---
title: failure — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «failure» in the school dictionary: Failure is not succeeding at something you tried to do. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# failure

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Failure, you, thing, machine, first rocket, second one · **What happens:** not succeed, try, do, be, not work, work · **To what, where:** something, attempt, Failure, plane land, helmet, hope

<!-- .vabout -->
«failure» in the school dictionary: its 4 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: [failure in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/failure.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Failure is not succeeding at something you tried to do.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:failure:m1:1
# text = Failure is not succeeding at something you tried to do.
1	Failure	failure	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	succeeding	succeed	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	at	at	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	4	obl	_	_
7	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	tried	try	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	acl:relcl	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **succeed** | present · progressive | Failure |  |  | something |  |  | vn succeed-74-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **try** | past | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn try-61.1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 3 | **do** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «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 -->
A failure is an attempt, plan or thing that did not work.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:failure:m2:1
# text = A failure is an attempt, plan or thing that did not work.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	failure	failure	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	attempt	attempt	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
7	plan	plan	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	thing	thing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
10	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	13	nsubj	_	_
11	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	13	aux	_	_
12	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	13	advmod	_	_
13	work	work	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	acl:relcl	_	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 failure | a attempt and plan or thing |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **work** | past · do-support | thing |  |  |  |  |  | vn employment-95.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A failure of a machine or body part is when it stops working, like a power failure.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:failure:m3:1
# text = A failure of a machine or body part is when it stops working, like a power failure.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	failure	failure	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	machine	machine	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
7	body	body	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	part	part	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
10	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	12	advmod	_	_
11	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
12	stops	stop	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
13	working	work	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	12	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
15	like	like	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
17	power	power	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	compound	_	_
18	failure	failure	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	12	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | a failure of a machine or body part |  |  |  |  | stop *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **work** | gerund | a failure of a machine or body part *not said here* |  |  |  |  | like a power failure | vn employment-95.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **fail** |  | a machine or body part |  |  |  |  |  | nom failure «act intransitive»: of=agent |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Failure to do something means not doing it when you should.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:failure:m4:1
# text = Failure to do something means not doing it when you should.
1	Failure	failure	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
2	to	to	PART	TO	_	3	mark	_	_
3	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	acl	_	_
4	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	3	obj	_	_
5	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	7	advmod	_	_
7	doing	do	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	xcomp	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
9	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	11	advmod	_	_
10	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
11	should	should	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	7	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | to-infinitive | Failure *not said here* | something |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Eventuality |
| 2 | **mean** | present | Failure |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **not** **do** *not said to happen* | gerund | Failure *not said here* | Failure |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Eventuality |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Every failure taught the inventor something new.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:failure:x1:1
# text = Every failure taught the inventor something new.
1	Every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	2	det	_	_
2	failure	failure	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	taught	teach	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	inventor	inventor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	3	obj	_	_
7	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **teach** *speech: other* | past | every failure | something |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent something=Recipient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Our first rocket was a failure, but the second one flew.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:failure:x2:1
# text = Our first rocket was a failure, but the second one flew.
1	Our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	first	first	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	3	amod	_	_
3	rocket	rocket	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	failure	failure	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
8	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	second	second	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	11	amod	_	_
11	one	one	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
12	flew	fly	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | Our first rocket | a failure |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **fly** | past | the second one | a failure *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location failure=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Don't be afraid of failure; just try.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:failure:x3:1
# text = Don't be afraid of failure; just try.
1	Do	do	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
3	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	cop	_	_
4	afraid	afraid	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	failure	failure	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	9	punct	_	_
8	just	just	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	try	try	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	1	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **not** **is** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | of failure; afraid *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **try** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The lights went out because of a power failure.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:failure:x4:1
# text = The lights went out because of a power failure.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	lights	light	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	out	out	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
5	because	because	ADP	IN	ExtPos=ADP	9	case	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	fixed	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	power	power	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	failure	failure	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go out** | past | the lights |  |  |  |  | because a power failure; out *property* | vn interact-36.6 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The plan ended in failure.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:failure:x5:1
# text = The plan ended in failure.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	plan	plan	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	ended	end	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	failure	failure	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **end** | past | the plan |  |  | failure |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Engine failure made the plane land early.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:failure:x6:1
# text = Engine failure made the plane land early.
1	Engine	engine	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	failure	failure	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	made	make	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	plane	plane	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	land	land	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	early	early	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	3	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past | Engine failure | the plane land |  |  |  | early *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset land=Product |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Failure to wear a helmet can be dangerous.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:failure:x7:1
# text = Failure to wear a helmet can be dangerous.
1	Failure	failure	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
2	to	to	PART	TO	_	3	mark	_	_
3	wear	wear	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	acl	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	helmet	helmet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
7	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	cop	_	_
8	dangerous	dangerous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wear** | to-infinitive | Failure *not said here* | a helmet |  |  |  |  | vn wipe\_manner-10.4.1-1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent helmet=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | can | Failure |  |  |  |  | dangerous *property* | tree rules |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
But the spider did not lose hope with the sixth failure.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:failure:x8:1
# text = But the spider did not lose hope with the sixth failure.
1	But	but	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	spider	spider	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
5	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	6	advmod	_	_
6	lose	lose	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
7	hope	hope	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	sixth	sixth	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	failure	failure	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **lose** | past · do-support | the spider | hope |  |  |  | with the sixth failure | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent hope=Eventuality |

<!-- 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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