	_	25	case	_	_
24	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	25	det	_	_
25	mire	mire	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	28	punct	_	_
27	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	28	cc	_	_
28	showing	show	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	advcl	_	_
29	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	35	nmod:poss	_	_
30	ugly	ugly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	35	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
31	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	30	punct	_	_
32	drab	drab	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	34	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
33	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	32	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
34	colored	color	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	35	amod	_	_
35	bodies	body	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	28	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
36	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come** | past | She |  |  | a space of marshy ground in the wood | now |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme to space=Initial\_Location |
| 2 | **roll** | past · progressive | fat water snakes |  |  | the mire |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in mire=Trajectory |
| 3 | **show** | gerund | She *not said here* | snakes's ugly colored bodies |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent body=Recipient |
| 4 | **color** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn coloring-24 «NP V NP»: 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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