---
title: firebrand — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «firebrand» in the school dictionary: A firebrand is a piece of burning wood, used as a torch. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# firebrand

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** firebrand, person, men, She, poet, you · **What happens:** be, burn, use, stir up, carry, light · **To what, where:** piece, person, excitement, firebrands, cave, firebrand

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«firebrand» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 4 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: [firebrand in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/firebrand.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A firebrand is a piece of burning wood, used as a torch.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:firebrand:m1:1
# text = A firebrand is a piece of burning wood, used as a torch.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	firebrand	firebrand	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	piece	piece	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	burning	burn	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	8	amod	_	_
8	wood	wood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
10	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	acl	_	_
11	as	as	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	torch	torch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	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 firebrand | a piece |  |  |  | of burning wood | tree rules |
| 2 | **burn** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn light\_emission-43.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **use** | participle |  | a piece *not said here* |  |  |  | as a torch | vn eat-39.1 «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 firebrand is a person full of fiery ideas who stirs up excitement or trouble.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:firebrand:m2:1
# text = A firebrand is a person full of fiery ideas who stirs up excitement or trouble.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	firebrand	firebrand	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	full	full	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	fiery	fiery	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	ideas	idea	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	_
10	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	11	nsubj	_	_
11	stirs	stir	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
12	up	up	ADP	RP	_	11	compound:prt	_	_
13	excitement	excitement	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	_
14	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
15	trouble	trouble	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a firebrand | a person |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **stir up** | present | a person | excitement or trouble |  |  |  |  | vn engender-27.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Precondition excitement=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The men carried firebrands to light the cave.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:firebrand:x1:1
# text = The men carried firebrands to light the cave.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	men	man	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	carried	carry	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	firebrands	firebrand	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	light	light	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	cave	cave	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **carry** | past | the men | firebrands |  |  |  |  | vn carry-11.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent firebrand=Theme |
| 2 | **light** | to-infinitive | the men *not said here* | the cave |  |  |  |  | vn preparing-26.3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent cave=Product |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She was a firebrand who led the protest.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:firebrand:x2:1
# text = She was a firebrand who led the protest.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	firebrand	firebrand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	6	nsubj	_	_
6	led	lead	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	acl:relcl	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	protest	protest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | She | a firebrand |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **lead** | past | a firebrand | the protest |  |  |  |  | vn accompany-51.7 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent protest=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The poet was a firebrand of new ideas.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:firebrand:x3:1
# text = The poet was a firebrand of new ideas.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	poet	poet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	firebrand	firebrand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	ideas	idea	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | the poet | a firebrand |  |  |  | of new ideas | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Throw the firebrand into the pile of straw.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:firebrand:x4:1
# text = Throw the firebrand into the pile of straw.
1	Throw	throw	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	firebrand	firebrand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	into	into	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	pile	pile	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	straw	straw	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **throw** | imperative | you *not said here* | the firebrand |  |  |  | into the pile of straw *result* | vn throw-17.1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.result»: agent=Causer firebrand=Theme into pile=Result |

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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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