---
title: matchbox — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «matchbox» in the school dictionary: A small box that holds matches, with a rough side for striking them. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# matchbox

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** small box, rough side, Grandad, We, brother, flat · **What happens:** hold, strike, keep, make, collect, be · **To what, where:** matches, matchbox, tiny bed, matchbox cars, size, grown up · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A small box that holds matches, with a rough side for striking them.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:matchbox:m1:1
# text = A small box that holds matches, with a rough side for striking them.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	box	box	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	5	nsubj	_	_
5	holds	hold	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	acl:relcl	_	_
6	matches	match	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	rough	rough	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	side	side	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
12	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
13	striking	strike	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	11	acl	_	_
14	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hold** | present | a small box | matches |  |  |  | with a rough side | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent match=Theme |
| 2 | **strike** | gerund | a rough side *not said here* | matches *= match* |  |  |  |  | vn hit-18.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=Patient |

<!-- .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 -->
Something very small, like a «matchbox car» (a tiny toy car) or a very small room or house.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:matchbox:m2:1
# text = Something very small, like a «matchbox car» (a tiny toy car) or a very small room or house.
1	Something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	0	root	_	_
2	very	very	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
5	like	like	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
7	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	matchbox	matchbox	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	car	car	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	9	punct	_	_
11	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
13	tiny	tiny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
14	toy	toy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	compound	_	_
15	car	car	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	15	punct	_	_
17	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	21	cc	_	_
18	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
19	very	very	ADV	RB	_	20	advmod	_	_
20	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	21	amod	_	_
21	room	room	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	conj	_	_
22	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	23	cc	_	_
23	house	house	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grandad keeps a matchbox by the fireplace.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:matchbox:x1:1
# text = Grandad keeps a matchbox by the fireplace.
1	Grandad	Grandad	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	keeps	keep	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	matchbox	matchbox	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	by	by	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	fireplace	fireplace	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **keep** | present | Grandad | a matchbox |  |  |  | by the fireplace | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent matchbox=Theme by fireplace=Location |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We made a tiny bed for the doll from a matchbox.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:matchbox:x2:1
# text = We made a tiny bed for the doll from a matchbox.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	tiny	tiny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	bed	bed	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	doll	doll	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
9	from	from	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	matchbox	matchbox	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past | We | a tiny bed |  | a matchbox |  | for the doll | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP PP.material PP.beneficiary»: agent=Agent bed=Product for doll=Beneficiary from matchbox=Material |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My brother collects matchbox cars.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:matchbox:x3:1
# text = My brother collects matchbox cars.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	brother	brother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	collects	collect	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	matchbox	matchbox	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	cars	car	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **collect** | present | My brother | matchbox cars |  |  |  |  | vn obtain-13.5.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent car=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The flat was the size of a matchbox.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:matchbox:x4:1
# text = The flat was the size of a matchbox.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	flat	flat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	size	size	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	matchbox	matchbox	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | the flat | the size |  |  |  | of a matchbox | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
If you find a matchbox, give it to a grown-up.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:matchbox:x5:1
# text = If you find a matchbox, give it to a grown-up.
1	If	if	SCONJ	IN	_	3	mark	_	_
2	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	find	find	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	advcl	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	matchbox	matchbox	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
7	give	give	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
9	to	to	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
11	grown	grown	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	up	up	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **find** *a condition, not said to happen* | present | you | a matchbox |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent matchbox=Topic |
| 2 | **give** | imperative | you *not said here* | matchbox | a grown up |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: agent=Agent it=Theme to up=Recipient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The matchbox is 5 cm long, 3 cm wide and 1 cm high, so its volume is 15 cubic centimetres.

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:matchbox:x6:1
# text = The matchbox is 5 cm long, 3 cm wide and 1 cm high, so its volume is 15 cubic centimetres.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	matchbox	matchbox	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	5	5	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	cm	cm	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl:unmarked	_	_
6	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
8	3	3	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	9	nummod	_	_
9	cm	cm	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obl:unmarked	_	_
10	wide	wide	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	conj	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
12	1	1	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	13	nummod	_	_
13	cm	cm	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	obl:unmarked	_	_
14	high	high	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	22	punct	_	_
16	so	so	ADV	RB	_	22	advmod	_	_
17	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	18	nmod:poss	_	_
18	volume	volume	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	nsubj	_	_
19	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	22	cop	_	_
20	15	15	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	22	nummod	_	_
21	cubic	cubic	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	22	amod	_	_
22	centimetres	centimetre	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | the matchbox |  |  |  |  | 5 cm *obl:unmarked*; long *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **be** |  | the matchbox *not said here* | 3 cm |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **is a** | present | matchbox's volume | 15 cubic centimetres |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Some people collect old matchbox labels.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:matchbox:x7:1
# text = Some people collect old matchbox labels.
1	Some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	2	det	_	_
2	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	collect	collect	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
5	matchbox	matchbox	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	labels	label	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **collect** | present | some people | old matchbox labels |  |  |  |  | vn obtain-13.5.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent label=Theme |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
As soon as he entered the cottage, which stood like a matchbox in the heart of the pine-woods, he went to greet his mother, saying:

<!-- fold The tree, 26 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:matchbox:x8:1
# text = As soon as he entered the cottage, which stood like a matchbox in the heart of the pine-woods, he went to greet his mother, saying:
1	As	as	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
2	soon	soon	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	24	advmod	_	_
3	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
4	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
5	entered	enter	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	24	advcl	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	cottage	cottage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
9	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	10	nsubj	_	_
10	stood	stand	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	acl	_	_
11	like	like	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	matchbox	matchbox	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	_
14	in	in	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	heart	heart	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	_
17	of	of	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
19	pine	pine	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	19	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	woods	wood	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
23	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	24	nsubj	_	_
24	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
25	to	to	PART	TO	_	26	mark	_	_
26	greet	greet	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	24	xcomp	_	_
27	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	28	nmod:poss	_	_
28	mother	mother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	26	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	30	punct	_	_
30	saying	say	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	24	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
31	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	24	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **enter** | past | he | the cottage |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme cottage=Destination |
| 2 | **stand** | past | the cottage |  |  | the heart of the pine woods |  | like a matchbox | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent in heart=Location |
| 3 | **go** | past | he |  |  |  |  | soon *property* | vn say-37.7 «NP V S-Quote»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 4 | **greet** *speech: greet* | to-infinitive | he *not said here* |  | his mother |  |  |  | vn judgment-33.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent mother=Theme |
| 5 | **say** *speech: assert* | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=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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