---
title: idolatry — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «idolatry» in the school dictionary: Worshipping idols, meaning statues or objects treated as gods, which the Bible forbids. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# idolatry

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**Who acts:** Worshipping idols, Bible, it, Israelites, Ten Commandments, Christians · **What happens:** mean, treat, forbid, admire, be, fall · **To what, where:** statues, gods, something, god, Bible, golden calf

<!-- .vabout -->
«idolatry» in the school dictionary: its 2 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: [idolatry in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/idolatry.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Worshipping idols, meaning statues or objects treated as gods, which the Bible forbids.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:idolatry:m1:1
# text = Worshipping idols, meaning statues or objects treated as gods, which the Bible forbids.
1	Worshipping	worshipping	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	idols	idol	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
4	meaning	mean	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	acl	_	_
5	statues	statue	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	objects	object	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	conj	_	_
8	treated	treat	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	acl	_	_
9	as	as	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	gods	god	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
12	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	15	obj	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	Bible	Bible	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	15	nsubj	_	_
15	forbids	forbid	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | gerund | Worshipping idols *not said here* | statues or objects |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent statue=Topic |
| 2 | **treat** | participle |  | statues or objects *not said here* |  |  |  | as gods | vn characterize-29.2 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent as god=Attribute |
| 3 | **forbid** | present | the Bible | gods |  |  |  |  | vn forbid-64.4-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Causer which=Theme |

<!-- .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 -->
Loving or admiring something or someone far too much, as if it were a god.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:idolatry:m2:1
# text = Loving or admiring something or someone far too much, as if it were a god.
1	Loving	loving	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
2	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
3	admiring	admire	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	1	conj	_	_
4	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	3	obj	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	4	conj	_	_
7	far	far	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	9	advmod	_	_
8	too	too	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	much	much	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
11	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	16	mark	_	_
12	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	16	mark	_	_
13	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	nsubj	_	_
14	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	16	cop	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	god	god	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **admire** | gerund |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer something=Stimulus |
| 2 | **is a** *a condition, not said to happen* | past | it | a god |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the Bible, the Israelites fell into idolatry when they worshipped the golden calf.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:idolatry:x1:1
# text = In the Bible, the Israelites fell into idolatry when they worshipped the golden calf.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	Bible	Bible	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	Israelites	Israelite	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
7	fell	fall	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	into	into	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	idolatry	idolatry	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
10	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	12	advmod	_	_
11	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
12	worshipped	worshipp	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	advcl	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
14	golden	golden	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	calf	calf	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fall** | past | the Israelites |  |  | the Bible |  | into idolatry | vn occur-48.3 «NP V PP»: agent=Theme in bible=Location |
| 2 | **worshipp** | past | Israelites *= israelite* | the golden calf |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Ten Commandments forbid idolatry.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:idolatry:x2:1
# text = The Ten Commandments forbid idolatry.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	Ten	ten	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	3	nummod	_	_
3	Commandments	commandment	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	forbid	forbid	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	idolatry	idolatry	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **forbid** | infinitive | the Ten Commandments | idolatry |  |  |  |  | vn forbid-64.4-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Causer idolatry=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Christians believe loving money more than God is a kind of idolatry.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:idolatry:x3:1
# text = Christians believe loving money more than God is a kind of idolatry.
1	Christians	Christian	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	believe	believe	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	loving	loving	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	money	money	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	more	more	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	2	advmod	_	_
6	than	than	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
7	God	God	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	kind	kind	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
11	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	idolatry	idolatry	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **believe** | present | Christians | loving money |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer money=Stimulus |
| 2 | **is** | present | God |  |  |  |  | than a kind; of idolatry | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The prophets warned the people against idolatry.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:idolatry:x4:1
# text = The prophets warned the people against idolatry.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	prophets	prophet	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	warned	warn	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	against	against	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	idolatry	idolatry	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **warn** *speech: warn* | past | the prophets |  | the people |  |  |  | vn advise-37.9-1 «NP V NP PP.topic»: agent=Agent people=Recipient against idolatry=Topic |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Some people's love of football is almost idolatry.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:idolatry:x5:1
# text = Some people's love of football is almost idolatry.
1	Some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	2	det	_	_
2	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	love	love	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	football	football	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
8	almost	almost	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	idolatry	idolatry	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | some people's love of football | idolatry |  |  |  | almost *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **love** |  | some people | football |  |  |  |  | nom love «feeling transitive»: poss=agent of=patient |

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**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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