---
title: mastiff — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «mastiff» in the school dictionary: A very large, strong dog with a short coat, a big head and loose skin round the face, kept as a guard dog. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# mastiff

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**Who acts:** mastiff, two mastiffs · **What happens:** keep, guard, weigh, grow, bark, be · **To what, where:** farm gate, more, mastiff, deep voice, castle, shoe

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«mastiff» in the school dictionary: its meaning 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: [mastiff in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/mastiff.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A very large, strong dog with a short coat, a big head and loose skin round the face, kept as a guard dog.

<!-- fold The tree, 23 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mastiff:m1:1
# text = A very large, strong dog with a short coat, a big head and loose skin round the face, kept as a guard dog.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
2	very	very	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	large	large	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	strong	strong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	with	with	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	short	short	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	coat	coat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	head	head	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	_
15	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
16	loose	loose	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	amod	_	_
17	skin	skin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	conj	_	_
18	round	round	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
19	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
20	face	face	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	22	punct	_	_
22	kept	keep	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	parataxis	_	_
23	as	as	ADP	IN	_	26	case	_	_
24	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	26	det	_	_
25	guard	guard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	26	compound	_	_
26	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **keep** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | as a guard dog | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=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.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The mastiff guarded the farm gate.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mastiff:x1:1
# text = The mastiff guarded the farm gate.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	mastiff	mastiff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	guarded	guard	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	farm	farm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	gate	gate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **guard** | past | the mastiff | the farm gate |  |  |  |  | vn defend-72.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent gate=Beneficiary |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A mastiff can weigh more than a grown man.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mastiff:x2:1
# text = A mastiff can weigh more than a grown man.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	mastiff	mastiff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	weigh	weigh	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	4	obj	_	_
6	than	than	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	grown	grow	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	9	amod	_	_
9	man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **weigh** | can | a mastiff | more |  |  |  |  | vn register-54.1-2-1 «NP V NP.value»: agent=Theme more=Value |
| 2 | **grow** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The mastiff barked in a deep voice.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mastiff:x3:1
# text = The mastiff barked in a deep voice.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	mastiff	mastiff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	barked	bark	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	deep	deep	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	voice	voice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **bark** | participle |  | the mastiff *not said here* |  | a deep voice |  |  | vn animal\_sounds-38 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Despite its size, our neighbour's mastiff is very gentle.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mastiff:x4:1
# text = Despite its size, our neighbour's mastiff is very gentle.
1	Despite	despite	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
3	size	size	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	neighbour	neighbour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	's	's	PART	POS	_	6	case	_	_
8	mastiff	mastiff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
10	very	very	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
11	gentle	gentle	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | our neighbour's mastiff |  |  |  |  | despite its size; gentle *property* | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The castle was guarded by two mastiffs.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mastiff:x5:1
# text = The castle was guarded by two mastiffs.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	castle	castle	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	guarded	guard	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	by	by	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	7	nummod	_	_
7	mastiffs	mastiff	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 | **guard** | past · passive | two mastiffs | the castle |  |  |  |  | vn defend-72.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent subject=Beneficiary |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The mastiff drooled on my shoe.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mastiff:x6:1
# text = The mastiff drooled on my shoe.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	mastiff	mastiff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	drooled	drool	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	shoe	shoe	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **drool** | participle |  | the mastiff *not said here* |  | my shoe |  |  | vn breathe-40.1.2 «NP V PP.destination»: agent=Agent on shoe=Destination |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
And there lies my faithful mastiff at the threshold.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mastiff:x7:1
# text = And there lies my faithful mastiff at the threshold.
1	And	and	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
2	there	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	3	expl	_	_
3	lies	lie	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
5	faithful	faithful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	mastiff	mastiff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	at	at	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	threshold	threshold	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lie** | present |  | my faithful mastiff |  | the threshold; there |  |  | tree rules |

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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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