---
title: grim — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «grim» in the school dictionary: Grim means very serious, stern and unsmiling («a grim face»). Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# grim

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Grim, grim place, school toilets, teacher, news, castle · **What happens:** mean, worry, be, hold on, hold, look · **To what, where:** mess, grim grey place, heat, spooky picture · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«grim» in the school dictionary: its 5 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: [grim in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/grim.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grim means very serious, stern and unsmiling («a grim face»).

<!-- fold The tree, 10 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:grim:m1:1
# text = Grim means very serious, stern and unsmiling («a grim face»).
1	Grim	grim	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	very	very	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	serious	serious	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
6	stern	stern	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	unsmiling	unsmiling	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	_
9	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	grim	grim	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	face	face	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Grim |  |  |  |  | serious *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: 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 -->
Grim means unpleasant, worrying or sad («grim news»).

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:grim:m2:1
# text = Grim means unpleasant, worrying or sad («grim news»).
1	Grim	grim	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	unpleasant	unpleasant	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
5	worrying	worry	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	conj	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	sad	sad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	conj	_	_
8	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	grim	grim	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	news	news	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Grim |  |  |  |  | unpleasant *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **worry** | gerund | Grim *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A grim place is dark, cold and gloomy.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:grim:m3:1
# text = A grim place is dark, cold and gloomy.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	grim	grim	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	place	place	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	dark	dark	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
7	cold	cold	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	conj	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	gloomy	gloomy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | a grim place |  |  |  |  | dark *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **be** |  | a grim place *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **be** |  | a grim place *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grim means horrible or disgusting («The school toilets were grim»).

<!-- fold The tree, 10 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:grim:m4:1
# text = Grim means horrible or disgusting («The school toilets were grim»).
1	Grim	grim	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	horrible	horrible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	_
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	disgusting	disgusting	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	conj	_	_
6	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	toilets	toilet	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	nsubj	_	_
11	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
12	grim	grim	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Grim |  |  |  |  | horrible *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** *in a quote* | past | the school toilets |  |  |  |  | grim *property* | tree rules |

## Meaning 5 {#m5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Hold on like grim death» means to hold very tightly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:grim:m5:1
# text = «Hold on like grim death» means to hold very tightly.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Hold	hold	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	csubj	_	_
3	on	on	ADP	RP	_	2	compound:prt	_	_
4	like	like	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	grim	grim	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	death	death	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
8	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	hold	hold	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	xcomp	_	_
11	very	very	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
12	tightly	tightly	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hold on** *in a quote* | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | like grim death | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **hold** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | tightly *property* | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The teacher looked grim when she saw the mess.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:grim:x1:1
# text = The teacher looked grim when she saw the mess.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	looked	look	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	grim	grim	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	xcomp	_	_
5	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	7	advmod	_	_
6	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	saw	see	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	mess	mess	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** | past | the teacher |  |  |  |  | grim *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |
| 2 | **see** | past | teacher | the mess |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer mess=Stimulus |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The news about the flood was grim.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:grim:x2:1
# text = The news about the flood was grim.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	news	news	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	about	about	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	flood	flood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	grim	grim	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** | past | the news about the flood |  |  |  |  | grim *property* | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The castle was a grim, grey place.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:grim:x3:1
# text = The castle was a grim, grey place.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	castle	castle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
5	grim	grim	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
7	grey	grey	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	place	place	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | the castle | a grim grey place |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The bins smelt grim in the heat.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:grim:x4:1
# text = The bins smelt grim in the heat.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	bins	bin	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	smelt	smelt	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	grim	grim	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	xcomp	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	heat	heat	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 | **smelt** | present | the bins |  |  | the heat |  | grim *property* | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He held on to the rope like grim death.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:grim:x5:1
# text = He held on to the rope like grim death.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	held	hold	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	on	on	ADP	RP	_	2	compound:prt	_	_
4	to	to	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	rope	rope	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
7	like	like	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	grim	grim	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	death	death	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hold on** | past | He |  |  |  |  | to the rope like grim death | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The weather forecast is grim for the weekend.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:grim:x6:1
# text = The weather forecast is grim for the weekend.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	weather	weather	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	forecast	forecast	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	grim	grim	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	weekend	weekend	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Grim Reaper is a spooky picture of death.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:grim:x7:1
# text = The Grim Reaper is a spooky picture of death.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	Grim	grim	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	Reaper	reaper	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	spooky	spooky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	picture	picture	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	death	death	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the Grim Reaper | a spooky picture |  |  |  | of death | tree rules |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The princess stood silent, and her face grew grim.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:grim:x8:1
# text = The princess stood silent, and her face grew grim.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	princess	princess	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	stood	stand	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	silent	silent	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
7	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	face	face	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
9	grew	grow	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
10	grim	grim	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stand** | past | the princess |  |  |  |  | silent *property* | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **grow** | past | princess's face |  |  |  |  | grim *property* | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=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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