---
title: ghost — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «ghost» in the school dictionary: In stories, the spirit of a dead person that people believe can be seen or heard. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# ghost

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** people, you, We, He, She, chance · **What happens:** believe, see, hear, stop, answer, ignore · **To what, where:** dead person, spirit, stories, messages, ghost, smile · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In stories, the spirit of a dead person that people believe can be seen or heard.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ghost:m1:1
# text = In stories, the spirit of a dead person that people believe can be seen or heard.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	stories	story	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	15	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	spirit	spirit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nsubj:pass	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	dead	dead	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
10	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	12	obj	_	_
11	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	nsubj	_	_
12	believe	believe	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	acl:relcl	_	_
13	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	15	aux	_	_
14	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	15	aux:pass	_	_
15	seen	see	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
16	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
17	heard	hear	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	15	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	15	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **believe** | present | people | a dead person |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer that=Stimulus |
| 2 | **see** | can · passive |  | the spirit of a dead person |  | stories |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Stimulus |
| 3 | **hear** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn see-30.1-1-1 «NP V PP.stimulus»: agent=Experiencer |

<!-- .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 -->
A very faint trace of something.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ghost:m2:1
# text = A very faint trace of something.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
2	very	very	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	faint	faint	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	trace	trace	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

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

<!-- .note -->
The example in this meaning, parsed on its own:

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"a ghost of a smile".

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ghost:m2e:1
# text = "a ghost of a smile".
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	ghost	ghost	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	smile	smile	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ghost** *in a quote* |  |  | a smile |  |  |  |  | nom ghost «cognition transitive»: of=patient |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To suddenly stop answering someone's messages and ignore them.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ghost:m3:1
# text = To suddenly stop answering someone's messages and ignore them.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	3	mark	_	_
2	suddenly	suddenly	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	stop	stop	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	answering	answer	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	3	xcomp	_	_
5	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	7	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	's	's	PART	POS	_	5	case	_	_
7	messages	message	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	ignore	ignore	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
10	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stop** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | suddenly *property* | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Affector clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **answer** *speech: assert* | gerund |  | someone's messages |  |  |  |  | vn reciprocate-112-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent message=Eventuality |
| 3 | **ignore** | present |  | messages *= message* |  |  |  |  | vn neglect-75.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=Theme |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
give up the ghost (informal): to die, or of a machine, to stop working.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ghost:m4:1
# text = give up the ghost (informal): to die, or of a machine, to stop working.
1	give	give	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	up	up	ADP	RP	_	1	compound:prt	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	ghost	ghost	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
5	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	informal	informal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	10	punct	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	die	die	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	1	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
13	of	of	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	machine	machine	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
17	to	to	PART	TO	_	18	mark	_	_
18	stop	stop	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	10	conj	_	_
19	working	work	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	18	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give up** | imperative | you *not said here* | the ghost |  |  |  |  | vn resign-10.11-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent ghost=Source |
| 2 | **die** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | of a machine | vn die-42.4-1 «NP V PP.cause»: agent=Patient of machine=Causer |
| 3 | **stop** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Affector clause=Eventuality |
| 4 | **work** | gerund | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn employment-95.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We told ghost stories round the campfire.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ghost:x1:1
# text = We told ghost stories round the campfire.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	told	tell	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	ghost	ghost	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	stories	story	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	round	round	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	campfire	campfire	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | past | We | ghost stories |  |  |  | round the campfire | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent story=Recipient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He dressed up as a ghost for Halloween.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ghost:x2:1
# text = He dressed up as a ghost for Halloween.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	dressed	dress	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	up	up	ADP	RP	_	2	compound:prt	_	_
4	as	as	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	ghost	ghost	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
7	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	Halloween	Halloween	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **dress up** | past | He |  |  |  |  | as a ghost for Halloween | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The old house is said to have a ghost.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ghost:x3:1
# text = The old house is said to have a ghost.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	house	house	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	said	say	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	have	have	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	xcomp	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	ghost	ghost	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present · passive |  | the old house |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **have** | to-infinitive |  | a ghost |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent ghost=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She hasn't a ghost of a chance of winning.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ghost:x4:1
# text = She hasn't a ghost of a chance of winning.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	2	advmod	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	ghost	ghost	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	chance	chance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
9	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
10	winning	win	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	8	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **have** | present | She | a ghost of a chance |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent ghost=Patient |
| 2 | **win** | gerund | a chance *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **ghost** |  |  | a chance |  |  |  |  | nom ghost «cognition transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My old phone finally gave up the ghost.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ghost:x5:1
# text = My old phone finally gave up the ghost.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	phone	phone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	finally	finally	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	gave	give	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	up	up	ADP	RP	_	5	compound:prt	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	ghost	ghost	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give up** | past | My old phone | the ghost |  |  |  | finally *property* | vn resign-10.11-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent ghost=Source |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
(slang) He ghosted me after the party.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ghost:x6:1
# text = (slang) He ghosted me after the party.
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	slang	slang	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	2	punct	_	_
4	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
5	ghosted	ghost	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	5	obj	_	_
7	after	after	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	party	party	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ghost** | past | He | slang |  |  | after the party |  | vn run-51.3.2 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Initial\_Location i=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It's a ghost town on Sunday mornings.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ghost:x7:1
# text = It's a ghost town on Sunday mornings.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	ghost	ghost	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	town	town	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	Sunday	Sunday	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	mornings	morning	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** | present | It | a ghost town |  |  | morning |  | 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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