---
title: elderly — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «elderly» in the school dictionary: Elderly is a polite word for old, used about people. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# elderly

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Elderly, elderly man, We, you, great grandmother, care home · **What happens:** be, use, mean, sit, feed, visit · **To what, where:** polite word, old people, bench, ducks, elderly neighbour, seat

<!-- .vabout -->
«elderly» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 9 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: [elderly in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/elderly.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Elderly is a polite word for old, used about people.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:elderly:m1:1
# text = Elderly is a polite word for old, used about people.
1	Elderly	Elderly	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	polite	polite	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
9	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	acl	_	_
10	about	about	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obl:agent	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Elderly | a polite word |  |  |  | for old | tree rules |
| 2 | **use** | participle |  | a polite word *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «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}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«The elderly» means old people in general.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:elderly:m2:1
# text = «The elderly» means old people in general.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	elderly	elderly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
5	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	general	general	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | the elderly | old people |  |  |  | in general | vn representation-110.1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Pivot people=Theme in general=Attribute |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An elderly man sat on the bench feeding the ducks.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:elderly:x1:1
# text = An elderly man sat on the bench feeding the ducks.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	elderly	elderly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	sat	sit	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	bench	bench	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
8	feeding	feed	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	advcl	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	ducks	duck	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sit** | past | a elderly man |  |  | the bench |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent on bench=Location |
| 2 | **feed** | gerund | a elderly man *not said here* |  | the ducks |  |  |  | vn feeding-39.7 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent duck=Recipient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We visited our elderly neighbour with a cake.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:elderly:x2:1
# text = We visited our elderly neighbour with a cake.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	visited	visit	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
4	elderly	elderly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	neighbour	neighbour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	cake	cake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **visit** | past | We | our elderly neighbour |  |  |  | with a cake | vn meet-36.3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent neighbour=Co-Agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Give your seat to elderly people on the bus.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:elderly:x3:1
# text = Give your seat to elderly people on the bus.
1	Give	give	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
3	seat	seat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	to	to	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	elderly	elderly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obl	_	_
7	on	on	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	bus	bus	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | imperative | you *not said here* | your seat | elderly people on the bus |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: agent=Agent seat=Theme to people=Recipient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My great-grandmother is elderly but still walks every day.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:elderly:x4:1
# text = My great-grandmother is elderly but still walks every day.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
2	great	great	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	grandmother	grandmother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
6	elderly	elderly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
7	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
8	still	still	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	walks	walk	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	conj	_	_
10	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	11	det	_	_
11	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | My great grandmother |  |  |  |  | elderly *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **walk** | present | My great grandmother *not said here* |  |  |  | still; day |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The care home looks after elderly residents.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:elderly:x5:1
# text = The care home looks after elderly residents.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	care	care	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	home	home	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	looks	look	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	after	after	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	elderly	elderly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	residents	resident	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** | present | the care home |  |  |  | after elderly residents |  | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Stimulus |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Scammers sometimes target the elderly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:elderly:x6:1
# text = Scammers sometimes target the elderly.
1	Scammers	scammer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	sometimes	sometimes	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	3	advmod	_	_
3	target	target	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	elderly	elderly	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The elderly lady thanked us for helping.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:elderly:x7:1
# text = The elderly lady thanked us for helping.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	elderly	elderly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	lady	lady	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	thanked	thank	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	obj	_	_
6	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
7	helping	help	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **thank** *speech: thank* | past | the elderly lady |  | us |  |  |  | vn judgment-33.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent we=Theme |
| 2 | **help** | gerund | the elderly lady *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Heatwaves can be dangerous for elderly people.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:elderly:x8:1
# text = Heatwaves can be dangerous for elderly people.
1	Heatwaves	heatwave	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	cop	_	_
4	dangerous	dangerous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	elderly	elderly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | can | Heatwaves |  |  |  |  | for elderly people; dangerous *property* | tree rules |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An elderly man looked after it all.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:elderly:x9:1
# text = An elderly man looked after it all.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	elderly	elderly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	looked	look	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	after	after	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	obl	_	_
7	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	6	det	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** | past | a elderly man |  |  |  | after it |  | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Stimulus |

<!-- 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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