---
title: imply — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «imply» in the school dictionary: To suggest something without saying it directly. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# imply

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** one thing, another, you, I, smile, His · **What happens:** suggest, say, mean, be, imply, have · **To what, where:** something, it, square, four sides, pen, secret · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To suggest something without saying it directly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:imply:m1:1
# text = To suggest something without saying it directly.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	suggest	suggest	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	without	without	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
5	saying	say	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
6	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	obj	_	_
7	directly	directly	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **suggest** *speech: suggest* | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent something=Topic |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | gerund |  | it |  |  |  | directly *property* | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent it=Topic |

<!-- .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.

<!-- .note -->
The example in this meaning, parsed on its own:

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Are you implying I'm lazy?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:imply:m1e:1
# text = Are you implying I'm lazy?
1	Are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
2	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	implying	imply	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	'm	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
6	lazy	lazy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **imply** | present · progressive | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn indicate-78 «NP V how S»: agent=Pivot |
| 2 | **is** | present | I |  |  |  |  | lazy *property* | tree rules |

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
For one thing to mean that another must be true: being a square implies having four sides.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:imply:m2:1
# text = For one thing to mean that another must be true: being a square implies having four sides.
1	For	for	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	3	nummod	_	_
3	thing	thing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
7	another	another	PRON	DT	PronType=Ind	10	nsubj	_	_
8	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
9	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	cop	_	_
10	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	15	punct	_	_
12	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	14	cop	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	square	square	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	csubj	_	_
15	implies	imply	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	parataxis	_	_
16	having	have	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	15	xcomp	_	_
17	four	four	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	18	nummod	_	_
18	sides	side	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | to-infinitive | one thing |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | must | another |  |  |  |  | true *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **is a** | gerund |  | a square |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **imply** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn indicate-78 «NP V how S»: agent=Pivot clause=Topic |
| 5 | **have** | gerund |  | four sides |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent side=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Are you implying that I took your pen?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:imply:x1:1
# text = Are you implying that I took your pen?
1	Are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
2	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	implying	imply	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
5	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	took	take	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
7	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	pen	pen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **imply** | present · progressive | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn indicate-78 «NP V how S»: agent=Pivot |
| 2 | **take** | past | I | your pen |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent pen=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
His smile implied he knew the secret.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:imply:x2:1
# text = His smile implied he knew the secret.
1	His	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	smile	smile	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	implied	imply	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
5	knew	know	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	ccomp	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	secret	secret	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **imply** | past | His smile |  |  |  |  |  | vn indicate-78 «NP V how S»: agent=Pivot clause=Topic |
| 2 | **know** | past | smile | the secret |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Experiencer secret=Stimulus |
| 3 | **smile** |  | His *= he* |  |  |  |  |  | nom smile «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The writer implies the house is haunted without saying it.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:imply:x3:1
# text = The writer implies the house is haunted without saying it.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	writer	writer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	implies	imply	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	house	house	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj:pass	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux:pass	_	_
7	haunted	haunt	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	ccomp	_	_
8	without	without	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
9	saying	say	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	7	advcl	_	_
10	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **imply** | present | the writer |  |  |  |  |  | vn indicate-78 «NP V how S»: agent=Pivot clause=Topic |
| 2 | **haunt** | present · passive |  | the house |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: subject=Experiencer |
| 3 | **say** *speech: assert* | gerund |  | house |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent it=Topic |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Being a square implies having four equal sides.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:imply:x4:1
# text = Being a square implies having four equal sides.
1	Being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	cop	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	square	square	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	csubj	_	_
4	implies	imply	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	having	have	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	4	xcomp	_	_
6	four	four	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	8	nummod	_	_
7	equal	equal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	sides	side	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | gerund |  | a square |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **imply** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn indicate-78 «NP V how S»: agent=Pivot clause=Topic |
| 3 | **have** | gerund |  | four equal sides |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent side=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Her silence implied she was upset.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:imply:x5:1
# text = Her silence implied she was upset.
1	Her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	silence	silence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	implied	imply	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
5	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
6	upset	upset	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **imply** | past | Her silence |  |  |  |  |  | vn indicate-78 «NP V how S»: agent=Pivot |
| 2 | **is** | past | silence |  |  |  |  | upset *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **silence** |  | Her *= she* |  |  |  |  |  | nom silence «state transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A dark sky often implies rain is coming.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:imply:x6:1
# text = A dark sky often implies rain is coming.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	dark	dark	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	sky	sky	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	often	often	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	implies	imply	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	rain	rain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
8	coming	come	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	5	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **imply** | present | a dark sky |  |  |  |  | often *property* | vn indicate-78 «NP V how S»: agent=Pivot clause=Topic |
| 2 | **come** | present · progressive | rain |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
But this is the usual attitude of the folk towards the "Good People," as indeed their euphemistic name really implies.

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:imply:x7:1
# text = But this is the usual attitude of the folk towards the "Good People," as indeed their euphemistic name really implies.
1	But	but	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
2	this	this	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	usual	usual	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	attitude	attitude	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	folk	folk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
10	towards	towards	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
12	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	Good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	People	People	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	14	punct	_	_
17	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	23	mark	_	_
18	indeed	indeed	ADV	RB	_	23	advmod	_	_
19	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	21	nmod:poss	_	_
20	euphemistic	euphemistic	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	21	amod	_	_
21	name	name	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	23	nsubj	_	_
22	really	really	ADV	RB	_	23	advmod	_	_
23	implies	imply	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | this | the usual attitude |  |  |  | of the folk towards the Good People | tree rules |
| 2 | **imply** | present | People's euphemistic name |  |  |  |  | indeed *property* | vn indicate-78 «NP V how S»: agent=Pivot |
| 3 | **name** |  | People |  |  |  |  |  | nom name «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

<!-- 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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