---
title: dread — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «dread» in the school dictionary: To feel very worried or afraid about something that is going to happen. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# dread

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** I, he, kitchen, She, sense, dread dragon · **What happens:** feel, go, happen, cause, dread, fill · **To what, where:** great fear, dentist, He, creaky door, spelling test, campers · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«dread» in the school dictionary: its 4 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: [dread in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/dread.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To feel very worried or afraid about something that is going to happen.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dread:m1:1
# text = To feel very worried or afraid about something that is going to happen.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	feel	feel	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	very	very	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	worried	worried	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	afraid	afraid	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	_
7	about	about	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	6	obl	_	_
9	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	11	nsubj	_	_
10	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
11	going	go	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	8	acl:relcl	_	_
12	to	to	PART	TO	_	13	mark	_	_
13	happen	happen	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **feel** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | worried *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |
| 2 | **go** | present · progressive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7 «NP V S-Quote»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **happen** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | 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}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A strong feeling of fear about the future.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dread:m2:1
# text = A strong feeling of fear about the future.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	strong	strong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	feeling	feeling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	fear	fear	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	_
6	about	about	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	future	future	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

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

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Causing great fear: «the dread pirate».

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dread:m3:1
# text = Causing great fear: «the dread pirate».
1	Causing	cause	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
2	great	great	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	fear	fear	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	1	punct	_	_
5	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	dread	dread	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	pirate	pirate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cause** | gerund |  | great fear |  |  |  | the dread pirate *obl* | vn engender-27.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Precondition fear=Patient |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: informal, noun plural «dreads» — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Short for dreadlocks, a hairstyle of long twisted strands.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dread:m4:1
# text = Short for dreadlocks, a hairstyle of long twisted strands.
1	Short	short	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
2	for	for	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	dreadlocks	dreadlock	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	hairstyle	hairstyle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
9	twisted	twisted	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	strands	strand	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I dread going to the dentist.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dread:x1:1
# text = I dread going to the dentist.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	dread	dread	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	going	go	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	xcomp	_	_
4	to	to	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	dentist	dentist	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **dread** | present | I |  |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer clause=Stimulus |
| 2 | **go** | gerund | I *not said here* |  |  | the dentist |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme to dentist=Initial\_Location |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He was filled with dread as he opened the creaky door.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dread:x2:1
# text = He was filled with dread as he opened the creaky door.
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	filled	fill	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	dread	dread	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
6	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
7	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	opened	open	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	creaky	creaky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	door	door	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fill** | past · passive |  | He |  |  |  | with dread | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP PP.instrument»: subject=Patient with dread=Instrument |
| 2 | **open** | past | he | the creaky door |  |  |  |  | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location door=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I dread to think what the kitchen looks like after the party.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dread:x3:1
# text = I dread to think what the kitchen looks like after the party.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	dread	dread	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	think	think	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
5	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	8	obj	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	kitchen	kitchen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
8	looks	look	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	ccomp	_	_
9	like	like	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	after	after	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	party	party	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **dread** | present | I |  |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V that S»: agent=Experiencer clause=Stimulus |
| 2 | **think** *speech: other* | to-infinitive | I *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn consider-29.9-2 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 3 | **look** | present | the kitchen |  |  |  |  | like the party | vn seem-109-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme what=Attribute |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She dreaded the spelling test all week.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dread:x4:1
# text = She dreaded the spelling test all week.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	dreaded	dread	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	spelling	spelling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	test	test	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	7	det	_	_
7	week	week	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **dread** | past | She | the spelling test |  |  | week |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer test=Stimulus |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A sense of dread crept over the campers in the dark.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dread:x5:1
# text = A sense of dread crept over the campers in the dark.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	sense	sense	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	dread	dread	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
5	crept	creep	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	over	over	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	campers	camper	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	dark	dark	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **creep** | past | a sense of dread |  |  | the campers |  | in the dark | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme over camper=Trajectory |
| 2 | **sense** |  |  | dread |  |  |  |  | nom sense «cognition transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
(literary) The dread dragon guarded the cave.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dread:x6:1
# text = (literary) The dread dragon guarded the cave.
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	literary	literary	NUM	LS	_	7	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	2	punct	_	_
4	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	dread	dread	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	dragon	dragon	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	guarded	guard	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	cave	cave	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 | **guard** | past | the dread dragon | the cave |  |  |  |  | vn defend-72.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent cave=Beneficiary |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
(informal) He has long dreads tied back with a band.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dread:x7:1
# text = (informal) He has long dreads tied back with a band.
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	informal	informal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	2	punct	_	_
4	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
5	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	dreads	dread	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	_
8	tied	tie	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	acl	_	_
9	back	back	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
10	with	with	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	band	band	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | informal | long dreads |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent dread=Patient |
| 2 | **tie back** | participle |  | long dreads *not said here* |  |  |  | with a band | vn mix-22.1-2 «NP V ADVP-Middle PP»: agent=Patient with band=Co-Patient |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Then a great dread fell upon her.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dread:x8:1
# text = Then a great dread fell upon her.
1	Then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	5	advmod	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	great	great	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	dread	dread	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	fell	fall	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	upon	upon	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fall** | past | a great dread |  |  |  | then | upon her *= she* | vn occur-48.3 «NP V PP»: agent=Theme upon she=Location |

<!-- 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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