---
title: fragile — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «fragile» in the school dictionary: Fragile means easily broken or damaged. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# fragile

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Fragile, person, vase, box, Eggs, wings · **What happens:** mean, break, damage, describe, be, harm · **To what, where:** person, fragile places, baskets, two such tiny fragile dogs, brothers · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Fragile means easily broken or damaged.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fragile:m1:1
# text = Fragile means easily broken or damaged.
1	Fragile	fragile	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	easily	easily	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	broken	break	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	ccomp	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	damaged	damage	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Fragile |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **break** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | easily *property* | vn hurt-40.8.3-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Patient |
| 3 | **damage** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn destroy-44 «NP V NP»: 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 -->
Fragile can describe a person who is weak, ill or easily upset.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fragile:m2:1
# text = Fragile can describe a person who is weak, ill or easily upset.
1	Fragile	Fragile	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	describe	describe	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	8	nsubj	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
8	weak	weak	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
10	ill	ill	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	conj	_	_
11	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
12	easily	easily	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
13	upset	upset	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **describe** | can | Fragile | a person |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent person=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | present | a person |  |  |  |  | weak *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **be** |  | a person *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **be** |  | a person *not said here* |  |  |  |  | easily *property* | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Something fragile, like peace or nature, can easily be harmed.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fragile:m3:1
# text = Something fragile, like peace or nature, can easily be harmed.
1	Something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	nsubj	_	_
2	fragile	fragile	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
4	like	like	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	peace	peace	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	parataxis	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	nature	nature	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
9	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	12	aux	_	_
10	easily	easily	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
11	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	aux:pass	_	_
12	harmed	harm	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **harm** | can · passive |  |  |  |  |  | easily *property* | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle» |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Be careful, the vase is fragile.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fragile:x1:1
# text = Be careful, the vase is fragile.
1	Be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	cop	_	_
2	careful	careful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	csubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	vase	vase	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	fragile	fragile	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | careful *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present | the vase |  |  |  |  | fragile *property* | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The box said «Fragile — handle with care».

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fragile:x2:1
# text = The box said «Fragile — handle with care».
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	box	box	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	Fragile	fragile	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	ccomp	_	_
6	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	7	punct	_	_
7	handle	handle	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	5	parataxis	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	care	care	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | the box |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **handle** *in a quote* | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | with care | vn confront-98 «NP V NP PP.instrument»: agent=Agent with care=Instrument |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Eggs are fragile.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fragile:x3:1
# text = Eggs are fragile.
1	Eggs	egg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	fragile	fragile	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Eggs |  |  |  |  | fragile *property* | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A butterfly's wings are very fragile.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fragile:x4:1
# text = A butterfly's wings are very fragile.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	butterfly	butterfly	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	wings	wing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
5	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	very	very	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	fragile	fragile	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | a butterfly's wings |  |  |  |  | fragile *property* | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Coral reefs are fragile places.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fragile:x5:1
# text = Coral reefs are fragile places.
1	Coral	coral	NOUN	NN	_	2	compound	_	_
2	reefs	reef	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	fragile	fragile	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	places	place	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Coral reefs | fragile places |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grandma felt fragile after her illness.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fragile:x6:1
# text = Grandma felt fragile after her illness.
1	Grandma	grandma	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	felt	feel	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	fragile	fragile	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	_
4	after	after	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	illness	illness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **feel** | past | Grandma |  |  |  | after Grandma's illness | fragile *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The ice on the pond is too fragile to walk on.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fragile:x7:1
# text = The ice on the pond is too fragile to walk on.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	ice	ice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
3	on	on	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	pond	pond	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
7	too	too	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	fragile	fragile	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	walk	walk	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	advcl	_	_
11	on	on	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | the ice on the pond |  |  |  |  | fragile *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **walk on** | to-infinitive | the ice on the pond *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The elder brothers carried in baskets two such tiny, fragile dogs that they hardly dared to touch them.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fragile:x8:1
# text = The elder brothers carried in baskets two such tiny, fragile dogs that they hardly dared to touch them.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	elder	elder	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	brothers	brother	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	carried	carry	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	baskets	basket	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	_
7	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	12	nummod	_	_
8	such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
9	tiny	tiny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
11	fragile	fragile	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	dogs	dog	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	_
13	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	16	obj	_	_
14	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	nsubj	_	_
15	hardly	hardly	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	_
16	dared	dare	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	12	acl:relcl	_	_
17	to	to	PART	TO	_	18	mark	_	_
18	touch	touch	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	16	xcomp	_	_
19	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	18	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **carry** | past | the elder brothers |  |  | baskets  two such tiny fragile dogs |  |  | vn fit-54.3 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent in basket=Location |
| 2 | **dare** | past | brothers *= brother* | two such tiny fragile dogs |  |  |  | hardly *property* | vn urge-58.1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent that=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 3 | **touch** | to-infinitive | brothers *= brother* *not said here* | brothers *= brother* |  |  |  |  | vn contiguous\_location-47.8-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme they=Co-Theme |

<!-- 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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