---
title: lottery — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «lottery» in the school dictionary: A lottery is a game where people buy numbered tickets and winners are picked by chance to get money or prizes. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# lottery

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** lottery, people, chance, Getting, He, You · **What happens:** be, buy, number, pick, get, decide · **To what, where:** game, numbered tickets, winners, money, situation, place · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«lottery» in the school dictionary: its 2 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: [lottery in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/lottery.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A lottery is a game where people buy numbered tickets and winners are picked by chance to get money or prizes.

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:lottery:m1:1
# text = A lottery is a game where people buy numbered tickets and winners are picked by chance to get money or prizes.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	lottery	lottery	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	game	game	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	8	advmod	_	_
7	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
8	buy	buy	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
9	numbered	number	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	10	amod	_	_
10	tickets	ticket	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obj	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
12	winners	winner	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	nsubj:pass	_	_
13	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	aux:pass	_	_
14	picked	pick	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	conj	_	_
15	by	by	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
16	chance	chance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	_
17	to	to	PART	TO	_	18	mark	_	_
18	get	get	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	16	acl	_	_
19	money	money	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	obj	_	_
20	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	21	cc	_	_
21	prizes	prize	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	19	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a lottery | a game |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **buy** | present | people | numbered tickets |  |  |  |  | vn accept-77.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent ticket=Theme |
| 3 | **number** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn classify-29.10 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **pick** | present · passive | chance | winners |  |  |  |  | vn chew-39.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent subject=Patient |
| 5 | **get** | to-infinitive | chance *not said here* | money or prizes |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer money=Stimulus |

<!-- .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 -->
A lottery is any situation decided by luck: «Getting a place at that school is a lottery.».

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:lottery:m2:1
# text = A lottery is any situation decided by luck: «Getting a place at that school is a lottery.».
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	lottery	lottery	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	5	det	_	_
5	situation	situation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	decided	decide	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	acl	_	_
7	by	by	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	luck	luck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	19	punct	_	_
10	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	Getting	get	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	19	csubj	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	place	place	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	_
14	at	at	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	that	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	16	det	_	_
16	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	_
17	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	19	cop	_	_
18	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	lottery	lottery	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	19	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	19	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a lottery | any situation |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **decide** | participle |  | any situation *not said here* |  |  |  | by luck | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **get** *in a quote* | gerund |  | a place |  | that school |  |  | vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP PP.source NP.asset»: agent=Agent place=Theme at school=Asset |
| 4 | **is a** *in a quote* | present | Getting | a lottery |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He won a small prize on the lottery.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:lottery:x1:1
# text = He won a small prize on the lottery.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	won	win	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	prize	prize	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	lottery	lottery	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **win** | past | He | a small prize |  | the lottery |  |  | vn succeed-74-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent prize=Eventuality |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The chance of winning the lottery is less than one in a million.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:lottery:x2:1
# text = The chance of winning the lottery is less than one in a million.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	chance	chance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	4	mark	_	_
4	winning	win	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	acl	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	lottery	lottery	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
8	less	less	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	10	advmod	_	_
9	than	than	ADP	IN	_	8	fixed	_	_
10	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	0	root	_	_
11	in	in	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	million	million	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	10	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **win** | gerund | the chance *not said here* | the lottery |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent lottery=Eventuality |
| 2 | **is** | present | the chance |  |  |  |  | less *property* | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
You must be an adult to buy a lottery ticket.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:lottery:x3:1
# text = You must be an adult to buy a lottery ticket.
1	You	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
2	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
3	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	cop	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	adult	adult	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	buy	buy	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	acl	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	lottery	lottery	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	ticket	ticket	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | must | You | a adult |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **buy** | to-infinitive |  | a lottery ticket |  |  |  |  | vn accept-77.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent ticket=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Some lottery money goes to good causes.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:lottery:x4:1
# text = Some lottery money goes to good causes.
1	Some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	3	det	_	_
2	lottery	lottery	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	money	money	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	goes	go	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	causes	cause	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go** | present | some lottery money |  |  | good causes |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme to cause=Initial\_Location |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Choosing the winner was a lottery.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:lottery:x5:1
# text = Choosing the winner was a lottery.
1	Choosing	choose	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	csubj	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	winner	winner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	lottery	lottery	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **choose** | gerund |  | the winner |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent winner=Theme |
| 2 | **is a** | past | Choosing | a lottery |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
If 1,000 tickets are sold and you have 1, your chance is 1 in 1,000.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:lottery:x6:1
# text = If 1,000 tickets are sold and you have 1, your chance is 1 in 1,000.
1	If	if	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
2	1,000	1000	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	3	nummod	_	_
3	tickets	ticket	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	sold	sell	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
7	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	have	have	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
9	1	1	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
11	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	12	nmod:poss	_	_
12	chance	chance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nsubj	_	_
13	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	cop	_	_
14	1	1	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	5	obl	_	_
15	in	in	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
16	1,000	1000	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	14	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sell** | present · passive |  | 1,000 tickets |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |
| 2 | **have** | present | you | 1 |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent 1=Patient |
| 3 | **is a** | present | your chance | 1 |  | 1,000 |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **chance** |  | your |  |  |  |  |  | nom chance «state intransitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The lottery collector pressed me so hard that I thought I should crack.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:lottery:x7:1
# text = The lottery collector pressed me so hard that I thought I should crack.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	lottery	lottery	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	collector	collector	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	pressed	press	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	obj	_	_
6	so	so	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	hard	hard	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	4	advmod	_	_
8	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
9	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	thought	think	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	advcl	_	_
11	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
12	should	should	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	13	aux	_	_
13	crack	crack	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **press** | past | the lottery collector | me |  |  |  | hard *property* | vn push-12-1-1 «NP V NP ADJP-Result»: agent=Agent i=Result |
| 2 | **think** *speech: other* | past | I |  |  |  |  |  | vn consider-29.9-2 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 3 | **crack** | should | I |  |  |  |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP.location V PP.theme»: agent=Location |

<!-- 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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