---
title: err — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «err» in the school dictionary: To make a mistake or be wrong: «To err is human». Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# err

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** you, ice, his, we, erring pupil · **What happens:** make, be, err, sin, stray, lose · **To what, where:** mistake, We, side, divine, judge, decision · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To make a mistake or be wrong: «To err is human».

<!-- fold The tree, 11 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:err:m1:1
# text = To make a mistake or be wrong: «To err is human».
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	make	make	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	mistake	mistake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
6	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	cop	_	_
7	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	11	punct	_	_
9	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	To	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	err	err	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
12	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
13	human	human	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	11	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 |  | a mistake |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset mistake=Product |
| 2 | **is** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | wrong *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **err** *in a quote* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **is** *in a quote* | present |  |  |  |  |  | human *property* | tree rules |

<!-- .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: formal, old, church — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To do wrong; to sin: «We have erred and strayed like lost sheep».

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:err:m2:1
# text = To do wrong; to sin: «We have erred and strayed like lost sheep».
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
3	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	6	punct	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	sin	sin	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	11	punct	_	_
8	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj:pass	_	_
10	have	have	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
11	erred	err	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	ccomp	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	strayed	stray	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	11	conj	_	_
14	like	like	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	lost	lose	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	16	amod	_	_
16	sheep	sheep	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sin** | to-infinitive · do-support |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **err** *in a quote* | present · perfect · passive |  | We |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **stray** *in a quote* | participle |  |  |  |  |  | like lost sheep | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **lose** *in a quote* | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«err on the side of» — to choose the safer of two choices: «err on the side of caution».

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:err:m3:1
# text = «err on the side of» — to choose the safer of two choices: «err on the side of caution».
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	err	err	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	on	on	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	side	side	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
8	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	10	punct	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	choose	choose	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	conj	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	safer	safe	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	10	xcomp	_	_
13	of	of	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	15	nummod	_	_
15	choices	choice	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	18	punct	_	_
17	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	err	err	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
19	on	on	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
20	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
21	side	side	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	obl	_	_
22	of	of	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
23	caution	caution	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **err** *in a quote* | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  | the side |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **choose** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | safe *property* | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **err** *in a quote* | infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  | the side of caution |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To err is human, to forgive divine.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:err:x1:1
# text = To err is human, to forgive divine.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	err	err	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	csubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	human	human	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	forgive	forgive	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	conj	_	_
8	divine	divine	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **err** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | human *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **forgive** | to-infinitive |  | divine |  |  |  |  | vn judgment-33.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent divine=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
If you're unsure whether the ice is safe, err on the side of caution and stay off.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:err:x2:1
# text = If you're unsure whether the ice is safe, err on the side of caution and stay off.
1	If	if	SCONJ	IN	_	4	mark	_	_
2	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	're	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	unsure	unsure	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	advcl	_	_
5	whether	whether	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	ice	ice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
9	safe	safe	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
11	err	err	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
12	on	on	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	side	side	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	_
15	of	of	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
16	caution	caution	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nmod	_	_
17	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
18	stay	stay	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	11	conj	_	_
19	off	off	ADP	RP	_	18	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** *a condition, not said to happen* | present | you |  |  |  |  | unsure *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present | the ice |  |  |  |  | safe *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **err** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  | the side of caution |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **stay off** | infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The judge erred in his decision.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:err:x3:1
# text = The judge erred in his decision.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	judge	judge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	erred	err	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	decision	decision	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **err** | participle |  | the judge *not said here* |  | his decision |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **decide** |  | his *= he* |  |  |  |  |  | nom decision «act transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the old prayer we say, "We have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep."

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:err:x4:1
# text = In the old prayer we say, "We have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep."
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	prayer	prayer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	_
5	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	say	say	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
8	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj:pass	_	_
10	have	have	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
11	erred	err	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	strayed	stray	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	11	conj	_	_
14	from	from	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	16	nmod:poss	_	_
16	ways	way	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	obl	_	_
17	like	like	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
18	lost	lose	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	19	amod	_	_
19	sheep	sheep	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | we | the old prayer *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent prayer=Topic |
| 2 | **err** *in a quote* | present · perfect · passive |  | We |  | the old prayer |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **stray** *in a quote* | participle |  |  |  | your ways like lost sheep |  |  | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme from way=Trajectory |
| 4 | **lose** *in a quote* | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The erring pupil said sorry.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:err:x5:1
# text = The erring pupil said sorry.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	erring	erring	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	pupil	pupil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	sorry	sorry	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: apologize* | past | the erring pupil |  |  |  |  | sorry *property* | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is better to err on the side of kindness.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:err:x6:1
# text = It is better to err on the side of kindness.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	expl	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	better	good	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	err	err	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	csubj	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	side	side	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	kindness	kindness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | good *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **err** | to-infinitive |  |  |  | the side of kindness |  |  | 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 -->

<!-- pn -->
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