---
title: hick — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «hick» in the school dictionary: An insulting word for someone from the countryside, suggesting they are simple and old-fashioned. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# hick

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** insulting word, they, city kids, teacher, hick farmer, she · **What happens:** suggest, be, call, grow up, not call, say · **To what, where:** him, small hick town, people, film, cleverest character, little sister · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«hick» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 5 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: [hick in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/hick.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An insulting word for someone from the countryside, suggesting they are simple and old-fashioned.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hick:m1:1
# text = An insulting word for someone from the countryside, suggesting they are simple and old-fashioned.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	insulting	insulting	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	for	for	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	3	nmod	_	_
6	from	from	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	countryside	countryside	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
10	suggesting	suggest	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	3	acl	_	_
11	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
12	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
13	simple	simple	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	ccomp	_	_
14	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
15	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	fashioned	fashioned	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **suggest** *speech: suggest* | gerund | a insulting word for someone *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | present | they |  |  |  |  | simple *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **be** |  | they *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | 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: adjective, informal — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Small, rural and old-fashioned: a hick town.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hick:m2:1
# text = Small, rural and old-fashioned: a hick town.
1	Small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
3	rural	rural	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	conj	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
5	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	fashioned	fashioned	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	11	punct	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	hick	hick	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	town	town	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

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

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A short sound like a hiccup.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hick:m3:1
# text = A short sound like a hiccup.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	short	short	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	sound	sound	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	like	like	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	hiccup	hiccup	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The city kids unkindly called him a hick.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hick:x1:1
# text = The city kids unkindly called him a hick.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	city	city	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	kids	kid	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
4	unkindly	unkindly	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	called	call	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	obj	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	hick	hick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** | past | the city kids |  | him *= he* |  |  | unkindly *property* | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent he=Recipient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
They grew up in a small hick town in Kansas.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hick:x2:1
# text = They grew up in a small hick town in Kansas.
1	They	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	grew	grow	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	up	up	ADP	RP	_	2	compound:prt	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
6	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
7	hick	hick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	town	town	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	Kansas	Kansas	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **grow up** | past | They |  |  | a small hick town in Kansas |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in town=Location |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Don't call people hicks,» said the teacher.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hick:x3:1
# text = «Don't call people hicks,» said the teacher.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Do	do	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	call	call	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	ccomp	_	_
5	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
6	hicks	hick	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
9	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **call** *in a quote* | do-support |  | people |  |  |  |  | vn dub-29.3.2 «NP V NP NP»: agent=Agent people=Theme hick=Result |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | the teacher |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the film, the «hick» farmer turned out to be the cleverest character.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hick:x4:1
# text = In the film, the «hick» farmer turned out to be the cleverest character.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	film	film	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
6	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	hick	hick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	7	punct	_	_
9	farmer	farmer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
10	turned	turn	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
11	out	out	ADP	RP	_	10	compound:prt	_	_
12	to	to	PART	TO	_	16	mark	_	_
13	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	16	cop	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
15	cleverest	clever	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	16	amod	_	_
16	character	character	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **turn out** | past | the hick farmer |  |  | the film |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in film=Location |
| 2 | **is a** | to-infinitive | the hick farmer *not said here* | the cleverest character |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Hick! went my little sister when she had hiccups.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hick:x5:1
# text = Hick! went my little sister when she had hiccups.
1	Hick	hick	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
3	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
5	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	sister	sister	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	iobj	_	_
7	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	9	advmod	_	_
8	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
10	hiccups	hiccup	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go** | past |  |  | my little sister |  |  |  | vn meander-47.7 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location sister=Theme |
| 2 | **have** | past | she | hiccups |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent hiccup=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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