---
title: inoffensive — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «inoffensive» in the school dictionary: Not likely to upset, annoy or offend anyone; harmless. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# inoffensive

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**Who acts:** joke, everyone, Grass snakes, He, quiet inoffensive boy, They · **What happens:** upset, annoy, offend, be, laugh, not hurt · **To what, where:** anyone, you, quiet inoffensive boy, trouble, room, inoffensive team name

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«inoffensive» in the school dictionary: its 2 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: [inoffensive in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/inoffensive.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Not likely to upset, annoy or offend anyone; harmless.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:inoffensive:m1:1
# text = Not likely to upset, annoy or offend anyone; harmless.
1	Not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	2	advmod	_	_
2	likely	likely	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	upset	upset	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
6	annoy	annoy	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	conj	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	offend	offend	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	conj	_	_
9	anyone	anyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	11	punct	_	_
11	harmless	harmless	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 | **upset** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **annoy** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |
| 3 | **offend** | infinitive |  | anyone |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus anyone=Experiencer |

<!-- .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 -->
Pleasant but rather dull or ordinary: an inoffensive colour.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:inoffensive:m2:1
# text = Pleasant but rather dull or ordinary: an inoffensive colour.
1	Pleasant	pleasant	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
2	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
3	rather	rather	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	dull	dull	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	conj	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	ordinary	ordinary	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	10	punct	_	_
8	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	inoffensive	inoffensive	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	colour	colour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The joke was inoffensive, so everyone laughed.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:inoffensive:x1:1
# text = The joke was inoffensive, so everyone laughed.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	joke	joke	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	inoffensive	inoffensive	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
6	so	so	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
7	everyone	everyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	8	nsubj	_	_
8	laughed	laugh	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the joke |  |  |  |  | inoffensive *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **laugh** | past | everyone |  |  |  |  |  | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grass snakes are inoffensive and won't hurt you.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:inoffensive:x2:1
# text = Grass snakes are inoffensive and won't hurt you.
1	Grass	grass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	snakes	snake	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	inoffensive	inoffensive	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
6	wo	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	8	advmod	_	_
8	hurt	hurt	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	conj	_	_
9	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Grass snakes |  |  |  |  | inoffensive *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **hurt** | future | Grass snakes *not said here* | you |  |  |  |  | vn hurt-40.8.3-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer you=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He was a quiet, inoffensive boy who never caused trouble.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:inoffensive:x3:1
# text = He was a quiet, inoffensive boy who never caused trouble.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
4	quiet	quiet	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	inoffensive	inoffensive	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	boy	boy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	10	nsubj	_	_
9	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	10	advmod	_	_
10	caused	cause	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	acl:relcl	_	_
11	trouble	trouble	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | He | a quiet inoffensive boy |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **cause** | past | a quiet inoffensive boy | trouble |  |  |  |  | vn engender-27.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Precondition trouble=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
They painted the room an inoffensive cream.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:inoffensive:x4:1
# text = They painted the room an inoffensive cream.
1	They	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	painted	paint	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	room	room	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	inoffensive	inoffensive	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	cream	cream	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **paint** | past | They | the room |  |  |  |  | vn coloring-24 «NP V NP ADJP»: agent=Agent room=Patient cream=Result |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It's better to pick an inoffensive team name.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:inoffensive:x5:1
# text = It's better to pick an inoffensive team name.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	expl	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	better	good	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	pick	pick	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	csubj	_	_
6	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
7	inoffensive	inoffensive	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
8	team	team	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	name	name	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | good *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **pick** | to-infinitive |  | a inoffensive team name |  |  |  |  | vn chew-39.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent name=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The puppy was inoffensive, just very excited.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:inoffensive:x6:1
# text = The puppy was inoffensive, just very excited.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	puppy	puppy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	inoffensive	inoffensive	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
6	just	just	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
7	very	very	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	excited	excited	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the puppy |  |  |  |  | inoffensive *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **be** |  | the puppy *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

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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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