---
title: godmother — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «godmother» in the school dictionary: A godmother is a woman who promises at a child's baptism or christening to help bring the child up in the Christian faith and care for them. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# godmother

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** godmother, woman, fairy godmother, my, Aunt, child · **What happens:** be, promise, christen, help, bring up, care · **To what, where:** woman, baptism, child, Christian faith, magic helper, fairy tales

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A godmother is a woman who promises at a child's baptism or christening to help bring the child up in the Christian faith and care for them.

<!-- fold The tree, 28 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:godmother:m1:1
# text = A godmother is a woman who promises at a child's baptism or christening to help bring the child up in the Christian faith and care for them.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	godmother	godmother	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	woman	woman	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	promises	promise	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	at	at	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	child	child	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	's	's	PART	POS	_	10	case	_	_
12	baptism	baptism	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
13	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	christening	christen	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	12	conj	_	_
15	to	to	PART	TO	_	16	mark	_	_
16	help	help	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	14	xcomp	_	_
17	bring	bring	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	16	xcomp	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	child	child	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obj	_	_
20	up	up	ADP	RP	_	17	compound:prt	_	_
21	in	in	ADP	IN	_	24	case	_	_
22	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	24	det	_	_
23	Christian	Christian	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	24	amod	_	_
24	faith	faith	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obl	_	_
25	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	26	cc	_	_
26	care	care	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	17	conj	_	_
27	for	for	ADP	IN	_	28	case	_	_
28	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	26	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a godmother | a woman |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **promise** *speech: promise* | present | a woman |  |  | a child's baptism |  |  | vn promise-37.13 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **christen** | gerund | a woman *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **help** | to-infinitive | a woman *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 5 | **bring up** | infinitive | a woman *not said here* | the child |  | the Christian faith |  |  | vn remedy-45.7 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent child=Patient |
| 6 | **care** | infinitive | a woman *not said here* |  |  |  |  | for them *= they* | vn caring-75.2-2 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent for they=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 -->
A fairy godmother is a magic helper in fairy tales, like in «Cinderella», or anyone who helps you unexpectedly.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:godmother:m2:1
# text = A fairy godmother is a magic helper in fairy tales, like in «Cinderella», or anyone who helps you unexpectedly.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	fairy	fairy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	godmother	godmother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	magic	magic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	helper	helper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	fairy	fairy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	tales	tale	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
12	like	like	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
13	in	in	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	Cinderella	Cinderella	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	10	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
18	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
19	anyone	anyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	7	conj	_	_
20	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	21	nsubj	_	_
21	helps	help	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	19	acl:relcl	_	_
22	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	21	obj	_	_
23	unexpectedly	unexpectedly	ADV	RB	_	21	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a fairy godmother | a magic helper |  | fairy tales |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **help** | present |  |  | you |  |  | unexpectedly *property* | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent you=Beneficiary |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My godmother came to my first communion.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:godmother:x1:1
# text = My godmother came to my first communion.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	godmother	godmother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	came	come	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
6	first	first	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	7	amod	_	_
7	communion	communion	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come** | past | My godmother |  |  | my first communion |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme to communion=Initial\_Location |
| 2 | **commune** |  | my |  |  |  |  |  | nom communion «act intransitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Aunt Sophie is my godmother.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:godmother:x2:1
# text = Aunt Sophie is my godmother.
1	Aunt	aunt	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
2	Sophie	Sophie	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	1	appos	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	godmother	godmother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	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 | Aunt | my godmother |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Cinderella's fairy godmother turned a pumpkin into a coach.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:godmother:x3:1
# text = Cinderella's fairy godmother turned a pumpkin into a coach.
1	Cinderella	Cinderella	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	's	PART	POS	_	1	case	_	_
3	fairy	fairy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	godmother	godmother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	turned	turn	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	pumpkin	pumpkin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	into	into	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	coach	coach	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **turn** | past | Cinderella's fairy godmother | a pumpkin |  | a coach |  |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V NP PP.trajectory»: agent=Agent pumpkin=Theme into coach=Trajectory |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The godmother promised to help the child grow in faith.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:godmother:x4:1
# text = The godmother promised to help the child grow in faith.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	godmother	godmother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	promised	promise	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	help	help	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	child	child	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	grow	grow	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	xcomp	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	faith	faith	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **promise** *speech: promise* | past | the godmother |  |  |  |  |  | vn promise-37.13 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **help** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | the godmother *not said here* | the child |  |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent child=Beneficiary clause=Theme |
| 3 | **grow** *not said to happen* | infinitive | the child *not said here* |  |  | faith |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in faith=Location |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She was like a fairy godmother to the charity.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:godmother:x5:1
# text = She was like a fairy godmother to the charity.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
3	like	like	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	fairy	fairy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	godmother	godmother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	charity	charity	NOUN	NN	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** | past | She |  |  |  |  | like a fairy godmother; to the charity | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I have two godmothers and one godfather.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:godmother:x6:1
# text = I have two godmothers and one godfather.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	have	have	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	4	nummod	_	_
4	godmothers	godmother	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
6	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	7	nummod	_	_
7	godfather	godfather	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Russian merchant was his godfather, and the kitchen-maid his godmother.

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:godmother:x7:1
# text = The Russian merchant was his godfather, and the kitchen-maid his godmother.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	Russian	Russian	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	merchant	merchant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	godfather	godfather	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
10	kitchen	kitchen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	maid	maid	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	_
13	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	14	nmod:poss	_	_
14	godmother	godmother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | the Russian merchant | his godfather and the kitchen maid |  |  |  |  | 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 -->

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