---
title: libel — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «libel» in the school dictionary: A false written or published statement that damages a person's good name. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# libel

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** false written statement, person, someone, singer, Writing, judge · **What happens:** write, publish, damage, name, harm, repute · **To what, where:** good name, something, reputation, newspaper, lies, libel · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A false written or published statement that damages a person's good name.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:libel:m1:1
# text = A false written or published statement that damages a person's good name.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
2	false	false	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
3	written	write	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	amod	_	_
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	published	publish	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	conj	_	_
6	statement	statement	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	8	nsubj	_	_
8	damages	damage	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	acl:relcl	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	's	's	PART	POS	_	10	case	_	_
12	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	name	name	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **publish** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn create-26.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **damage** | present | a false written statement | a person's good name |  |  |  |  | vn destroy-44 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent name=Patient |
| 4 | **name** |  | a person |  |  |  |  |  | nom name «communication transitive»: poss=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: verb — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To publish something false that harms someone's reputation.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:libel:m2:1
# text = To publish something false that harms someone's reputation.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	publish	publish	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	false	false	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
5	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	6	nsubj	_	_
6	harms	harm	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	acl:relcl	_	_
7	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	9	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	's	's	PART	POS	_	7	case	_	_
9	reputation	reputation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **publish** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn create-26.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Result |
| 2 | **harm** | present |  | someone's reputation |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus reputation=Experiencer |
| 3 | **repute** |  | someone |  |  |  |  |  | nom reputation «state transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The singer sued the newspaper for libel.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:libel:x1:1
# text = The singer sued the newspaper for libel.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	singer	singer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	sued	sue	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	newspaper	newspaper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	libel	libel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sue** | past | the singer | the newspaper |  |  |  | for libel | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Writing lies about someone online can be libel.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:libel:x2:1
# text = Writing lies about someone online can be libel.
1	Writing	write	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	8	csubj	_	_
2	lies	lie	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obj	_	_
3	about	about	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	nmod	_	_
5	online	online	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	_
6	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
7	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	cop	_	_
8	libel	libel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write** | gerund |  | lies |  |  |  | about someone; online *property* | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent lie=Recipient about someone=Topic |
| 2 | **is a** | can | Writing | libel |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The judge said the article was a libel.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:libel:x3:1
# text = The judge said the article was a libel.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	judge	judge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	article	article	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
6	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	libel	libel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | the judge |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is a** | past | the article | a libel |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He was accused of libelling his neighbour.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:libel:x4:1
# text = He was accused of libelling his neighbour.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	accused	accuse	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	libelling	libelling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
6	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	neighbour	neighbour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **accuse** | past · passive |  | He |  |  |  | of libelling | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Truth is a defence against libel.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:libel:x5:1
# text = Truth is a defence against libel.
1	Truth	Truth	PROPN	NNP	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	defence	defence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	against	against	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	libel	libel	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 | Truth | a defence |  |  |  | against libel | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The paper had to pay a large sum for the libel.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:libel:x6:1
# text = The paper had to pay a large sum for the libel.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	paper	paper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	pay	pay	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	large	large	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	sum	sum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
9	for	for	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	libel	libel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | the paper |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **pay** | to-infinitive | the paper *not said here* | a large sum |  |  |  | for the libel | vn pay-68-1 «NP V NP PP.theme»: agent=Agent sum=Asset for libel=Theme |

<!-- 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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