---
title: foolish — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «foolish» in the school dictionary: Foolish means silly or not sensible; showing poor judgement. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# foolish

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Foolish, It, I, foolish crow, you, He · **What happens:** mean, show, feel, be, look, leave · **To what, where:** poor judgement, bike, front, cheese, anything, roof · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«foolish» in the school dictionary: its 3 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: [foolish in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/foolish.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Foolish means silly or not sensible; showing poor judgement.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:foolish:m1:1
# text = Foolish means silly or not sensible; showing poor judgement.
1	Foolish	foolish	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	silly	silly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	_
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
5	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	6	advmod	_	_
6	sensible	sensible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	8	punct	_	_
8	showing	show	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	conj	_	_
9	poor	poor	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	judgement	judgement	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Foolish |  |  |  |  | silly *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **show** | gerund | Foolish *not said here* | poor judgement |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent judgement=Recipient |

<!-- .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 -->
To feel foolish is to feel silly or embarrassed.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:foolish:m2:1
# text = To feel foolish is to feel silly or embarrassed.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	feel	feel	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
3	foolish	foolish	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	feel	feel	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	silly	silly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	xcomp	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	embarrassed	embarrassed	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **feel** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | foolish *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | feel, silly *property* | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To look foolish is to seem stupid to others.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:foolish:m3:1
# text = To look foolish is to seem stupid to others.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	look	look	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
3	foolish	foolish	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	seem	seem	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	stupid	stupid	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	xcomp	_	_
8	to	to	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	others	other	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | foolish *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | seem, stupid *property* | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It was foolish to leave your bike unlocked.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:foolish:x1:1
# text = It was foolish to leave your bike unlocked.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	foolish	foolish	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	leave	leave	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	bike	bike	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	unlocked	unlocked	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | It |  |  |  |  | foolish *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **leave** | to-infinitive |  | your bike |  |  |  | unlocked *property* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent bike=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I felt foolish when I fell over in front of everyone.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:foolish:x2:1
# text = I felt foolish when I fell over in front of everyone.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	felt	feel	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	foolish	foolish	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	_
4	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	6	advmod	_	_
5	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	fell	fall	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	_
7	over	over	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	front	front	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	everyone	everyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **feel** | past | I |  |  |  |  | foolish *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |
| 2 | **fall over** | past | I |  |  | front of everyone |  | over *property* | vn occur-48.3 «NP V PP»: agent=Theme in front=Location |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The foolish crow dropped its cheese.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:foolish:x3:1
# text = The foolish crow dropped its cheese.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	foolish	foolish	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	crow	crow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	dropped	drop	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	cheese	cheese	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **drop** | past | the foolish crow | crow's cheese |  |  |  |  | vn put\_direction-9.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent cheese=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Don't do anything foolish, like climbing on the roof.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:foolish:x4:1
# text = Don't do anything foolish, like climbing on the roof.
1	Do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	do	do	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	anything	anything	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	3	obj	_	_
5	foolish	foolish	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
7	like	like	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
8	climbing	climb	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	advcl	_	_
9	on	on	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	roof	roof	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **do** | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* | anything |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent anything=Eventuality |
| 2 | **climb** | gerund | you *not said here* |  |  | the roof |  |  | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme on roof=Trajectory |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He foolishly spent all his pocket money in one day.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:foolish:x5:1
# text = He foolishly spent all his pocket money in one day.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	foolishly	foolishly	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	spent	spend	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	all	all	DET	PDT	PronType=Tot	7	det:predet	_	_
5	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
6	pocket	pocket	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	money	money	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	10	nummod	_	_
10	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **spend** | past | He | his pocket money |  |  | day | foolishly *property* | vn consume-66-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent money=Asset |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It would be foolish to swim in a rough sea.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:foolish:x6:1
# text = It would be foolish to swim in a rough sea.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	cop	_	_
4	foolish	foolish	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	swim	swim	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	rough	rough	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	sea	sea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | would | It |  |  |  |  | foolish *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **swim** | to-infinitive |  |  |  | a rough sea |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in sea=Trajectory |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The king made a foolish promise.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:foolish:x7:1
# text = The king made a foolish promise.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	king	king	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	foolish	foolish	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	promise	promise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past | the king | a foolish promise |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent promise=Product |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"Ah, you foolish fellows!" he cried.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:foolish:x8:1
# text = "Ah, you foolish fellows!" he cried.
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Ah	ah	INTJ	UH	_	6	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
5	foolish	foolish	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	fellows	fellow	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	_
9	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	cried	cry	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fellow** *in a quote* |  | you |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **cry** *speech: express* | past | foolish fellows |  |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

<!-- 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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