---
title: exaggerate — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «exaggerate» in the school dictionary: To exaggerate is to make something sound bigger, better, worse or more important than it really is. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# exaggerate

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** it, you, He, advert, toy, I · **What happens:** exaggerate, be, sound, not exaggerate, not be, swim · **To what, where:** faces, story

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To exaggerate is to make something sound bigger, better, worse or more important than it really is.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:exaggerate:m1:1
# text = To exaggerate is to make something sound bigger, better, worse or more important than it really is.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	exaggerate	exaggerate	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	csubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	5	obj	_	_
7	sound	sound	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	xcomp	_	_
8	bigger	big	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	7	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
10	better	good	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
12	worse	bad	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	10	conj	_	_
13	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	15	advmod	_	_
15	important	important	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	conj	_	_
16	than	than	SCONJ	IN	_	19	mark	_	_
17	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	19	nsubj	_	_
18	really	really	ADV	RB	_	19	advmod	_	_
19	is	be	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	15	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **exaggerate** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | make *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **sound** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | big *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |
| 4 | **be** | present | it |  |  |  |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=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.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Don't exaggerate; it wasn't as big as a house!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:exaggerate:x1:1
# text = Don't exaggerate; it wasn't as big as a house!
1	Do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	exaggerate	exaggerate	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
5	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
6	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	9	advmod	_	_
8	as	as	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	parataxis	_	_
10	as	as	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	house	house	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **exaggerate** | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **is** | past | it |  |  |  |  | as a house; big *property* | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He exaggerated how far he could swim.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:exaggerate:x2:1
# text = He exaggerated how far he could swim.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	exaggerated	exaggerate	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	4	advmod	_	_
4	far	far	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	7	advmod	_	_
5	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
6	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
7	swim	swim	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **exaggerate** | past | He |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **swim** | could | he |  |  |  |  | far *property* | vn run-51.3.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The advert exaggerates how good the toy is.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:exaggerate:x3:1
# text = The advert exaggerates how good the toy is.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	advert	advert	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	exaggerates	exaggerate	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	5	advmod	_	_
5	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	ccomp	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	toy	toy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **exaggerate** | present | the advert |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present | the toy |  |  |  |  | good *property* | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I'm not exaggerating; there really were a hundred bees.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:exaggerate:x4:1
# text = I'm not exaggerating; there really were a hundred bees.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	'm	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	exaggerating	exaggerate	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
6	there	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	8	expl	_	_
7	really	really	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	were	be	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	parataxis	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	hundred	hundred	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	11	nummod	_	_
11	bees	bee	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **exaggerate** | present · progressive | I |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **be** | past | hundred bees |  |  | there |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Cartoons exaggerate people's faces to make them funny.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:exaggerate:x5:1
# text = Cartoons exaggerate people's faces to make them funny.
1	Cartoons	cartoon	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	exaggerate	exaggerate	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	's	's	PART	POS	_	3	case	_	_
5	faces	face	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
8	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
9	funny	funny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **exaggerate** | present | Cartoons | people's faces |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **make** | to-infinitive | Cartoons *not said here* | faces *= face* |  |  |  | funny *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset they=Product |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She exaggerated the story to make her friends laugh.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:exaggerate:x6:1
# text = She exaggerated the story to make her friends laugh.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	exaggerated	exaggerate	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
7	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	friends	friend	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nsubj	_	_
9	laugh	laugh	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **exaggerate** | past | She | the story |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **make** | to-infinitive | She *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset |
| 3 | **laugh** | present | her friends |  |  |  |  |  | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Scientists must report what they measured and not exaggerate.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:exaggerate:x7:1
# text = Scientists must report what they measured and not exaggerate.
1	Scientists	scientist	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	report	report	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	6	obj	_	_
5	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	measured	measure	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	ccomp	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
8	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	9	advmod	_	_
9	exaggerate	exaggerate	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **report** | must | Scientists |  |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1-2 «NP V whether/if S»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 2 | **measure** | past | Scientists *= scientist* |  |  |  |  |  | vn register-54.1-2-1 «NP V NP.value»: agent=Theme what=Value |
| 3 | **not** **exaggerate** | infinitive | Scientists *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It would be difficult to exaggerate the old man’s rejoicing now.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:exaggerate:x8:1
# text = It would be difficult to exaggerate the old man’s rejoicing now.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	expl	_	_
2	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	cop	_	_
4	difficult	difficult	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	exaggerate	exaggerate	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	csubj	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	’s	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	ccomp	_	_
11	rejoicing	rejoice	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	10	xcomp	_	_
12	now	now	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	11	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | would |  |  |  |  |  | difficult *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **exaggerate** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **rejoice** | gerund |  |  |  |  | now |  | vn marvel-31.3 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |

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**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.

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