---
title: incurable — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «incurable» in the school dictionary: An incurable illness cannot be cured: doctors cannot make it go away, though they may help the person feel better. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# incurable

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** doctors, illness, person, incurable habit, quality, incurable optimist · **What happens:** not cure, not make, not go away, help, feel, be · **To what, where:** incurable illness, illness, person, incurable disease, Grandad, incurable chatterbox · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«incurable» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 8 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: [incurable in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/incurable.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An incurable illness cannot be cured: doctors cannot make it go away, though they may help the person feel better.

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:incurable:m1:1
# text = An incurable illness cannot be cured: doctors cannot make it go away, though they may help the person feel better.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	incurable	incurable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	illness	illness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	7	advmod	_	_
6	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	aux:pass	_	_
7	cured	cure	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	12	punct	_	_
9	doctors	doctor	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	nsubj	_	_
10	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	12	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	12	advmod	_	_
12	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	parataxis	_	_
13	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	obj	_	_
14	go	go	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	xcomp	_	_
15	away	away	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	20	punct	_	_
17	though	though	SCONJ	IN	_	20	mark	_	_
18	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	20	nsubj	_	_
19	may	may	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	20	aux	_	_
20	help	help	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	conj	_	_
21	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
22	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	obj	_	_
23	feel	feel	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	20	xcomp	_	_
24	better	good	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	23	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **cure** | can · passive |  | a incurable illness |  |  |  |  | vn free-10.6.3-1-1 «NP V NP PP.theme»: subject=Source |
| 2 | **not** **make** | can | doctors | illness |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **not** **go away** | infinitive | illness *not said here* |  |  |  |  | away *property* | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **help** | may | doctors *= doctor* | the person |  |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent person=Beneficiary clause=Theme |
| 5 | **feel** | infinitive | the person *not said here* |  |  |  |  | good *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |

<!-- .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 -->
An incurable habit or quality is so strong that it will never change: an incurable optimist always hopes for the best.

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:incurable:m2:1
# text = An incurable habit or quality is so strong that it will never change: an incurable optimist always hopes for the best.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	incurable	incurable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	habit	habit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	quality	quality	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
7	so	so	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	strong	strong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
9	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
10	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
11	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	13	aux	_	_
12	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	13	advmod	_	_
13	change	change	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	19	punct	_	_
15	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
16	incurable	incurable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	amod	_	_
17	optimist	optimist	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	nsubj	_	_
18	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	19	advmod	_	_
19	hopes	hope	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	conj	_	_
20	for	for	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
21	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
22	best	good	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	19	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | a incurable habit or quality |  |  |  |  | strong *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **change** | future | quality |  |  |  |  |  | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **hope** | present | a incurable optimist |  |  |  |  | for the best; always *property* | vn long-32.2 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Pivot for good=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The vet said the old dog's illness was incurable.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:incurable:x1:1
# text = The vet said the old dog's illness was incurable.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	vet	vet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	's	's	PART	POS	_	6	case	_	_
8	illness	illness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
9	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
10	incurable	incurable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | the vet |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | past | the old dog's illness |  |  |  |  | incurable *property* | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grandad has an incurable disease, but medicine helps him feel comfortable.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:incurable:x2:1
# text = Grandad has an incurable disease, but medicine helps him feel comfortable.
1	Grandad	Grandad	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	incurable	incurable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	disease	disease	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
7	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
8	medicine	medicine	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
9	helps	help	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
10	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obj	_	_
11	feel	feel	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	xcomp	_	_
12	comfortable	comfortable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | Grandad | a incurable disease |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent disease=Patient |
| 2 | **help** | present | medicine | Grandad |  |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent he=Beneficiary clause=Theme |
| 3 | **feel** | infinitive | Grandad *not said here* |  |  |  |  | comfortable *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My sister is an incurable chatterbox.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:incurable:x3:1
# text = My sister is an incurable chatterbox.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	sister	sister	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	incurable	incurable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	chatterbox	chatterbox	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | My sister | a incurable chatterbox |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Scientists are working hard to find treatments for incurable illnesses.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:incurable:x4:1
# text = Scientists are working hard to find treatments for incurable illnesses.
1	Scientists	scientist	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	working	work	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	xcomp	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	find	find	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	treatments	treatment	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	_
8	for	for	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	incurable	incurable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	illnesses	illness	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **work** | present · progressive | Scientists |  |  |  |  | hard *property* | vn employment-95.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **find** | to-infinitive | Scientists *not said here* | treatments |  |  |  | for incurable illnesses | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP PP.beneficiary»: agent=Agent treatment=Theme for illness=Beneficiary |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dad is an incurable optimist about the weather.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:incurable:x5:1
# text = Dad is an incurable optimist about the weather.
1	Dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	incurable	incurable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	optimist	optimist	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	about	about	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	weather	weather	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 | **is a** | present | Dad | a incurable optimist |  |  |  | about the weather | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Some illnesses that were once incurable can now be cured.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:incurable:x6:1
# text = Some illnesses that were once incurable can now be cured.
1	Some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	2	det	_	_
2	illnesses	illness	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	4	nsubj	_	_
4	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	acl:relcl	_	_
5	once	once	SCONJ	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	incurable	incurable	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
7	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
8	now	now	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	10	advmod	_	_
9	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	aux:pass	_	_
10	cured	cure	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cure** | can · passive |  | some illnesses |  |  | now |  | vn free-10.6.3-1-1 «NP V NP PP.theme»: subject=Source |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She was incurably curious about everything.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:incurable:x7:1
# text = She was incurably curious about everything.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	incurably	incurably	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	curious	curious	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	about	about	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	everything	everything	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | She |  |  |  |  | about everything; curious, incurably *property* | tree rules |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Meanwhile, the wound of Telephus proving incurable, he consulted an oracle, and the response was, that he alone who had inflicted the wound possessed the power of curing it.

