---
title: dud — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «dud» in the school dictionary: Something that does not work properly or is useless, like a firework that does not go off or a dead battery. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# dud

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** firework, person, shell, last firework, battery, 's · **What happens:** not work, be, not go off, fail, disappoint, not explode · **To what, where:** dud, 's, another, new phone, film, US

<!-- .vabout -->
«dud» in the school dictionary: its 4 meanings for a pupil and its 7 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: [dud in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/dud.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Something that does not work properly or is useless, like a firework that does not go off or a dead battery.

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dud:m1:1
# text = Something that does not work properly or is useless, like a firework that does not go off or a dead battery.
1	Something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	0	root	_	_
2	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	5	nsubj	_	_
3	does	do	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
4	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	5	advmod	_	_
5	work	work	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	acl:relcl	_	_
6	properly	properly	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
9	useless	useless	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
11	like	like	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	firework	firework	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	conj	_	_
14	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	17	nsubj	_	_
15	does	do	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	17	aux	_	_
16	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	17	advmod	_	_
17	go	go	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	13	acl:relcl	_	_
18	off	off	ADP	RP	_	17	compound:prt	_	_
19	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	22	cc	_	_
20	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
21	dead	dead	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	22	amod	_	_
22	battery	battery	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **work** | present · do-support |  |  |  |  |  | properly *property* | vn employment-95.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | useless *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **not** **go off** | present · do-support | a firework or a dead battery |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-2 «NP V ADV»: 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: informal — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A person or thing that fails or disappoints.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dud:m2:1
# text = A person or thing that fails or disappoints.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	thing	thing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
5	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	6	nsubj	_	_
6	fails	fail	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	acl:relcl	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	disappoints	disappoint	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fail** | present | a person or thing |  |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **disappoint** | present | a person or thing *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
duds (US, informal, old): clothes.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dud:m3:1
# text = duds (US, informal, old): clothes.
1	duds	dud	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
2	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	US	US	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	1	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
5	informal	informal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
7	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	10	punct	_	_
10	clothes	clothes	NOUN	NNS	Number=Ptan	1	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

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

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A bomb or shell that did not explode.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dud:m4:1
# text = A bomb or shell that did not explode.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	bomb	bomb	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	shell	shell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
5	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	8	nsubj	_	_
6	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
7	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	8	advmod	_	_
8	explode	explode	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **explode** | past · do-support | shell |  |  |  |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The last firework was a dud.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dud:x1:1
# text = The last firework was a dud.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	last	last	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	firework	firework	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	dud	dud	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | the last firework | a dud |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
This battery is a dud; let's try another.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dud:x2:1
# text = This battery is a dud; let's try another.
1	This	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	2	det	_	_
2	battery	battery	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	dud	dud	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	7	punct	_	_
7	let	let	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	5	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	's	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
9	try	try	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	xcomp	_	_
10	another	another	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | this battery | a dud |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **let** | infinitive |  | 's |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **try** | infinitive | 's *not said here* | another |  |  |  |  | vn try-61.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent another=Eventuality |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The new phone turned out to be a dud.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dud:x3:1
# text = The new phone turned out to be a dud.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	phone	phone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	turned	turn	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	acl	_	_
5	out	out	ADP	RP	_	4	compound:prt	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
7	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	cop	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	dud	dud	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **turn out** | participle |  | the new phone *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **is a** | to-infinitive |  | a dud |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Never go back to a dud firework: it might explode.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dud:x4:1
# text = Never go back to a dud firework: it might explode.
1	Never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	2	advmod	_	_
2	go	go	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	back	back	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
4	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	dud	dud	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	firework	firework	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	11	punct	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
10	might	might	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
11	explode	explode	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **go back** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | to a dud firework *result* | vn convert-26.6.2 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Patient to firework=Result |
| 2 | **explode** | might | firework |  |  |  |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
(informal) The film was a dud, and nobody went to see it.

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dud:x5:1
# text = (informal) The film was a dud, and nobody went to see it.
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	informal	informal	NUM	LS	_	8	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	2	punct	_	_
4	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	film	film	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
6	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	dud	dud	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
11	nobody	nobody	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	12	nsubj	_	_
12	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	conj	_	_
13	to	to	PART	TO	_	14	mark	_	_
14	see	see	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	xcomp	_	_
15	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | the film | a dud |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **go** | past | nobody |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7 «NP V S-Quote»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **see** | to-infinitive | nobody *not said here* | film |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer it=Stimulus |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
One of the eggs was a dud and did not hatch.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dud:x6:1
# text = One of the eggs was a dud and did not hatch.
1	One	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	7	nsubj	_	_
2	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	eggs	egg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	nmod	_	_
5	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	dud	dud	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
9	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
10	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	11	advmod	_	_
11	hatch	hatch	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | One of the eggs | a dud |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **hatch** | past · do-support | One of the eggs *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn grow-26.2.1 «NP.patient V PP.product»: agent=Patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
(US, old informal) He put on his best duds for the party.

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dud:x7:1
# text = (US, old informal) He put on his best duds for the party.
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	US	US	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
4	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	informal	informal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	2	punct	_	_
7	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	put	put	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	on	on	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	12	nmod:poss	_	_
11	best	good	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	12	amod	_	_
12	duds	dud	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obl	_	_
13	for	for	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	party	party	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **put** | past | He | US |  | his best duds |  | for the party | vn put-9.1-2 «NP V PP.destination NP»: agent=Agent on dud=Destination |

<!-- 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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