---
title: heighten — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «heighten» in the school dictionary: To make a feeling, effect or danger stronger or greater. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# heighten

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** creaking door, our, Music, Police, Eating, poster · **What happens:** make, increase, heighten, creak, fear, be · **To what, where:** feeling, something, heightened security, fear, excitement, heightened alert

<!-- .vabout -->
«heighten» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 9 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: [heighten in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/heighten.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To make a feeling, effect or danger stronger or greater.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:heighten:m1:1
# text = To make a feeling, effect or danger stronger or greater.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	make	make	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	feeling	feeling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
6	effect	effect	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	danger	danger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	_
9	stronger	strong	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	2	xcomp	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	greater	great	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | to-infinitive |  | a feeling and effect or danger |  |  |  | strong *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset feeling=Product |

<!-- .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 -->
To make something higher or taller (rare in everyday talk).

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:heighten:m2:1
# text = To make something higher or taller (rare in everyday talk).
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	make	make	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	higher	high	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	3	amod	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	taller	tall	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	4	conj	_	_
7	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	rare	rare	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	everyday	everyday	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	talk	talk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

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

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To increase, as in «heightened security» or «heightened risk».

<!-- fold The tree, 9 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:heighten:m3:1
# text = To increase, as in «heightened security» or «heightened risk».
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	increase	increase	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
4	as	as	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	heightened	heighten	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	amod	_	_
8	security	security	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	8	punct	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
11	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	heightened	heighten	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	13	amod	_	_
13	risk	risk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **increase** | to-infinitive |  | heightened security or heightened risk |  |  |  |  | vn caused\_calibratable\_cos-45.6.2-1 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Causer security=Patient |
| 2 | **heighten** *in a quote* | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 3 | **heighten** *in a quote* | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The creaking door heightened our fear.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:heighten:x1:1
# text = The creaking door heightened our fear.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	creaking	creak	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	3	amod	_	_
3	door	door	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	heightened	heighten	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	fear	fear	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **creak** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **heighten** | past | the creaking door | our fear |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent fear=Patient |
| 3 | **fear** |  | our |  |  |  |  |  | nom fear «feeling transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Music in a film can heighten the excitement.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:heighten:x2:1
# text = Music in a film can heighten the excitement.
1	Music	music	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
2	in	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	film	film	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nmod	_	_
5	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	heighten	heighten	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	excitement	excitement	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 | **heighten** | can | Music in a film | the excitement |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent excitement=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Police were on heightened alert after the storm.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:heighten:x3:1
# text = Police were on heightened alert after the storm.
1	Police	police	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
2	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	on	on	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	heightened	heighten	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	amod	_	_
5	alert	alert	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	after	after	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	storm	storm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **heighten** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **is** | past | Police |  |  | heightened alert | after the storm |  | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Eating sugar before bed may heighten a child's energy.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:heighten:x4:1
# text = Eating sugar before bed may heighten a child's energy.
1	Eating	eat	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	csubj	_	_
2	sugar	sugar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
3	before	before	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	bed	bed	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
5	may	may	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	heighten	heighten	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	child	child	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	's	's	PART	POS	_	8	case	_	_
10	energy	energy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **eat** | gerund |  | sugar |  |  | before bed |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sugar=Patient |
| 2 | **heighten** | may | Eating | a child's energy |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent energy=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The poster aims to heighten awareness of road safety.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:heighten:x5:1
# text = The poster aims to heighten awareness of road safety.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	poster	poster	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	aims	aim	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	heighten	heighten	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	awareness	awareness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	road	road	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	safety	safety	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **aim** | present | the poster |  |  |  |  |  | vn wish-62 «NP V for NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot clause=Theme |
| 2 | **heighten** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | the poster *not said here* | awareness of road safety |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent awareness=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Her senses were heightened in the dark forest.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:heighten:x6:1
# text = Her senses were heightened in the dark forest.
1	Her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	senses	sens	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	heightened	heighten	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	dark	dark	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	forest	forest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **heighten** | past · passive |  | Her senses |  | the dark forest |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: subject=Patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Builders heightened the wall to keep the goats in.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:heighten:x7:1
# text = Builders heightened the wall to keep the goats in.
1	Builders	builder	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	heightened	heighten	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	wall	wall	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	keep	keep	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	goats	goat	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	RP	_	6	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **heighten** | past | Builders | the wall |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent wall=Patient |
| 2 | **keep in** | to-infinitive | Builders *not said here* | the goats |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent goat=Theme |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The close score heightened the tension in the last minute.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:heighten:x8:1
# text = The close score heightened the tension in the last minute.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	close	close	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	score	score	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	heightened	heighten	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	tension	tension	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	last	last	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	minute	minute	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **heighten** | past | the close score | the tension |  |  | minute |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent tension=Patient |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The clay itself seemed inspired since she had been there, and moulded itself, in heightened beauty, to a likeness of the well-known features.

<!-- fold The tree, 24 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:heighten:x9:1
# text = The clay itself seemed inspired since she had been there, and moulded itself, in heightened beauty, to a likeness of the well-known features.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	clay	clay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	itself	itself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Emp|Reflex=Yes	2	nmod:unmarked	_	_
4	seemed	seem	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	inspired	inspire	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	since	since	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
7	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
8	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
9	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	10	cop	_	_
10	there	there	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	5	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	moulded	mould	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
14	itself	itself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	13	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
16	in	in	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	heightened	heighten	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	18	amod	_	_
18	beauty	beauty	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	22	punct	_	_
20	to	to	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
21	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
22	likeness	likeness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	_
23	of	of	ADP	IN	_	28	case	_	_
24	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	28	det	_	_
25	well	well	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	27	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	25	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	known	know	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	28	amod	_	_
28	features	feature	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	22	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **inspire** | past · passive |  | the clay  clay |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: subject=Experiencer |
| 2 | **is** | past · perfect | she |  |  |  |  | there *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **mould** | past |  | clay |  | heightened beauty |  | to a likeness of the known features | tree rules |
| 4 | **heighten** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 5 | **know** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | well *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |

<!-- 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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