---
title: indeterminate — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «indeterminate» in the school dictionary: Indeterminate means not exactly known, fixed or clear; vague. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# indeterminate

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** indeterminate answer, indeterminate sentence, He, dog, meeting, answer · **What happens:** indeterminate, not mean, know, fix, be, not work out · **To what, where:** one, information, prison sentence, man, brown, indeterminate sentence · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«indeterminate» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 6 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: [indeterminate in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/indeterminate.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Indeterminate means not exactly known, fixed or clear; vague.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:indeterminate:m1:1
# text = Indeterminate means not exactly known, fixed or clear; vague.
1	Indeterminate	indeterminate	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	csubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	2	advmod	_	_
4	exactly	exactly	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	known	know	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
7	fixed	fix	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	parataxis	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	clear	clear	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	11	punct	_	_
11	vague	vague	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **indeterminate** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **know** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | exactly *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 4 | **fix** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn shake-22.3-2 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Patient |

<!-- .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: maths — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An indeterminate answer or form is one that cannot be worked out as a single value from the information given.

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:indeterminate:m2:1
# text = An indeterminate answer or form is one that cannot be worked out as a single value from the information given.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	indeterminate	indeterminate	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	answer	answer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	form	form	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	0	root	_	_
8	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	12	nsubj	_	_
9	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	12	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	12	advmod	_	_
11	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	aux:pass	_	_
12	worked	work	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	acl:relcl	_	_
13	out	out	ADP	RP	_	12	compound:prt	_	_
14	as	as	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
16	single	single	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	amod	_	_
17	value	value	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	_
18	from	from	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
19	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
20	information	information	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	nmod	_	_
21	given	give	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	20	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a indeterminate answer or form | one |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **work out** | can · passive |  |  |  |  |  | as a single value from the information | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: subject=Topic |
| 3 | **give** | participle |  | the information *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn break\_down-45.8 «NP V»: agent=Patient |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An indeterminate sentence is a prison sentence with no fixed end date.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:indeterminate:m3:1
# text = An indeterminate sentence is a prison sentence with no fixed end date.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	indeterminate	indeterminate	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	sentence	sentence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	prison	prison	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	sentence	sentence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
9	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	12	det	_	_
10	fixed	fix	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	12	amod	_	_
11	end	end	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	compound	_	_
12	date	date	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a indeterminate sentence | a prison sentence |  |  |  | with no fixed end date | tree rules |
| 2 | **fix** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn shake-22.3-2 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He was a man of indeterminate age, maybe forty or sixty.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:indeterminate:x1:1
# text = He was a man of indeterminate age, maybe forty or sixty.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|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	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	indeterminate	indeterminate	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	age	age	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
9	maybe	maybe	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
10	forty	forty	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	4	acl:relcl	_	_
11	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	sixty	sixty	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | He | a man |  |  | of indeterminate age |  | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The dog was a brown of indeterminate shade.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:indeterminate:x2:1
# text = The dog was a brown of indeterminate shade.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	brown	brown	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	indeterminate	indeterminate	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	shade	shade	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** | past | the dog | a brown |  |  |  | of indeterminate shade | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The meeting will last an indeterminate time.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:indeterminate:x3:1
# text = The meeting will last an indeterminate time.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	meeting	meeting	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	last	last	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	indeterminate	indeterminate	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **last** | future | the meeting |  |  |  | time |  | vn cost-54.2 «NP V NP.value»: agent=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
With one equation and two unknowns, the answer is indeterminate.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:indeterminate:x4:1
# text = With one equation and two unknowns, the answer is indeterminate.
1	With	with	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	3	nummod	_	_
3	equation	equation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
5	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	6	nummod	_	_
6	unknowns	unknown	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	answer	answer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
10	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
11	indeterminate	indeterminate	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | the answer |  |  |  |  | with one equation and two unknowns; indeterminate *property* | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The judge gave an indeterminate sentence.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:indeterminate:x5:1
# text = The judge gave an indeterminate sentence.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	judge	judge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	gave	give	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	indeterminate	indeterminate	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	sentence	sentence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | past | the judge | a indeterminate sentence |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sentence=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A creature of indeterminate shape moved in the fog.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:indeterminate:x6:1
# text = A creature of indeterminate shape moved in the fog.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	creature	creature	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	indeterminate	indeterminate	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	shape	shape	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	moved	move	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	fog	fog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **move** | past | a creature of indeterminate shape |  |  | the fog |  |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V PP.trajectory»: agent=Theme in fog=Trajectory |

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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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