---
title: killer — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «killer» in the school dictionary: A person, animal or thing that kills. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# killer

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** thing, Something, Heart disease, test, Killer whales, Smoking · **What happens:** kill, be, hunt, arrest, take, think · **To what, where:** cause, big killer, killer, seals, killer goal, painkiller · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«killer» in the school dictionary: its 3 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: [killer in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/killer.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A person, animal or thing that kills.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:killer:m1:1
# text = A person, animal or thing that kills.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
4	animal	animal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	thing	thing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
7	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	8	nsubj	_	_
8	kills	kill	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **kill** | present | thing |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=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 -->
Something that is the cause of many deaths, as in «Heart disease is a big killer».

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:killer:m2:1
# text = Something that is the cause of many deaths, as in «Heart disease is a big killer».
1	Something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	5	nsubj	_	_
2	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	cause	cause	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	deaths	death	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
10	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	18	mark	_	_
11	in	in	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
12	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	Heart	heart	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	compound	_	_
14	disease	disease	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	nsubj	_	_
15	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	18	cop	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
17	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
18	killer	killer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Something | the cause |  |  |  | of many deaths | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** *in a quote* | present | Heart disease |  |  | a big killer |  |  | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Something very good, impressive or very hard, as in «a killer goal» or «That test was a killer».

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:killer:m3:1
# text = Something very good, impressive or very hard, as in «a killer goal» or «That test was a killer».
1	Something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	0	root	_	_
2	very	very	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
5	impressive	impressive	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	conj	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
7	very	very	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	hard	hard	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
10	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	15	mark	_	_
11	in	in	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
12	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
14	killer	killer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	compound	_	_
15	goal	goal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	15	punct	_	_
17	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	23	cc	_	_
18	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	23	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	That	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	20	det	_	_
20	test	test	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	23	nsubj	_	_
21	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	23	cop	_	_
22	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	23	det	_	_
23	killer	killer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	23	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** *in a quote* | past | that test | a killer |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Killer whales hunt seals.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:killer:x1:1
# text = Killer whales hunt seals.
1	Killer	killer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	whales	whale	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	hunt	hunt	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	seals	seal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hunt** | present | Killer whales | seals |  |  |  |  | vn hunt-35.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent seal=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Smoking is a killer.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:killer:x2:1
# text = Smoking is a killer.
1	Smoking	smoking	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	killer	killer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The police arrested the killer.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:killer:x3:1
# text = The police arrested the killer.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	police	police	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	arrested	arrest	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	killer	killer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **arrest** | past | the police | the killer |  |  |  |  | vn prosecute-33.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent killer=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
That was a killer goal! (slang)

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* That was a killer goal!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:killer:x4:1
# text = That was a killer goal!
1	That	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	5	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	killer	killer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	goal	goal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | That | a killer goal |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* (slang)

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:killer:x4:2
# text = (slang)
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	slang	slang	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	2	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Take a painkiller for your headache.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:killer:x5:1
# text = Take a painkiller for your headache.
1	Take	take	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	painkiller	painkiller	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	for	for	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	headache	headache	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **take** | imperative | you *not said here* | a painkiller |  |  |  | for your headache | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP PP.beneficiary»: agent=Agent painkiller=Theme for headache=Beneficiary |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The last hill was a killer.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:killer:x6:1
# text = The last hill was a killer.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	last	last	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	hill	hill	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	killer	killer	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** | past | the last hill | a killer |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Weedkiller kills unwanted plants.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:killer:x7:1
# text = Weedkiller kills unwanted plants.
1	Weedkiller	weedkiller	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	kills	kill	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	unwanted	unwanted	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	plants	plant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **kill** | present | Weedkiller | unwanted plants |  |  |  |  | vn remove-10.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent plant=Theme |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
“Do you think a snake-killer kills muskrats?” said Rikki-tikki scornfully.

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:killer:x8:1
# text = “Do you think a snake-killer kills muskrats?” said Rikki-tikki scornfully.
1	“	"	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	think	think	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	13	ccomp	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
6	snake	snake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	killer	killer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
9	kills	kill	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	ccomp	_	_
10	muskrats	muskrat	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	”	"	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
13	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
14	Rikki	Rikki	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	16	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	tikki	tikki	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nsubj	_	_
17	scornfully	scornfully	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	13	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **think** *speech: other* *in a quote* | present · do-support | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn consider-29.9-2 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 2 | **kill** *in a quote* | present | a snake killer | muskrats |  |  |  |  | vn remove-10.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent muskrat=Theme |
| 3 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | Rikki tikki |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |

<!-- 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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