---
title: humour — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «humour» in the school dictionary: The quality of being funny: «The book is full of humour». Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# humour

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** book, you, someone, dad, story, We · **What happens:** be, see, laugh, sense, go along, want · **To what, where:** humour, them, him, great sense, each, joke · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«humour» in the school dictionary: its 4 meanings for a pupil and its 7 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: [humour in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/humour.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The quality of being funny: «The book is full of humour».

<!-- fold The tree, 11 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:humour:m1:1
# text = The quality of being funny: «The book is full of humour».
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	quality	quality	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	5	cop	_	_
5	funny	funny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	11	punct	_	_
7	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	book	book	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
10	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
11	full	full	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	parataxis	_	_
12	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	humour	humour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | funny *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** *in a quote* | present | the book |  |  |  |  | of humour; full *property* | 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}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The ability to see what is funny and to laugh: «a good sense of humour».

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:humour:m2:1
# text = The ability to see what is funny and to laugh: «a good sense of humour».
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	ability	ability	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	see	see	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	acl	_	_
5	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	7	nsubj	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	funny	funny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	ccomp	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	laugh	laugh	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	15	punct	_	_
12	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
14	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	sense	sense	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	appos	_	_
16	of	of	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
17	humour	humour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **see** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | funny *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **laugh** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **sense** *in a quote* |  |  | humour |  |  |  |  | nom sense «cognition transitive»: of=patient |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To go along with what someone wants to keep them happy, even if you don't agree: «Just humour him».

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:humour:m3:1
# text = To go along with what someone wants to keep them happy, even if you don't agree: «Just humour him».
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	go	go	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	18	advcl	_	_
3	along	along	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	2	obl	_	_
6	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	7	nsubj	_	_
7	wants	want	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	keep	keep	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	xcomp	_	_
10	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obj	_	_
11	happy	happy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
13	even	even	ADV	RB	_	18	advmod	_	_
14	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	18	mark	_	_
15	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	18	nsubj	_	_
16	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	18	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	18	advmod	_	_
18	agree	agree	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	22	punct	_	_
20	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	22	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	Just	just	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	22	aux	_	_
22	humour	humour	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	18	ccomp	_	_
23	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	22	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	22	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	18	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go along** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | along *property* | vn help-72.1-2 «NP V PP.beneficiary»: agent=Agent with what=Beneficiary |
| 2 | **want** | present | someone |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot clause=Theme |
| 3 | **keep** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | someone *not said here* | them *= they* |  |  |  | happy *property* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=Theme |
| 4 | **not** **agree** *speech: agree* | present · do-support | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 5 | **humour** *in a quote* |  |  | him *= he* |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A mood: «in a good humour».

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:humour:m4:1
# text = A mood: «in a good humour».
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	mood	mood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	8	punct	_	_
4	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	humour	humour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My dad has a great sense of humour.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:humour:x1:1
# text = My dad has a great sense of humour.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	great	great	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	sense	sense	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	humour	humour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | My dad | a great sense of humour |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sense=Patient |
| 2 | **sense** |  |  | humour |  |  |  |  | nom sense «cognition transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The story is full of humour and surprises.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:humour:x2:1
# text = The story is full of humour and surprises.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	full	full	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	humour	humour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	surprises	surprise	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | the story |  |  |  |  | of humour and surprises; full *property* | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We use humour to cheer each other up.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:humour:x3:1
# text = We use humour to cheer each other up.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	use	use	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	humour	humour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	cheer	cheer	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
6	each	each	DET	DT	ExtPos=PRON|PronType=Rcp	5	obj	_	_
7	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	fixed	_	_
8	up	up	ADP	RP	_	5	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | present | We | humour |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent humour=Patient |
| 2 | **cheer up** | to-infinitive | We *not said here* | each |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent each=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He took the joke with good humour.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:humour:x4:1
# text = He took the joke with good humour.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	took	take	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	joke	joke	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	humour	humour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **take** | past | He | the joke |  |  |  | with good humour | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent joke=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Just humour Grandpa and listen to his old stories again.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:humour:x5:1
# text = Just humour Grandpa and listen to his old stories again.
1	Just	just	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
2	humour	humour	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	Grandpa	Grandpa	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	listen	listen	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
6	to	to	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
8	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	stories	story	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	_
10	again	again	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **humour** | imperative | you *not said here* | Grandpa |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **listen** | infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  | again | to Grandpa's old stories | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent to story=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Her humour is clever and kind.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:humour:x6:1
# text = Her humour is clever and kind.
1	Her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	humour	humour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	clever	clever	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	kind	kind	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Her humour |  |  |  |  | clever *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **be** |  | Her humour *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **humour** |  | Her *= she* |  |  |  |  |  | nom humour «feeling transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
“Dance away, my little man,” said Peter, who was in high good humour.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:humour:x7:1
# text = “Dance away, my little man,” said Peter, who was in high good humour.
1	“	"	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Dance	dance	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	ccomp	_	_
3	away	away	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
5	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
6	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	”	"	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
10	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
11	Peter	Peter	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
13	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	18	nsubj	_	_
14	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	18	cop	_	_
15	in	in	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
16	high	high	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
17	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
18	humour	humour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **dance away** *in a quote* | infinitive |  | my little man |  |  |  | away *property* | vn modes\_of\_being\_with\_motion-47.3 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | Peter |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **is** | past | Peter |  |  | high good humour |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- 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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