---
title: gay — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «gay» in the school dictionary: Describing a person, especially a man, who is romantically attracted to people of the same sex; women may also call themselves gay or lesbian. This is the usual meaning today and a respectful word. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# gay

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** women, This, insult, uncle, Some, girls · **What happens:** describe, attract, call, be, use, mean · **To what, where:** person, man, women, usual meaning, bad, two mums · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«gay» in the school dictionary: its 4 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: [gay in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/gay.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Describing a person, especially a man, who is romantically attracted to people of the same sex; women may also call themselves gay or lesbian. This is the usual meaning today and a respectful word.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Describing a person, especially a man, who is romantically attracted to people of the same sex; women may also call themselves gay or lesbian.

<!-- fold The tree, 24 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:gay:m1:1
# text = Describing a person, especially a man, who is romantically attracted to people of the same sex; women may also call themselves gay or lesbian.
1	Describing	describe	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	csubj	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
5	especially	especially	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
9	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	12	nsubj:pass	_	_
10	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	aux:pass	_	_
11	romantically	romantically	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
12	attracted	attract	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	acl:relcl	_	_
13	to	to	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	obl	_	_
15	of	of	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
17	same	same	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
18	sex	sex	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	23	punct	_	_
20	women	woman	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	23	nsubj	_	_
21	may	may	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	23	aux	_	_
22	also	also	ADV	RB	_	23	advmod	_	_
23	call	call	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	parataxis	_	_
24	themselves	themselves	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	23	obj	_	_
25	gay	gay	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	23	xcomp	_	_
26	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	27	cc	_	_
27	lesbian	lesbian	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	25	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **describe** | gerund |  | a person |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent person=Theme |
| 2 | **attract** | present · passive |  | a man |  |  |  | to people of the same sex *result*; romantically *property* | vn lure-59.3 «NP V NP PP.result»: subject=Patient to people=Result |
| 3 | **call** | may | women | women *= woman* |  |  |  | gay *property* | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent themselves=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.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* This is the usual meaning today and a respectful word.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:gay:m1:2
# text = This is the usual meaning today and a respectful word.
1	This	this	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	usual	usual	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	meaning	meaning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	today	today	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod:unmarked	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	respectful	respectful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | This | the usual meaning and a respectful word |  |  | today |  | tree rules |

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Happy, merry and full of fun: «a gay laugh».

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:gay:m2:1
# text = Happy, merry and full of fun: «a gay laugh».
1	Happy	happy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
3	merry	merry	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	conj	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	full	full	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	conj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	fun	fun	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	12	punct	_	_
9	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	gay	gay	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	laugh	laugh	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

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

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Bright and colourful: «gay flags».

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:gay:m3:1
# text = Bright and colourful: «gay flags».
1	Bright	bright	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
2	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
3	colourful	colourful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	3	punct	_	_
5	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	gay	gay	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	flags	flag	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

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

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Used by some as an insult meaning «bad» or «stupid» – this is hurtful and wrong.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:gay:m4:1
# text = Used by some as an insult meaning «bad» or «stupid» – this is hurtful and wrong.
1	Used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
2	by	by	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	1	obl	_	_
4	as	as	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	insult	insult	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	_
7	meaning	mean	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	acl	_	_
8	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	9	punct	_	_
11	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
12	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	stupid	stupid	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	9	punct	_	_
15	–	-	PUNCT	:	_	18	punct	_	_
16	this	this	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	18	nsubj	_	_
17	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	18	cop	_	_
18	hurtful	hurtful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	parataxis	_	_
19	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	20	cc	_	_
20	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | by some | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **mean** | gerund | a insult *not said here* | bad |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent bad=Topic |
| 3 | **is** | present | this |  |  |  |  | hurtful *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **be** |  | this *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My uncle is gay and lives with his husband.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:gay:x1:1
# text = My uncle is gay and lives with his husband.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	uncle	uncle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	gay	gay	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	lives	live	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
7	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	husband	husband	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | My uncle |  |  |  |  | gay *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **live** | present | My uncle *not said here* |  |  |  |  | with his husband | vn lodge-46 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme with husband=Location |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Some of my friends have two mums.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:gay:x2:1
# text = Some of my friends have two mums.
1	Some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	5	nsubj	_	_
2	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	friends	friend	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	nmod	_	_
5	have	have	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	7	nummod	_	_
7	mums	mum	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | Some | two mums |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent mum=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the old song, the girls were «gay and bright».

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:gay:x3:1
# text = In the old song, the girls were «gay and bright».
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	song	song	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	girls	girl	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	nsubj	_	_
8	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
9	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	gay	gay	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	bright	bright	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** *in a quote* | past | the girls |  |  | the old song |  | gay *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **be** *in a quote* |  | the girls *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The town was gay with flags for the festival.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:gay:x4:1
# text = The town was gay with flags for the festival.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	town	town	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	gay	gay	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	flags	flag	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	_
7	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	festival	festival	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the town |  |  |  |  | with flags; for the festival; gay *property* | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Toad sang a gay little song as he drove along.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:gay:x5:1
# text = Toad sang a gay little song as he drove along.
1	Toad	Toad	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	sang	sing	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
4	gay	gay	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
5	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	song	song	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
7	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
8	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	drove	drive	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	_
10	along	along	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sing** *speech: express* | past | Toad | a gay little song |  |  |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location song=Theme |
| 2 | **drive** | past | Toad |  |  |  |  | along *property* | vn nonvehicle-51.4.2-1 «NP.agent V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Using «gay» as an insult is unkind and not allowed in our school.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:gay:x6:1
# text = Using «gay» as an insult is unkind and not allowed in our school.
1	Using	use	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	9	csubj	_	_
2	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	gay	gay	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
5	as	as	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	insult	insult	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
9	unkind	unkind	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
11	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	12	advmod	_	_
12	allowed	allow	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	9	conj	_	_
13	in	in	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	15	nmod:poss	_	_
15	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | gerund |  | gay |  |  |  | as a insult | vn spend\_time-104 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Agent gay=Duration as insult=Attribute |
| 2 | **is** | present | Using |  |  |  |  | unkind *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **not** **allow** | participle | Using *not said here* |  |  | our school |  |  | vn allow-64.1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Causer |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Never has there been a gayer Court.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:gay:x7:1
# text = Never has there been a gayer Court.
1	Never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	2	advmod	_	_
2	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	there	there	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	2	advmod	_	_
4	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	7	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	gayer	gay	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	7	amod	_	_
7	Court	court	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **have** | present |  |  |  | there |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is a** | participle |  | a gayer Court |  |  |  |  | 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 -->
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