---
title: litotes — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «litotes» in the school dictionary: Litotes is a kind of understatement where you say something by saying that its opposite is not true, like «not bad» meaning «good» or «not a small problem» meaning «a big problem». Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# litotes

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Litotes, you, opposite, small problem, It, way · **What happens:** be, say, not be, mean, use, find · **To what, where:** kind, something, good, big problem, figure, words · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Litotes is a kind of understatement where you say something by saying that its opposite is not true, like «not bad» meaning «good» or «not a small problem» meaning «a big problem».

<!-- fold The tree, 32 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:litotes:m1:1
# text = Litotes is a kind of understatement where you say something by saying that its opposite is not true, like «not bad» meaning «good» or «not a small problem» meaning «a big problem».
1	Litotes	litote	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	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	kind	kind	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	understatement	understatement	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
7	where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	9	advmod	_	_
8	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	say	say	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	parataxis	_	_
10	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	9	obj	_	_
11	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
12	saying	say	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	9	advcl	_	_
13	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	18	mark	_	_
14	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	15	nmod:poss	_	_
15	opposite	opposite	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	nsubj	_	_
16	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	18	cop	_	_
17	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	18	advmod	_	_
18	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	23	punct	_	_
20	like	like	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
21	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	23	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	23	advmod	_	_
23	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	25	punct	_	_
25	meaning	mean	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	23	advcl	_	_
26	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	27	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	25	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	27	punct	_	_
29	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	34	cc	_	_
30	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	34	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
31	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	34	advmod	_	_
32	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	34	det	_	_
33	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	34	amod	_	_
34	problem	problem	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	25	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
35	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	34	punct	_	_
36	meaning	mean	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	34	acl	_	_
37	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	40	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
38	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	40	det	_	_
39	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	40	amod	_	_
40	problem	problem	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	36	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
41	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	40	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
42	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Litotes | a kind |  |  |  | of understatement | tree rules |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | you | something |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent something=Topic |
| 3 | **say** *speech: assert* | gerund | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **not** **is** | present | understatement's opposite |  |  |  |  | true *property* | tree rules |
| 5 | **not** **be** *in a quote* |  | understatement's opposite *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 6 | **mean** | gerund | understatement's opposite *not said here* | good |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent good=Topic |
| 7 | **mean** | gerund | a small problem *not said here* | a big problem |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent problem=Topic |

<!-- .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 -->
It is a figure of speech, a way of using words for a special effect.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:litotes:m2:1
# text = It is a figure of speech, a way of using words for a special effect.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	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	figure	figure	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	speech	speech	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	appos	_	_
10	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
11	using	use	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	9	acl	_	_
12	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	obj	_	_
13	for	for	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
15	special	special	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	effect	effect	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | It | a figure |  |  |  | of speech | tree rules |
| 2 | **use** | gerund | a way *not said here* | words |  |  |  | for a special effect | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP PP.predicate»: agent=Agent word=Theme for effect=Eventuality |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Not bad at all,» said Dad, which is litotes for «very good».

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:litotes:x1:1
# text = «Not bad at all,» said Dad, which is litotes for «very good».
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	ccomp	_	_
4	at	at	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
8	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	Dad	Dad	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
11	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	13	nsubj	_	_
12	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
13	litotes	litote	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	appos	_	_
14	for	for	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
15	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	17	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	very	very	ADV	RB	_	17	advmod	_	_
17	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	17	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«He's no fool» is an example of litotes.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:litotes:x2:1
# text = «He's no fool» is an example of litotes.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	5	det	_	_
5	fool	fool	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
8	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	example	example	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	litotes	litote	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** *in a quote* | present | He | no fool |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is a** | present | no fool | a example |  |  |  | of litotes | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Saying a hurricane is «not exactly a light breeze» uses litotes.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:litotes:x3:1
# text = Saying a hurricane is «not exactly a light breeze» uses litotes.
1	Saying	say	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	12	csubj	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	hurricane	hurricane	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
5	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	10	advmod	_	_
7	exactly	exactly	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	light	light	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	breeze	breeze	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	10	punct	_	_
12	uses	use	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
13	litotes	litote	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	12	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **not** **is a** *in a quote* | present | a hurricane | a light breeze |  |  |  | exactly *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **use** | present | Saying | litotes |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent litote=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We found three examples of litotes in the poem.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:litotes:x4:1
# text = We found three examples of litotes in the poem.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	found	find	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	three	three	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	4	nummod	_	_
4	examples	example	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	litotes	litote	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	poem	poem	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **find** | past | We | three examples of litotes |  | the poem |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent example=Topic |
| 2 | **exemplify** |  |  | litotes |  |  |  |  | nom example «cognition transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«I wasn't unhappy with my mark» means I was pleased.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:litotes:x5:1
# text = «I wasn't unhappy with my mark» means I was pleased.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	5	advmod	_	_
5	unhappy	unhappy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	ccomp	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	mark	mark	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
10	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
11	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
12	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
13	pleased	pleased	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **is** *in a quote* | past | I |  |  |  |  | with my mark; unhappy *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **is** | past | I |  |  |  |  | pleased *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **mark** *in a quote* |  | my |  |  |  |  |  | nom mark «cognition transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Old English poets loved litotes, like «that was no small gift».

<!-- fold The tree, 11 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:litotes:x6:1
# text = Old English poets loved litotes, like «that was no small gift».
1	Old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
2	English	English	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	poets	poet	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	loved	love	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	litotes	litote	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
7	like	like	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
8	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	that	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	13	nsubj	_	_
10	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
11	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	13	det	_	_
12	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	gift	gift	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **love** | past | Old English poets | litotes |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer litote=Stimulus |
| 2 | **is a** *in a quote* | past | that | no small gift |  |  |  |  | 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 -->

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