---
title: inflict — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «inflict» in the school dictionary: To inflict something bad, like pain, harm, damage or punishment, is to make someone or something suffer it. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# inflict

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** someone, It, team, punishment, Dad, he · **What happens:** inflict, be, suffer, put up, joke, cut · **To what, where:** something, punishment, someone, pain, heavy defeat, rivals

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To inflict something bad, like pain, harm, damage or punishment, is to make someone or something suffer it.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:inflict:m1:1
# text = To inflict something bad, like pain, harm, damage or punishment, is to make someone or something suffer it.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	inflict	inflict	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
6	like	like	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	pain	pain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
9	harm	harm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
11	damage	damage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	punishment	punishment	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
15	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	17	cop	_	_
16	to	to	PART	TO	_	17	mark	_	_
17	make	make	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
18	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	21	nsubj	_	_
19	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	20	cc	_	_
20	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	18	conj	_	_
21	suffer	suffer	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	17	ccomp	_	_
22	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	21	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **inflict** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  | like pain and harm and damage or punishment | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | make *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **suffer** | present | someone | punishment |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer it=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}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To inflict something on someone is to make them put up with something unwanted, like bad singing.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:inflict:m2:1
# text = To inflict something on someone is to make them put up with something unwanted, like bad singing.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	inflict	inflict	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	advcl	_	_
3	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obl	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	make	make	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	_
10	put	put	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	xcomp	_	_
11	up	up	ADP	RP	_	10	compound:prt	_	_
12	with	with	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	10	obl	_	_
14	unwanted	unwanted	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
16	like	like	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
18	singing	singing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **inflict** | to-infinitive |  | something |  | someone |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | make *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **put up** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | with something | vn invest-13.5.4-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The storm inflicted serious damage on the town.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:inflict:x1:1
# text = The storm inflicted serious damage on the town.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	storm	storm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	inflicted	inflict	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	amod	_	_
4	serious	serious	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	damage	damage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	town	town	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 | **inflict** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is cruel to inflict pain on animals.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:inflict:x2:1
# text = It is cruel to inflict pain on animals.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	cruel	cruel	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	inflict	inflict	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	csubj	_	_
6	pain	pain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
7	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	animals	animal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | It |  |  |  |  | cruel *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **inflict** | to-infinitive |  | pain |  |  |  | on animals | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The team inflicted a heavy defeat on their rivals.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:inflict:x3:1
# text = The team inflicted a heavy defeat on their rivals.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	team	team	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	inflicted	inflict	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	heavy	heavy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	defeat	defeat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	on	on	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	rivals	rival	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **inflict** | past | the team | a heavy defeat |  | their rivals |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The punishment inflicted on the thief was a big fine.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:inflict:x4:1
# text = The punishment inflicted on the thief was a big fine.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	punishment	punishment	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
3	inflicted	inflict	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	thief	thief	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	fine	fine	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **inflict** | participle |  | the punishment *not said here* |  | the thief |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is a** | past | the punishment | a big fine |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dad inflicted his terrible jokes on us all through dinner.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:inflict:x5:1
# text = Dad inflicted his terrible jokes on us all through dinner.
1	Dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	inflicted	inflict	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
4	terrible	terrible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	jokes	joke	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	obl	_	_
8	all	all	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
9	through	through	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	dinner	dinner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **inflict** | past | Dad | Dad's terrible jokes |  | dinner |  | on us | tree rules |
| 2 | **joke** |  | Dad |  |  |  |  |  | nom joke «communication intransitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The wound was self-inflicted — he cut himself by accident.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:inflict:x6:1
# text = The wound was self-inflicted — he cut himself by accident.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	wound	wound	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux:pass	_	_
4	self	self	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	inflicted	inflict	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
7	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	9	punct	_	_
8	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	cut	cut	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	conj	_	_
10	himself	himself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	9	obj	_	_
11	by	by	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	accident	accident	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **inflict** | past · passive |  | the wound |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **cut** | past | he | himself *= he* |  |  |  | by accident | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent himself=Product |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The hail inflicted damage on the cars.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:inflict:x7:1
# text = The hail inflicted damage on the cars.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	hail	hail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	inflicted	inflict	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	amod	_	_
4	damage	damage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	cars	car	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **inflict** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Then there was the dancer, who inflicted the wound which has caused me to be here now; she was very violent!

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:inflict:x8:1
# text = Then there was the dancer, who inflicted the wound which has caused me to be here now; she was very violent!
1	Then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	3	advmod	_	_
2	there	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	3	expl	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	23	cop	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	dancer	dancer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
7	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	8	nsubj	_	_
8	inflicted	inflict	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	wound	wound	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
11	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	13	nsubj	_	_
12	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	aux	_	_
13	caused	cause	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	10	acl:relcl	_	_
14	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	13	iobj	_	_
15	to	to	PART	TO	_	17	mark	_	_
16	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	17	cop	_	_
17	here	here	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	13	advmod	_	_
18	now	now	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	17	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	23	punct	_	_
20	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	23	nsubj	_	_
21	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	23	cop	_	_
22	very	very	ADV	RB	_	23	advmod	_	_
23	violent	violent	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	23	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **inflict** | past | the dancer | the wound |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **cause** | present · perfect | the wound |  | me |  |  |  | vn engender-27.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Precondition i=Patient |
| 3 | **is** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  | now | here *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **is** | past | dancer |  |  |  |  | violent *property* | 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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