---
title: license — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «license» in the school dictionary: A license is a written paper that says someone is allowed to do something, such as drive a car or keep a dog; in Britain the noun is spelled licence. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# license

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** license, written paper, someone, You, king · **What happens:** write, be, say, allow, do, drive · **To what, where:** written paper, someone, something, car, dog, noun · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«license» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 3 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: [license in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/license.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A license is a written paper that says someone is allowed to do something, such as drive a car or keep a dog; in Britain the noun is spelled licence.

<!-- fold The tree, 30 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:license:m1:1
# text = A license is a written paper that says someone is allowed to do something, such as drive a car or keep a dog; in Britain the noun is spelled licence.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	license	license	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	written	write	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	amod	_	_
6	paper	paper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	8	nsubj	_	_
8	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	acl:relcl	_	_
9	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	11	nsubj:pass	_	_
10	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux:pass	_	_
11	allowed	allow	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	ccomp	_	_
12	to	to	PART	TO	_	13	mark	_	_
13	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	xcomp	_	_
14	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	13	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
16	such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|ExtPos=SCONJ	18	mark	_	_
17	as	as	ADP	IN	_	16	fixed	_	_
18	drive	drive	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	14	acl:relcl	_	_
19	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
20	car	car	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	obj	_	_
21	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	22	cc	_	_
22	keep	keep	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	18	conj	_	_
23	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	24	det	_	_
24	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	31	punct	_	_
26	in	in	ADP	IN	_	27	case	_	_
27	Britain	Britain	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	31	obl	_	_
28	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	29	det	_	_
29	noun	noun	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	31	nsubj:pass	_	_
30	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	31	aux:pass	_	_
31	spelled	spell	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	11	conj	_	_
32	licence	licence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	31	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
33	.	.	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 | **is a** | present | a license | a written paper |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | a written paper |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 4 | **allow** | present · passive |  | someone |  |  |  |  | vn allow-64.1-1 «NP V NP S»: subject=Beneficiary clause=Eventuality |
| 5 | **do** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | someone *not said here* | something |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Eventuality |
| 6 | **drive** | infinitive |  | a car |  |  |  |  | vn nonvehicle-51.4.2-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Theme car=Trajectory |
| 7 | **keep** | infinitive |  | a dog |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent dog=Theme |
| 8 | **spell** | present · passive |  | the noun |  | Britain |  |  | vn pronounce-29.3.1 «NP V NP NP»: subject=Theme licence=Manner |

<!-- .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 -->
To license is to give someone official permission to do something.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:license:m2:1
# text = To license is to give someone official permission to do something.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	license	license	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	csubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	give	give	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	5	obj	_	_
7	official	official	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	permission	permission	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	acl	_	_
11	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **license** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn patent-101 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | give *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **do** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Eventuality |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
You need a license to drive a car.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:license:x1:1
# text = You need a license to drive a car.
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	license	license	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	drive	drive	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	car	car	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **need** | present | You | a license |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Pivot license=Theme |
| 2 | **drive** | to-infinitive | You *not said here* | a car |  |  |  |  | vn nonvehicle-51.4.2-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Theme car=Trajectory |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The king gave permission, a license to leave the land.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:license:x2:1
# text = The king gave permission, a license to leave the land.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	king	king	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	gave	give	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	permission	permission	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	license	license	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	appos	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	leave	leave	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	land	land	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | past | the king | permission |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent permission=Theme |
| 2 | **leave** | to-infinitive | the king *not said here* | the land |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent land=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The shop was licensed to sell sweets.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:license:x3:1
# text = The shop was licensed to sell sweets.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	shop	shop	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	licensed	license	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	sell	sell	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	sweets	sweet	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **license** | past · passive |  | the shop |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **sell** | to-infinitive |  | sweets |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sweet=Theme |

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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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