---
title: licence — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «licence» in the school dictionary: A licence is an official paper or card that gives you permission to do or own something, such as drive a car, catch fish or sell food. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# licence

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** licence, official paper, you, poetic licence, writer, Mum · **What happens:** be, give, do, own, drive, catch · **To what, where:** official paper, permission, you, something, car, fish · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A licence is an official paper or card that gives you permission to do or own something, such as drive a car, catch fish or sell food.

<!-- fold The tree, 27 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:licence:m1:1
# text = A licence is an official paper or card that gives you permission to do or own something, such as drive a car, catch fish or sell food.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	licence	licence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	official	official	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	paper	paper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	card	card	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	_
9	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	10	nsubj	_	_
10	gives	give	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	acl:relcl	_	_
11	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	10	iobj	_	_
12	permission	permission	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	_
13	to	to	PART	TO	_	14	mark	_	_
14	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	acl	_	_
15	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
16	own	own	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	14	conj	_	_
17	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	16	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
19	such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|ExtPos=SCONJ	21	mark	_	_
20	as	as	ADP	IN	_	19	fixed	_	_
21	drive	drive	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	17	acl:relcl	_	_
22	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	23	det	_	_
23	car	car	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	25	punct	_	_
25	catch	catch	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	21	conj	_	_
26	fish	fish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	25	obj	_	_
27	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	28	cc	_	_
28	sell	sell	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	25	conj	_	_
29	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	28	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
30	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a licence | a official paper or card |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **give** | present | a official paper or card | permission | you |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent you=Recipient permission=Theme |
| 3 | **do** | to-infinitive | a official paper or card *not said here* | permission *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **own** | infinitive | a official paper or card *not said here* | something |  |  |  |  | vn own-100.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Pivot something=Theme |
| 5 | **drive** | infinitive |  | a car |  |  |  |  | vn nonvehicle-51.4.2-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Theme car=Trajectory |
| 6 | **catch** | infinitive |  | fish |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent fish=Theme |
| 7 | **sell** | infinitive |  | food |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent food=Theme |

<!-- .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 -->
Licence can also mean freedom to do or say what you like («poetic licence» means a writer may change facts or rules for effect).

<!-- fold The tree, 24 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:licence:m2:1
# text = Licence can also mean freedom to do or say what you like («poetic licence» means a writer may change facts or rules for effect).
1	Licence	licence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	also	also	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	freedom	freedom	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	acl	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	say	say	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	conj	_	_
10	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	9	obj	_	_
11	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
12	like	like	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	acl:relcl	_	_
13	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	poetic	poetic	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	licence	licence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	16	punct	_	_
18	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	parataxis	_	_
19	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
20	writer	writer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	nsubj	_	_
21	may	may	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	22	aux	_	_
22	change	change	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	18	ccomp	_	_
23	facts	fact	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	22	obj	_	_
24	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	25	cc	_	_
25	rules	rule	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	23	conj	_	_
26	for	for	ADP	IN	_	27	case	_	_
27	effect	effect	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | can | Licence | freedom |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent freedom=Topic |
| 2 | **do** | to-infinitive | Licence *not said here* | freedom *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **say** *speech: assert* | infinitive | Licence *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent what=Topic |
| 4 | **like** | present | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot |
| 5 | **mean** | present | poetic licence |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 6 | **change** | may | a writer | facts or rules |  |  |  | for effect | vn exchange-13.6.1 «NP V NP PP.co-theme»: agent=Agent fact=Theme for effect=Co-Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mum showed her driving licence to the police officer.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:licence:x1:1
# text = Mum showed her driving licence to the police officer.
1	Mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	showed	show	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	iobj	_	_
4	driving	drive	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	xcomp	_	_
5	licence	licence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
6	to	to	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	police	police	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	officer	officer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **show** | past | Mum |  | her *= she* |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent she=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 2 | **drive** | gerund | Mum *not said here* | licence |  | the police officer |  |  | vn nonvehicle-51.4.2-1 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent licence=Theme to officer=Trajectory |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
You need a licence to fish in this river.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:licence:x2:1
# text = You need a licence to fish in this river.
1	You	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	need	need	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	licence	licence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	fish	fish	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	acl	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	9	det	_	_
9	river	river	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **need** | present | You | a licence |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Pivot licence=Theme |
| 2 | **fish** | to-infinitive | You *not said here* | a licence *not said here* |  | this river |  |  | vn hunt-35.1 «NP V PP.theme PP.location»: agent=Agent in river=Location |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the UK, families pay for a TV licence.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:licence:x3:1
# text = In the UK, families pay for a TV licence.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	UK	UK	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	families	family	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
6	pay	pay	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	for	for	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	TV	TV	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	licence	licence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pay** | present | families |  |  | the UK |  | for a TV licence | vn pay-68-1 «NP V NP PP.theme»: agent=Agent for licence=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dad lost his licence for speeding.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:licence:x4:1
# text = Dad lost his licence for speeding.
1	Dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	lost	lose	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	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	licence	licence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	speeding	speeding	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lose** | past | Dad | Dad's licence |  |  |  | for speeding | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent licence=Eventuality |
| 2 | **licence** |  | Dad |  |  |  |  |  | nom licence «state transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The café has a licence to sell food on the beach.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:licence:x5:1
# text = The café has a licence to sell food on the beach.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	café	café	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	licence	licence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	sell	sell	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	acl	_	_
8	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
9	on	on	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	beach	beach	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | the café | a licence |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent licence=Patient |
| 2 | **sell** | to-infinitive | the café *not said here* | food |  | the beach |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP PP.recipient PP.asset»: agent=Agent food=Theme on beach=Asset |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The writer used poetic licence and made the castle taller.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:licence:x6:1
# text = The writer used poetic licence and made the castle taller.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	writer	writer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	used	use	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	poetic	poetic	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	licence	licence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	castle	castle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
10	taller	tall	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	7	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | past | the writer | poetic licence |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent licence=Patient |
| 2 | **make** | past | the writer *not said here* | the castle |  |  |  | tall *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset castle=Product |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My big brother just got his learner's licence.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:licence:x7:1
# text = My big brother just got his learner's licence.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	brother	brother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	just	just	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	got	get	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	learner	learner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	's	's	PART	POS	_	7	case	_	_
9	licence	licence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** | past | My big brother | brother's learner's licence |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer licence=Stimulus |
| 2 | **licence** |  | brother's learner |  |  |  |  |  | nom licence «state transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The shop's licence is on the wall.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:licence:x8:1
# text = The shop's licence is on the wall.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	shop	shop	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	licence	licence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	wall	wall	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 | **is** | present | the shop's licence |  |  | the wall |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **licence** |  | the shop |  |  |  |  |  | nom licence «state transitive»: poss=agent |

<!-- 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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