---
title: formidable — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «formidable» in the school dictionary: Formidable means so strong or fierce that people feel afraid or find it hard to beat: a formidable enemy. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# formidable

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Formidable, people, giants, guard, mountain, Climbing · **What happens:** mean, feel, find, beat, deal, be · **To what, where:** it, formidable neighbours, gate, steep hill, formidable task · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Formidable means so strong or fierce that people feel afraid or find it hard to beat: a formidable enemy.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:formidable:m1:1
# text = Formidable means so strong or fierce that people feel afraid or find it hard to beat: a formidable enemy.
1	Formidable	formidable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	so	so	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	strong	strong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	fierce	fierce	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	_
7	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
8	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nsubj	_	_
9	feel	feel	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	advcl	_	_
10	afraid	afraid	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	xcomp	_	_
11	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	find	find	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	xcomp	_	_
13	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	obj	_	_
14	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	xcomp	_	_
15	to	to	PART	TO	_	16	mark	_	_
16	beat	beat	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	14	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	20	punct	_	_
18	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
19	formidable	formidable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	20	amod	_	_
20	enemy	enemy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Formidable |  |  |  |  | strong *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **feel** | present | people |  |  |  |  | afraid *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |
| 3 | **find** | infinitive | people *not said here* | it |  |  |  | hard *property* | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Topic |
| 4 | **beat** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- .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 -->
Formidable can also mean very impressive or hard to deal with: a formidable task.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:formidable:m2:1
# text = Formidable can also mean very impressive or hard to deal with: a formidable task.
1	Formidable	formidable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	nsubj	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	also	also	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	very	very	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	impressive	impressive	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	xcomp	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	conj	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	deal	deal	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	ccomp	_	_
11	with	with	ADP	IN	_	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	15	punct	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
14	formidable	formidable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	task	task	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | can | Formidable |  |  |  |  | impressive *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **deal** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn cope-83 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The giants were formidable neighbours with six arms.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:formidable:x1:1
# text = The giants were formidable neighbours with six arms.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	giants	giant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
3	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	formidable	formidable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	neighbours	neighbour	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	six	six	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	8	nummod	_	_
8	arms	arm	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 giants | formidable neighbours |  |  |  | with six arms | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The guard and his formidable body-guard stood at the gate.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:formidable:x2:1
# text = The guard and his formidable body-guard stood at the gate.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	guard	guard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
3	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
4	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
5	formidable	formidable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
6	body	body	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	guard	guard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
9	stood	stand	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
10	at	at	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	gate	gate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stand** | past | the guard and his formidable body guard |  |  | the gate |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent at gate=Location |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The mountain looked formidable to the tired walkers.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:formidable:x3:1
# text = The mountain looked formidable to the tired walkers.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	mountain	mountain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	looked	look	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	formidable	formidable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	xcomp	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	tired	tired	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	walkers	walker	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** | past | the mountain |  |  |  |  | formidable *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Climbing that steep hill is a formidable task.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:formidable:x4:1
# text = Climbing that steep hill is a formidable task.
1	Climbing	climb	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	8	csubj	_	_
2	that	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	4	det	_	_
3	steep	steep	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	hill	hill	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	formidable	formidable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	task	task	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **climb** | gerund |  | that steep hill |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Initial\_Location hill=Theme |
| 2 | **is a** | present | Climbing | a formidable task |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

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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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