---
title: engineer — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «engineer» in the school dictionary: An engineer is a person who designs and builds machines, bridges, roads, buildings, computers or other things, using science and maths. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# engineer

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** engineer, person, mum, Engineers, We, software engineer · **What happens:** be, design, build, use, fix, look · **To what, where:** person, machines, science, something, engineer, bridges · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«engineer» in the school dictionary: its 3 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: [engineer in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/engineer.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An engineer is a person who designs and builds machines, bridges, roads, buildings, computers or other things, using science and maths.

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:engineer:m1:1
# text = An engineer is a person who designs and builds machines, bridges, roads, buildings, computers or other things, using science and maths.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	engineer	engineer	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	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	designs	design	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	builds	build	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	_
10	machines	machine	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
12	bridges	bridge	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
14	roads	road	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
16	buildings	building	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
18	computers	computer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	conj	_	_
19	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	21	cc	_	_
20	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	21	amod	_	_
21	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	23	punct	_	_
23	using	use	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	5	acl:relcl	_	_
24	science	science	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	23	obj	_	_
25	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	26	cc	_	_
26	maths	math	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	24	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a engineer | a person |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **design** | present | a person |  |  |  |  |  | vn create-26.4-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **build** | present | a person *not said here* | machines and bridges and roads |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset machine=Product |
| 4 | **use** | gerund | a person *not said here* | science and maths |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent science=Patient |

<!-- .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 -->
An engineer is a person who fixes or looks after engines and machines.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:engineer:m2:1
# text = An engineer is a person who fixes or looks after engines and machines.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	engineer	engineer	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	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	fixes	fix	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	looks	look	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	_
10	after	after	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	engines	engine	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obl	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	machines	machine	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a engineer | a person |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **fix** | present | a person |  |  |  |  |  | vn shake-22.3-2 «NP V NP together»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **look** | present | a person *not said here* |  |  |  | after engines and machines |  | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Stimulus |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To engineer means to design and build something, or to arrange something cleverly, sometimes secretly.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:engineer:m3:1
# text = To engineer means to design and build something, or to arrange something cleverly, sometimes secretly.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	engineer	engineer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	design	design	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	build	build	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	conj	_	_
8	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
11	to	to	PART	TO	_	12	mark	_	_
12	arrange	arrange	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	conj	_	_
13	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	12	obj	_	_
14	cleverly	cleverly	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
16	sometimes	sometimes	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	17	advmod	_	_
17	secretly	secretly	ADV	RB	_	12	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | engineer |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **design** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | engineer *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn create-26.4-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **build** | infinitive | engineer *not said here* | something |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset something=Product |
| 4 | **arrange** | to-infinitive | engineer *not said here* | something |  |  |  | cleverly *property* | vn build-26.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Product |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My mum is an engineer who builds bridges.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:engineer:x1:1
# text = My mum is an engineer who builds bridges.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	engineer	engineer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	builds	build	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	bridges	bridge	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | My mum | a engineer |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **build** | present | a engineer | bridges |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent bridge=Product |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Engineers designed this tall building.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:engineer:x2:1
# text = Engineers designed this tall building.
1	Engineers	engineer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	designed	design	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	5	det	_	_
4	tall	tall	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	building	building	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **design** | past | Engineers | this tall building |  |  |  |  | vn create-26.4-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent building=Result |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We acted like engineers and built a paper bridge.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:engineer:x3:1
# text = We acted like engineers and built a paper bridge.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	acted	act	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	like	like	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	engineers	engineer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	built	build	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	paper	paper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	bridge	bridge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **act** | past | We |  |  |  |  | like engineers | vn masquerade-29.6-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Agent like engineer=Attribute |
| 2 | **build** | past | We *not said here* | a paper bridge |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset bridge=Product |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A software engineer writes computer programs.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:engineer:x4:1
# text = A software engineer writes computer programs.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	software	software	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	engineer	engineer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	writes	write	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	computer	computer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	programs	program	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write** | present | a software engineer | computer programs |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent program=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The ship's engineer fixed the engine.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:engineer:x5:1
# text = The ship's engineer fixed the engine.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	ship	ship	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	engineer	engineer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	fixed	fix	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	engine	engine	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fix** | past | the ship's engineer | the engine |  |  |  |  | vn shake-22.3-2 «NP V NP together»: agent=Agent engine=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She wants to be an engineer when she grows up.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:engineer:x6:1
# text = She wants to be an engineer when she grows up.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	wants	want	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
4	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	cop	_	_
5	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	engineer	engineer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	xcomp	_	_
7	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	9	advmod	_	_
8	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	grows	grow	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	acl:relcl	_	_
10	up	up	ADP	RP	_	9	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **want** | present | She |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot |
| 2 | **is a** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | She *not said here* | a engineer |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **grow up** | present | she |  |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The plan was cleverly engineered.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:engineer:x7:1
# text = The plan was cleverly engineered.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	plan	plan	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux:pass	_	_
4	cleverly	cleverly	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	engineered	engineer	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **engineer** | past · passive |  | the plan |  |  |  | cleverly *property* | tree rules |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
For the gardener's boy meant, as soon as he was grown up, to be a general and a poet and a Prime Minister and an admiral and a civil engineer.

<!-- fold The tree, 31 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:engineer:x8:1
# text = For the gardener's boy meant, as soon as he was grown up, to be a general and a poet and a Prime Minister and an admiral and a civil engineer.
1	For	for	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	gardener	gardener	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	's	's	PART	POS	_	3	case	_	_
5	boy	boy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	meant	mean	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
8	as	as	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	soon	soon	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	13	advmod	_	_
10	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
11	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
12	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	13	aux:pass	_	_
13	grown	grow	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	ccomp	_	_
14	up	up	ADP	RP	_	13	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
16	to	to	PART	TO	_	19	mark	_	_
17	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	19	cop	_	_
18	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	general	general	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	parataxis	_	_
20	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	22	cc	_	_
21	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
22	poet	poet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	conj	_	_
23	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	26	cc	_	_
24	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	26	det	_	_
25	Prime	Prime	PROPN	NNP	_	26	compound	_	_
26	Minister	Minister	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	22	conj	_	_
27	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	29	cc	_	_
28	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	29	det	_	_
29	admiral	admiral	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	26	conj	_	_
30	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	33	cc	_	_
31	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	33	det	_	_
32	civil	civil	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	33	amod	_	_
33	engineer	engineer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
34	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | past | the gardener's boy |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **grow up** | past · passive |  | boy |  |  |  | soon *property* | vn appear-48.1.1 «PP.location V NP»: subject=Theme |
| 3 | **is** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | general *property* | tree rules |

<!-- 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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