---
title: folly — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «folly» in the school dictionary: Foolishness; a very silly or unwise act or idea. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# folly

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** It, folly, stone folly, Running, rich lord, Grandad · **What happens:** build, be, cost, run away, look, say · **To what, where:** fake ruin, sea, fortune, Toad, sheer folly, folly · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«folly» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 7 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: [folly in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/folly.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Foolishness; a very silly or unwise act or idea.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:folly:m1:1
# text = Foolishness; a very silly or unwise act or idea.
1	Foolishness	foolishness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	8	punct	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
4	very	very	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	silly	silly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	unwise	unwise	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	conj	_	_
8	act	act	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	appos	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	idea	idea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A strange decorative building, like a fake ruin or a tower, built in a big park or garden just for show.

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:folly:m2:1
# text = A strange decorative building, like a fake ruin or a tower, built in a big park or garden just for show.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
2	strange	strange	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
3	decorative	decorative	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	building	building	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
6	like	like	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	fake	fake	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	ruin	ruin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	tower	tower	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
14	built	build	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	9	acl	_	_
15	in	in	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
17	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
18	park	park	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	_
19	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	20	cc	_	_
20	garden	garden	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	conj	_	_
21	just	just	ADV	RB	_	23	advmod	_	_
22	for	for	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
23	show	show	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **build** | participle |  | a fake ruin or a tower *not said here* |  |  |  | for show; in a big park or garden | vn calibratable\_cos-45.6.1 «NP.patient V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient in park=Attribute |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A show with dancing, songs and jokes (old theatre word).

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:folly:m3:1
# text = A show with dancing, songs and jokes (old theatre word).
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	show	show	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	with	with	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	dancing	dancing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
6	songs	song	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	conj	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	jokes	joke	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	conj	_	_
9	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
11	theatre	theatre	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	compound	_	_
12	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It would be folly to swim in the sea during a storm.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:folly:x1:1
# text = It would be folly to swim in the sea during a storm.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
2	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
3	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	cop	_	_
4	folly	folly	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	swim	swim	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	sea	sea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
10	during	during	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	storm	storm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | would | It |  |  | the sea | during a storm | folly, swim *property* | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Toad's folly with cars cost him a fortune.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:folly:x2:1
# text = Toad's folly with cars cost him a fortune.
1	Toad	Toad	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	's	PART	POS	_	1	case	_	_
3	folly	folly	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	cars	car	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nmod	_	_
6	cost	cost	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	iobj	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	fortune	fortune	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cost** | present | Toad's folly with cars | a fortune | Toad |  |  |  | vn cost-54.2 «NP V NP NP»: agent=Theme he=Beneficiary fortune=Value |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
There is a stone folly at the top of the hill.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:folly:x3:1
# text = There is a stone folly at the top of the hill.
1	There	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	2	expl	_	_
2	is	be	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	stone	stone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	folly	folly	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
6	at	at	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	top	top	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	hill	hill	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **be** | present | a stone folly at the top of the hill |  |  | there |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Running away was sheer folly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:folly:x4:1
# text = Running away was sheer folly.
1	Running	run	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	csubj	_	_
2	away	away	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	sheer	sheer	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	folly	folly	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **run away** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | away *property* | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **is a** | past | Running | sheer folly |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The rich lord built a folly that looked like a castle ruin.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:folly:x5:1
# text = The rich lord built a folly that looked like a castle ruin.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	rich	rich	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	lord	lord	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	built	build	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	folly	folly	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	8	nsubj	_	_
8	looked	look	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	acl:relcl	_	_
9	like	like	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	castle	castle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	compound	_	_
12	ruin	ruin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **build** | past | the rich lord | a folly |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent folly=Product |
| 2 | **look** | past | a folly |  |  |  |  | like a castle ruin | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Stimulus |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grandad says buying that old boat was his greatest folly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:folly:x6:1
# text = Grandad says buying that old boat was his greatest folly.
1	Grandad	Grandad	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	buying	buy	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	xcomp	_	_
4	that	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	6	det	_	_
5	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	boat	boat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
7	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
8	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
9	greatest	great	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	10	amod	_	_
10	folly	folly	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | Grandad |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **buy** | gerund | Grandad *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn accept-77.1 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **is a** | past | that old boat | Grandad's greatest folly |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Why do you persist in this folly?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:folly:x7:1
# text = Why do you persist in this folly?
1	Why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	4	advmod	_	_
2	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	persist	persist	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	7	det	_	_
7	folly	folly	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **persist** | present · do-support | you |  |  | this folly |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in folly=Location |

<!-- 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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