---
title: enforce — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «enforce» in the school dictionary: To make sure that people obey a law or rule. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/enforce/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/) / [school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/) / [E](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/) / enforce

# enforce

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** people, something, police, referee, Lifeguards, court · **What happens:** make, obey, happen, enforce, be · **To what, where:** law, something, speed limit, schools, offside rule, phone rule

<!-- .vabout -->
«enforce» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 6 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: [enforce in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/enforce.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To make sure that people obey a law or rule.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:enforce:m1:1
# text = To make sure that people obey a law or rule.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	make	make	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	sure	sure	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	_
4	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
5	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
6	obey	obey	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	ccomp	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	law	law	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	rule	rule	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | sure *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset |
| 2 | **obey** | present | people | a law or rule |  |  |  |  | vn abide\_by-93.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent law=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}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To make something happen by force or strong pressure: «enforced silence».

<!-- fold The tree, 11 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:enforce:m2:1
# text = To make something happen by force or strong pressure: «enforced silence».
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	make	make	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	happen	happen	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
5	by	by	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	force	force	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
8	strong	strong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	pressure	pressure	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	13	punct	_	_
11	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	enforced	enforce	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	13	amod	_	_
13	silence	silence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **happen** | infinitive | something *not said here* |  |  |  |  | by force or strong pressure | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Theme by force=Location |
| 3 | **enforce** *in a quote* | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn enforce-63 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The police enforce the speed limit near schools.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:enforce:x1:1
# text = The police enforce the speed limit near schools.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	police	police	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	enforce	enforce	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	speed	speed	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	limit	limit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	near	near	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	schools	school	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **enforce** | present | the police | the speed limit |  | schools |  |  | vn enforce-63 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent limit=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The referee enforced the offside rule.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:enforce:x2:1
# text = The referee enforced the offside rule.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	referee	referee	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	enforced	enforce	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	offside	offside	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	rule	rule	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **enforce** | past | the referee | the offside rule |  |  |  |  | vn enforce-63 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent rule=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The no-phone rule will be strictly enforced.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:enforce:x3:1
# text = The no-phone rule will be strictly enforced.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
2	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	4	det	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	phone	phone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	rule	rule	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj:pass	_	_
6	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
7	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	aux:pass	_	_
8	strictly	strictly	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	enforced	enforce	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **enforce** | future · passive |  | the phone rule |  |  |  | strictly *property* | vn enforce-63 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Lifeguards enforce the "no running" rule at the pool.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:enforce:x4:1
# text = Lifeguards enforce the "no running" rule at the pool.
1	Lifeguards	lifeguard	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	enforce	enforce	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
4	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	6	det	_	_
6	running	running	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	_
8	rule	rule	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
9	at	at	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	pool	pool	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 | **enforce** | present | Lifeguards | the running rule |  | the pool |  |  | vn enforce-63 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent rule=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The court enforced the payment.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:enforce:x5:1
# text = The court enforced the payment.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	court	court	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	enforced	enforce	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	payment	payment	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **enforce** | past | the court | the payment |  |  |  |  | vn enforce-63 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent payment=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A rule is useless if nobody enforces it.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:enforce:x6:1
# text = A rule is useless if nobody enforces it.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	rule	rule	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	useless	useless	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
6	nobody	nobody	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	7	nsubj	_	_
7	enforces	enforce	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	advcl	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | a rule |  |  |  |  | useless *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **enforce** *a condition, not said to happen* | present | nobody | rule |  |  |  |  | vn enforce-63 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Theme |

<!-- 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 -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [enfeeble](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/enfeeble/)
- next →: [enforceable](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/enforceable/)
- ↑ back to [E in school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/)