---
title: handicap — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «handicap» in the school dictionary: Something that makes it harder for you to do well, a disadvantage, as in «Being small was a handicap in basketball». Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# handicap

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** you, handicap, score, people, having, golf handicap · **What happens:** make, do, be, say, not have, handicap · **To what, where:** it, disadvantage, small handicap, basketball, score, golf · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«handicap» in the school dictionary: its 4 meanings for a pupil and its 6 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: [handicap in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/handicap.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Something that makes it harder for you to do well, a disadvantage, as in «Being small was a handicap in basketball».

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:handicap:m1:1
# text = Something that makes it harder for you to do well, a disadvantage, as in «Being small was a handicap in basketball».
1	Something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	0	root	_	_
2	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	3	nsubj	_	_
3	makes	make	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	acl:relcl	_	_
4	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	obj	_	_
5	harder	hard	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	3	xcomp	_	_
6	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
7	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	xcomp	_	_
10	well	well	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	9	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	disadvantage	disadvantage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	22	punct	_	_
15	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	19	mark	_	_
16	in	in	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
17	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	19	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	Being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	19	cop	_	_
19	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	22	amod	_	_
20	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	22	cop	_	_
21	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
22	handicap	handicap	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	parataxis	_	_
23	in	in	ADP	IN	_	24	case	_	_
24	basketball	basketball	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	22	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | present |  | it |  |  |  | hard *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset it=Product |
| 2 | **do** | to-infinitive | you | a disadvantage |  |  |  | well *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **is** *in a quote* | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | small *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **is a** *in a quote* | past |  | a small handicap |  | basketball |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- .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: sport — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In golf, horse racing and some games, a handicap is a score or weight that makes the contest fair between stronger and weaker players.

<!-- fold The tree, 24 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:handicap:m2:1
# text = In golf, horse racing and some games, a handicap is a score or weight that makes the contest fair between stronger and weaker players.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	golf	golf	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
4	horse	horse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	racing	racing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	appos	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
7	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	8	det	_	_
8	games	game	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	handicap	handicap	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nsubj	_	_
12	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	cop	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	score	score	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
15	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
16	weight	weight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	conj	_	_
17	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	18	nsubj	_	_
18	makes	make	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	acl:relcl	_	_
19	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
20	contest	contest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	obj	_	_
21	fair	fair	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	xcomp	_	_
22	between	between	ADP	IN	_	26	case	_	_
23	stronger	strong	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	26	amod	_	_
24	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	25	cc	_	_
25	weaker	weak	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	23	conj	_	_
26	players	player	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	21	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	14	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a handicap | a score or weight |  | golf |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **make** | present | a score or weight | the contest |  |  |  | fair *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset contest=Product |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A disability; today people usually say «disability» instead.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:handicap:m3:1
# text = A disability; today people usually say «disability» instead.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	disability	disability	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	7	punct	_	_
4	today	today	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl:unmarked	_	_
5	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
6	usually	usually	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	say	say	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	acl:relcl	_	_
8	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	disability	disability	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	9	punct	_	_
11	instead	instead	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | people | disability |  |  | today | instead, usually *property* | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent disability=Topic |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To make it harder for someone to do something.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:handicap:m4:1
# text = To make it harder for someone to do something.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	make	make	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	harder	hard	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	2	xcomp	_	_
5	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
6	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	5	fixed	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	advcl	_	_
9	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | hard *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset |
| 2 | **do** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Eventuality |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Not having a map was a big handicap.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:handicap:x1:1
# text = Not having a map was a big handicap.
1	Not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	2	advmod	_	_
2	having	have	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	8	csubj	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	map	map	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	handicap	handicap	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 | **not** **have** | gerund |  | a map |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent map=Patient |
| 2 | **is a** | past | having | a big handicap |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grandpa's golf handicap is 12.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:handicap:x2:1
# text = Grandpa's golf handicap is 12.
1	Grandpa	Grandpa	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	's	PART	POS	_	1	case	_	_
3	golf	golf	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	handicap	handicap	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
6	12	12	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Grandpa's golf handicap | 12 |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **handicap** |  | Grandpa |  |  |  |  |  | nom handicap «state transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The racehorse carried extra weight as a handicap.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:handicap:x3:1
# text = The racehorse carried extra weight as a handicap.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	racehorse	racehorse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	carried	carry	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	extra	extra	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	weight	weight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	as	as	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	handicap	handicap	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 | **carry** | past | the racehorse | extra weight |  |  |  | as a handicap | vn carry-11.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent weight=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Being new to the school was a handicap at first.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:handicap:x4:1
# text = Being new to the school was a handicap at first.
1	Being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	cop	_	_
2	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	csubj	_	_
3	to	to	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	handicap	handicap	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
9	at	at	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	first	first	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | to the school; new *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **is a** | past |  | a handicap |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The bad weather handicapped the rescue team.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:handicap:x5:1
# text = The bad weather handicapped the rescue team.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	weather	weather	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	handicapped	handicap	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	rescue	rescue	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	team	team	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 | **handicap** | past | the bad weather | the rescue team |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
People now say «disabled» rather than «handicapped».

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:handicap:x6:1
# text = People now say «disabled» rather than «handicapped».
1	People	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	now	now	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	3	advmod	_	_
3	say	say	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	disabled	disable	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
7	rather	rather	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
8	than	than	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	handicapped	handicapped	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | People |  |  |  | now |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **disable** *in a quote* | past |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn remedy-45.7 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent |

<!-- 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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