---
title: heck — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «heck» in the school dictionary: an exclamation of annoyance or surprise, a soft stand-in for «hell». Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# heck

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** I, heck, That, you, 's, teacher · **What happens:** exclaim, use, not care, spill, be, let · **To what, where:** annoyance, juice, noise, heck, 's, slice · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«heck» in the school dictionary: its 3 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: [heck in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/heck.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
an exclamation of annoyance or surprise, a soft stand-in for «hell».

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:heck:m1:1
# text = an exclamation of annoyance or surprise, a soft stand-in for «hell».
1	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	exclamation	exclamation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	annoyance	annoyance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	surprise	surprise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
9	soft	soft	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
10	stand	stand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	in	in	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	appos	_	_
13	for	for	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	hell	hell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **exclaim** |  |  | annoyance or surprise |  |  |  |  | nom exclamation «communication transitive»: of=patient |

<!-- .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 -->
used for emphasis: «a heck of a lot» = very much.

<!-- fold The tree, 11 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:heck:m2:1
# text = used for emphasis: «a heck of a lot» = very much.
1	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
2	for	for	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	emphasis	emphasis	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	7	punct	_	_
5	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	heck	heck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	lot	lot	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	10	punct	_	_
12	=	=	SYM	SYM	_	14	punct	_	_
13	very	very	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	_
14	much	much	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | for emphasis and a heck of a lot | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«what the heck» = why not, I don't care.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:heck:m3:1
# text = «what the heck» = why not, I don't care.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	what	what	DET	WP	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	heck	heck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
6	=	=	SYM	SYM	_	13	punct	_	_
7	why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	13	advmod	_	_
8	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	13	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
10	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
11	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	13	advmod	_	_
13	care	care	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	13	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **care** | present · do-support | I |  |  |  |  |  | vn care-88.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Oh heck, I've spilled my juice.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:heck:x1:1
# text = Oh heck, I've spilled my juice.
1	Oh	oh	INTJ	UH	_	6	discourse	_	_
2	heck	heck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	vocative	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
4	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	've	have	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	spilled	spill	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
7	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	juice	juice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **spill** | present · perfect | I | my juice |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location juice=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
What the heck is that noise?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:heck:x2:1
# text = What the heck is that noise?
1	What	what	DET	WP	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	heck	heck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	that	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	6	det	_	_
6	noise	noise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	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 | what heck | that noise |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
That's a heck of a lot of homework.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:heck:x3:1
# text = That's a heck of a lot of homework.
1	That	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	heck	heck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	lot	lot	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	homework	homework	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | That | a heck |  |  |  | of a lot of homework | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Heck, why not? Let's go.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Heck, why not?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:heck:x4:1
# text = Heck, why not?
1	Heck	heck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	0	root	_	_
4	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

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

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* Let's go.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:heck:x4:2
# text = Let's go.
1	Let	let	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	1	obj	_	_
3	go	go	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **let** | imperative | you *not said here* | 's |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **go** | infinitive | 's *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"Flipping heck!" said the teacher when the fire alarm went off.

<!-- fold The tree, 11 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:heck:x5:1
# text = "Flipping heck!" said the teacher when the fire alarm went off.
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Flipping	flip	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	ccomp	_	_
3	heck	heck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
6	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
9	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	13	mark	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	fire	fire	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	compound	_	_
12	alarm	alarm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nsubj	_	_
13	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	ccomp	_	_
14	off	off	ADP	RP	_	13	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **flip** *in a quote* | gerund |  | heck |  |  |  |  | vn throw-17.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent heck=Theme |
| 2 | **say** *speech: express* | past | the teacher |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **go off** | past | the fire alarm |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-2 «NP V ADV»: agent=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It's a heck of a long way to walk.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:heck:x6:1
# text = It's a heck of a long way to walk.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	heck	heck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	walk	walk	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | It | a heck |  |  |  | of a long way | tree rules |
| 2 | **walk** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Heck, I forgot my lunch again.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:heck:x7:1
# text = Heck, I forgot my lunch again.
1	Heck	heck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	forgot	forget	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	lunch	lunch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	again	again	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **forget** | past | I | Heck |  |  | again |  | tree rules |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
What the heck, I'll have another slice.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:heck:x8:1
# text = What the heck, I'll have another slice.
1	What	what	DET	WP	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	heck	heck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	'll	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
7	have	have	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
8	another	another	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	9	det	_	_
9	slice	slice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

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

<!-- 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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