<!-- fold The tree, 29 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:incurable:x8:1
# text = Meanwhile, the wound of Telephus proving incurable, he consulted an oracle, and the response was, that he alone who had inflicted the wound possessed the power of curing it.
1	Meanwhile	meanwhile	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	wound	wound	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	Telephus	Telephus	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
7	proving	prove	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	8	amod	_	_
8	incurable	incurable	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
10	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
11	consulted	consult	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
12	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	oracle	oracle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	28	punct	_	_
15	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	28	cc	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	response	response	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	28	nsubj	_	_
18	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	25	cop	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	25	punct	_	_
20	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	25	mark	_	_
21	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	25	nsubj	_	_
22	alone	alone	ADV	RB	_	25	advmod	_	_
23	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	25	nsubj	_	_
24	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	25	aux	_	_
25	inflicted	inflict	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	17	acl:relcl	_	_
26	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	27	det	_	_
27	wound	wound	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	28	nsubj	_	_
28	possessed	possess	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	conj	_	_
29	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	30	det	_	_
30	power	power	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	28	obj	_	_
31	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	32	mark	_	_
32	curing	cure	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	30	acl	_	_
33	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	32	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
34	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **prove** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn declare-29.4-1-1 «NP V what S\_INF»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **incurable** |  | the wound of Telephus |  |  |  |  | meanwhile *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **consult** | past | wound | a oracle |  |  |  |  | vn assessment-34.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent oracle=Theme |
| 4 | **is** | past · perfect | response |  |  |  |  | alone, inflict *property* | tree rules |
| 5 | **possess** | past | the response | the power |  |  |  |  | vn own-100.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Pivot power=Theme |
| 6 | **cure** | gerund | the power *not said here* | power |  |  |  |  | vn free-10.6.3-1-1 «NP V NP PP.theme»: agent=Causer it=Source |
| 7 | **wound** |  |  | Telephus |  |  |  |  | nom wound «state transitive»: of=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 -->

<!-- pn -->
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