---
title: gangster — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «gangster» in the school dictionary: A gangster is a member of a gang of violent criminals who break the law to get money or power. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gangster/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/) / [school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/) / [G](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/) / gangster

# gangster

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** gangster, violent criminals, young people, police, film, gangsters · **What happens:** be, break, get, use, mean, act · **To what, where:** member, law, money, Gangster, someone, airport · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«gangster» in the school dictionary: its 2 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: [gangster in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/gangster.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A gangster is a member of a gang of violent criminals who break the law to get money or power.

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:gangster:m1:1
# text = A gangster is a member of a gang of violent criminals who break the law to get money or power.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	gangster	gangster	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	member	member	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	gang	gang	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	violent	violent	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	criminals	criminal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nmod	_	_
12	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	13	nsubj	_	_
13	break	break	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	acl:relcl	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	law	law	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obj	_	_
16	to	to	PART	TO	_	17	mark	_	_
17	get	get	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	13	advcl	_	_
18	money	money	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obj	_	_
19	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	20	cc	_	_
20	power	power	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a gangster | a member |  |  |  | of a gang of violent criminals | tree rules |
| 2 | **break** | present | violent criminals | the law |  |  |  |  | vn hurt-40.8.3-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer law=Patient |
| 3 | **get** | to-infinitive | violent criminals *not said here* | money or power |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer money=Stimulus |

<!-- .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}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Gangster, or «gangsta», is sometimes used by young people to mean someone who acts tough or cool.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:gangster:m2:1
# text = Gangster, or «gangsta», is sometimes used by young people to mean someone who acts tough or cool.
1	Gangster	gangster	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj:pass	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
4	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	gangsta	gangsta	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux:pass	_	_
9	sometimes	sometimes	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	10	advmod	_	_
10	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
11	by	by	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	young	young	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obl	_	_
14	to	to	PART	TO	_	15	mark	_	_
15	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	advcl	_	_
16	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	15	obj	_	_
17	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	18	nsubj	_	_
18	acts	act	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	16	acl:relcl	_	_
19	tough	tough	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	xcomp	_	_
20	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	21	cc	_	_
21	cool	cool	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	19	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | present · passive | young people | Gangster |  |  |  | sometimes *property* | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent subject=Patient |
| 2 | **mean** | to-infinitive | young people *not said here* | someone |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent someone=Topic |
| 3 | **act** | present |  |  |  |  |  | tough *property* | vn act-114-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The police arrested the gangster at the airport.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:gangster:x1:1
# text = The police arrested the gangster at the airport.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	police	police	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	arrested	arrest	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	gangster	gangster	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	at	at	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	airport	airport	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **arrest** | past | the police | the gangster |  | the airport |  |  | vn prosecute-33.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent gangster=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The film is about a gangster in old Chicago.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:gangster:x2:1
# text = The film is about a gangster in old Chicago.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	film	film	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	about	about	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	gangster	gangster	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	Chicago	Chicago	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | the film |  |  | old Chicago |  | about a gangster | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The gangsters hid the stolen money in a warehouse.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:gangster:x3:1
# text = The gangsters hid the stolen money in a warehouse.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	gangsters	gangster	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	hid	hide	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	stolen	steal	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	amod	_	_
6	money	money	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	warehouse	warehouse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hide** | past | the gangsters | the stolen money |  | a warehouse |  |  | vn concealment-16-1 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent money=Patient in warehouse=Location |
| 2 | **steal** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My brother thinks he looks like a gangster in his sunglasses. (slang, joking)

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* My brother thinks he looks like a gangster in his sunglasses.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:gangster:x4:1
# text = My brother thinks he looks like a gangster in his sunglasses.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	brother	brother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	thinks	think	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
5	looks	look	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	ccomp	_	_
6	like	like	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	gangster	gangster	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	11	nmod:poss	_	_
11	sunglasses	sunglasses	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **think** *speech: other* | present | My brother |  |  |  |  |  | vn consider-29.9-2 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 2 | **look** | present | brother |  |  |  |  | like a gangster; in brother's sunglasses | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent in sunglasses=Theme |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* (slang, joking)

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:gangster:x4:2
# text = (slang, joking)
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	slang	slang	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
4	joking	joke	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **joke** *speech: other* | gerund | slang *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn chit\_chat-37.6 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Gangsters often threaten shopkeepers for money.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:gangster:x5:1
# text = Gangsters often threaten shopkeepers for money.
1	Gangsters	gangster	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	often	often	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	threaten	threaten	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	shopkeepers	shopkeeper	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	money	money	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **threaten** | present | Gangsters | shopkeepers |  |  |  | for money; often *property* | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus shopkeeper=Experiencer |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The detective finally caught the gangster boss.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:gangster:x6:1
# text = The detective finally caught the gangster boss.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	detective	detective	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	finally	finally	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	caught	catch	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	gangster	gangster	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	boss	boss	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **catch** | past | the detective | the gangster boss |  |  |  | finally *property* | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent boss=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Real gangsters are dangerous, not glamorous.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:gangster:x7:1
# text = Real gangsters are dangerous, not glamorous.
1	Real	real	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	gangsters	gangster	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	dangerous	dangerous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
6	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	7	advmod	_	_
7	glamorous	glamorous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Real gangsters |  |  |  |  | dangerous *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **be** |  | Real gangsters *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- 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 -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [gang](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gang/)
- next →: [gangway](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gangway/)
- ↑ back to [G in school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/)