---
title: figurative — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «figurative» in the school dictionary: Used with a meaning different from the usual, word-for-word one, to make a picture in the mind: «a heart of gold» is figurative. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# figurative

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** heart, things, It, raining, Poets, He · **What happens:** use, make, be, show, recognise, rain · **To what, where:** picture, mind, real people, abstract shapes, cats, figurative language · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Used with a meaning different from the usual, word-for-word one, to make a picture in the mind: «a heart of gold» is figurative.

<!-- fold The tree, 25 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:figurative:m1:1
# text = Used with a meaning different from the usual, word-for-word one, to make a picture in the mind: «a heart of gold» is figurative.
1	Used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	18	advcl	_	_
2	with	with	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	meaning	meaning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
5	different	different	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
6	from	from	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
8	usual	usual	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
10	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	for	for	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	appos	_	_
15	one	one	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
17	to	to	PART	TO	_	18	mark	_	_
18	make	make	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
19	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
20	picture	picture	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	obj	_	_
21	in	in	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
22	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	23	det	_	_
23	mind	mind	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	32	punct	_	_
25	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	27	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	27	det	_	_
27	heart	heart	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	32	nsubj	_	_
28	of	of	ADP	IN	_	29	case	_	_
29	gold	gold	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	27	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
30	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	27	punct	_	_
31	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	32	cop	_	_
32	figurative	figurative	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
33	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	18	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | with a meaning | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **make** | to-infinitive |  | a picture |  | the mind |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset picture=Product |
| 3 | **is** | present | a heart of gold |  |  |  |  | figurative *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: art — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Showing real people or things that you can recognise, not abstract shapes.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:figurative:m2:1
# text = Showing real people or things that you can recognise, not abstract shapes.
1	Showing	show	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
2	real	real	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obj	_	_
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	conj	_	_
6	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	9	nsubj	_	_
7	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
8	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
9	recognise	recognise	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
11	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	13	advmod	_	_
12	abstract	abstract	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	shapes	shape	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **show** | gerund |  |  | real people or things |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent people=Recipient |
| 2 | **recognise** | can | things | abstract shapes |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer shape=Stimulus |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«It's raining cats and dogs» is figurative language.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:figurative:x1:1
# text = «It's raining cats and dogs» is figurative language.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	raining	rain	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	11	csubj	_	_
5	cats	cat	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	dogs	dog	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
10	figurative	figurative	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	language	language	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **rain** *in a quote* | present · progressive | It | cats and dogs |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is a** | present | raining | figurative language |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Poets use figurative language to paint pictures with words.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:figurative:x2:1
# text = Poets use figurative language to paint pictures with words.
1	Poets	poet	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	use	use	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	figurative	figurative	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	language	language	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	paint	paint	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
7	pictures	picture	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | present | Poets | figurative language |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent language=Patient |
| 2 | **paint** | to-infinitive | Poets *not said here* | pictures |  |  |  | with words | vn image\_impression-25.1 «NP V NP.destination PP.theme»: agent=Agent picture=Destination with word=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«He has a heart of stone» has a figurative meaning: he is unkind.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:figurative:x3:1
# text = «He has a heart of stone» has a figurative meaning: he is unkind.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	csubj	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	heart	heart	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	stone	stone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
9	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	figurative	figurative	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	meaning	meaning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	16	punct	_	_
14	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	nsubj	_	_
15	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	16	cop	_	_
16	unkind	unkind	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** *in a quote* | present | He | a heart of stone |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent heart=Patient |
| 2 | **have** | present |  | a figurative meaning |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent meaning=Patient |
| 3 | **is** | present | he |  |  |  |  | unkind *property* | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The teacher asked us to find three figurative phrases in the poem.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:figurative:x4:1
# text = The teacher asked us to find three figurative phrases in the poem.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	asked	ask	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	iobj	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	find	find	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
7	three	three	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	9	nummod	_	_
8	figurative	figurative	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	phrases	phrase	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	poem	poem	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ask** *speech: ask* | past | the teacher |  | us |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V NP whether S\_INF»: agent=Agent we=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 2 | **find** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | the teacher *not said here* | three figurative phrases |  | the poem |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent phrase=Topic |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She paints figurative pictures of people at the beach.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:figurative:x5:1
# text = She paints figurative pictures of people at the beach.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	paints	paint	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	figurative	figurative	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	pictures	picture	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	_
7	at	at	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	beach	beach	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **paint** | present | She | figurative pictures of people |  | the beach |  |  | vn image\_impression-25.1 «NP V NP.theme PP.destination»: agent=Agent picture=Theme at beach=Destination |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The figurative meaning of «break the ice» is to start a friendly chat.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:figurative:x6:1
# text = The figurative meaning of «break the ice» is to start a friendly chat.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	figurative	figurative	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	meaning	meaning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	break	break	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	acl	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	ice	ice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	_
10	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
11	to	to	PART	TO	_	12	mark	_	_
12	start	start	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
14	friendly	friendly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	chat	chat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	12	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **break** *in a quote* | infinitive | the figurative meaning *not said here* | the ice |  |  |  |  | vn hurt-40.8.3-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer ice=Patient |
| 2 | **is** | present | the figurative meaning |  |  |  |  | start *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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