---
title: duff — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «duff» in the school dictionary: Duff means bad, useless or not working: a duff battery, a duff idea. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# duff

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Duff, bottom, torch, batteries, He, That · **What happens:** mean, not work, be, get off, stop, duff up · **To what, where:** bottom, duff, someone, fashioned word, duff note, middle · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Duff means bad, useless or not working: a duff battery, a duff idea.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:duff:m1:1
# text = Duff means bad, useless or not working: a duff battery, a duff idea.
1	Duff	duff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
5	useless	useless	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	conj	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
7	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	8	advmod	_	_
8	working	work	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	12	punct	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	duff	duff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	compound	_	_
12	battery	battery	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
15	duff	duff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	compound	_	_
16	idea	idea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Duff |  |  |  |  | bad *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **not** **work** | gerund | Duff *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn employment-95.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .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: slang, mainly US — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Your duff is your bottom; «get off your duff» means stop being lazy.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:duff:m2:1
# text = Your duff is your bottom; «get off your duff» means stop being lazy.
1	Your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	duff	duff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	bottom	bottom	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	8	punct	_	_
7	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	get	get	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	5	appos	_	_
9	off	off	ADP	RP	_	8	compound:prt	_	_
10	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	11	nmod:poss	_	_
11	duff	duff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	8	punct	_	_
13	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
14	stop	stop	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	13	ccomp	_	_
15	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	16	cop	_	_
16	lazy	lazy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	13	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Your duff | your bottom |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **get off** *in a quote* | infinitive |  | your duff |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer duff=Stimulus |
| 3 | **mean** | present | your bottom |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 4 | **stop** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |
| 5 | **is** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | lazy *property* | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To duff someone up is to beat them up.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:duff:m3:1
# text = To duff someone up is to beat them up.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	duff	duff	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	advcl	_	_
3	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	up	up	ADP	RP	_	2	compound:prt	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	beat	beat	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
9	up	up	ADP	RP	_	7	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **duff up** | to-infinitive |  | someone |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | beat *property* | tree rules |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A duff is an old-fashioned word for a kind of steamed pudding, as in plum duff.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:duff:m4:1
# text = A duff is an old-fashioned word for a kind of steamed pudding, as in plum duff.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	duff	duff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
5	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	fashioned	fashioned	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
9	for	for	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	kind	kind	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	_
12	of	of	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	steamed	steam	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	14	amod	_	_
14	pudding	pudding	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
16	as	as	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
17	in	in	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
18	plum	plum	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	19	amod	_	_
19	duff	duff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a duff | a fashioned word and plum duff |  |  |  | for a kind of steamed pudding | tree rules |
| 2 | **steam** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn cooking-45.3 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
This torch is duff — the batteries must be flat.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:duff:x1:1
# text = This torch is duff — the batteries must be flat.
1	This	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	2	det	_	_
2	torch	torch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	duff	duff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	10	punct	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	batteries	battery	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	nsubj	_	_
8	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
9	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	cop	_	_
10	flat	flat	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | this torch | duff |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | must | the batteries |  |  |  |  | flat *property* | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He played a duff note in the middle of the song.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:duff:x2:1
# text = He played a duff note in the middle of the song.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	played	play	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	duff	duff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	note	note	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	middle	middle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	song	song	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **play** | past | He | a duff note |  | the middle of the song |  |  | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent note=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
That was a duff idea, Tom.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:duff:x3:1
# text = That was a duff idea, Tom.
1	That	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	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	duff	duff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	idea	idea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
7	Tom	Tom	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
(US slang) Get off your duff and help me clean up!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:duff:x4:1
# text = (US slang) Get off your duff and help me clean up!
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	US	US	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	slang	slang	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	3	punct	_	_
5	Get	get	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	off	off	ADP	RP	_	5	compound:prt	_	_
7	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	duff	duff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	help	help	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
11	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	10	obj	_	_
12	clean	clean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	xcomp	_	_
13	up	up	ADP	RP	_	12	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get off** | imperative | you *not said here* | US slang |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer duff=Stimulus |
| 2 | **help** | infinitive | you *not said here* | me |  |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent i=Beneficiary clause=Theme |
| 3 | **clean up** | infinitive | me *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
(UK slang) The bully threatened to duff him up.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:duff:x5:1
# text = (UK slang) The bully threatened to duff him up.
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	UK	UK	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	slang	slang	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	3	punct	_	_
5	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	bully	bully	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	_
7	threatened	threaten	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	acl	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	duff	duff	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	xcomp	_	_
10	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obj	_	_
11	up	up	ADP	RP	_	9	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **threaten** | participle |  | the bully *not said here* |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **duff up** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  | him *= he* |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We got a duff calculator that kept giving wrong answers.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:duff:x6:1
# text = We got a duff calculator that kept giving wrong answers.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	got	get	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	duff	duff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	calculator	calculator	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	kept	keep	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	giving	give	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	xcomp	_	_
9	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	answers	answer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** | past | We | a duff calculator |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer calculator=Stimulus |
| 2 | **keep** | past | a duff calculator |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **give** | gerund | a duff calculator *not said here* | wrong answers |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent answer=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grandma made plum duff for pudding.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:duff:x7:1
# text = Grandma made plum duff for pudding.
1	Grandma	grandma	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	plum	plum	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	duff	duff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	pudding	pudding	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past | Grandma | plum duff |  |  |  | for pudding | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP P.asset»: agent=Agent duff=Product for pudding=Asset |

<!-- 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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