---
title: lame — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «lame» in the school dictionary: Unable to walk normally because of a hurt leg or foot (used mostly about animals, especially horses). Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# lame

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** joke, lame excuse, one, people, Jesus, horse · **What happens:** walk, hurt, use, be, believe, not walk · **To what, where:** weak one, lame, hoof, homework, lame excuse, lame man · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«lame» in the school dictionary: its 4 meanings for a pupil and its 7 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: [lame in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/lame.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Unable to walk normally because of a hurt leg or foot (used mostly about animals, especially horses).

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:lame:m1:1
# text = Unable to walk normally because of a hurt leg or foot (used mostly about animals, especially horses).
1	Unable	unable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
2	to	to	PART	TO	_	3	mark	_	_
3	walk	walk	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	xcomp	_	_
4	normally	normally	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
5	because	because	ADP	IN	ExtPos=ADP	9	case	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	fixed	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	hurt	hurt	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	9	amod	_	_
9	leg	leg	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	foot	foot	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	conj	_	_
12	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	1	conj	_	_
14	mostly	mostly	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
15	about	about	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
16	animals	animal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
18	especially	especially	ADV	RB	_	19	advmod	_	_
19	horses	horse	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	19	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **walk** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | because a hurt leg or foot; normally *property* | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **hurt** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |
| 3 | **use** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | about animals; mostly *property* | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .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: informal, slang — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Boring, weak or not cool: «That joke is lame».

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:lame:m2:1
# text = Boring, weak or not cool: «That joke is lame».
1	Boring	boring	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
3	weak	weak	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	conj	_	_
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
5	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	6	advmod	_	_
6	cool	cool	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	12	punct	_	_
8	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	That	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	10	det	_	_
10	joke	joke	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
11	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
12	lame	lame	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

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

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A lame excuse is a weak one that no one believes.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:lame:m3:1
# text = A lame excuse is a weak one that no one believes.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	lame	lame	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	excuse	excuse	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	weak	weak	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	one	one	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	11	obj	_	_
9	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	10	det	_	_
10	one	one	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
11	believes	believe	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a lame excuse | a weak one |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **believe** | present | no one | a weak one |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer that=Stimulus |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Old word for people who cannot walk; Jesus healed the lame.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:lame:m4:1
# text = Old word for people who cannot walk; Jesus healed the lame.
1	Old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	for	for	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nmod	_	_
5	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	8	nsubj	_	_
6	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	8	advmod	_	_
8	walk	walk	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	11	punct	_	_
10	Jesus	Jesus	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
11	healed	heal	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	lame	lame	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **walk** | can | people |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **heal** | past | Jesus | the lame |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent lame=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The horse went lame after it hurt its hoof.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:lame:x1:1
# text = The horse went lame after it hurt its hoof.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	horse	horse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	lame	lame	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
5	after	after	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
6	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	hurt	hurt	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
8	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	hoof	hoof	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go** | past | the horse |  |  |  |  | lame *property* | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **hurt** | past | horse | horse's hoof |  |  |  |  | vn hurt-40.8.3-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer hoof=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«The dog ate my homework» is a lame excuse.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:lame:x2:1
# text = «The dog ate my homework» is a lame excuse.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	ate	eat	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	csubj	_	_
5	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	homework	homework	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	lame	lame	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	excuse	excuse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **eat** *in a quote* | past | the dog | my homework |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent homework=Patient |
| 2 | **is a** | present |  | a lame excuse |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
That film was so lame! (slang)

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* That film was so lame!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:lame:x3:1
# text = That film was so lame!
1	That	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	2	det	_	_
2	film	film	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	so	so	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	lame	lame	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | that film |  |  |  |  | lame *property* | tree rules |

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

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:lame:x3:2
# 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 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the Bible story, Jesus made the lame man walk.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:lame:x4:1
# text = In the Bible story, Jesus made the lame man walk.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	Bible	Bible	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	Jesus	Jesus	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	lame	lame	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
11	walk	walk	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past | Jesus | the lame man |  | the Bible story |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **walk** | infinitive | the lame man *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The President was a lame duck in his last months.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:lame:x5:1
# text = The President was a lame duck in his last months.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	President	President	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	lame	lame	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	duck	duck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
9	last	last	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	months	month	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | the President | a lame duck |  |  | month |  | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
His jokes are lame but we laugh anyway.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:lame:x6:1
# text = His jokes are lame but we laugh anyway.
1	His	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	jokes	joke	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	lame	lame	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
6	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	laugh	laugh	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
8	anyway	anyway	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | His jokes |  |  |  |  | lame *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **laugh** | present | we |  |  |  |  | anyway *property* | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **joke** |  | His *= he* |  |  |  |  |  | nom joke «communication intransitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Now I am lame for life!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:lame:x7:1
# text = Now I am lame for life!
1	Now	now	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	4	advmod	_	_
2	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
3	am	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	lame	lame	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	life	life	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | I | lame |  |  | now | for life | 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 -->

<!-- pn -->
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