---
title: matchstick — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «matchstick» in the school dictionary: A matchstick is the thin wooden stick of a match, used to light fires. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# matchstick

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** matchstick, you, square, He · **What happens:** be, use, describe, make, move, need · **To what, where:** thin wooden stick, something, model ship, one matchstick, sum, four matchsticks

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A matchstick is the thin wooden stick of a match, used to light fires.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:matchstick:m1:1
# text = A matchstick is the thin wooden stick of a match, used to light fires.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	matchstick	matchstick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
5	thin	thin	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
6	wooden	wooden	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	stick	stick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	match	match	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
12	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	acl	_	_
13	to	to	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	light	light	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	compound	_	_
15	fires	fire	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	obl:agent	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a matchstick | the thin wooden stick |  |  |  | of a match | tree rules |
| 2 | **use** | participle |  | the thin wooden stick *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: 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.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Used to describe something very thin: «matchstick arms», «matchstick men».

<!-- fold The tree, 10 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:matchstick:m2:1
# text = Used to describe something very thin: «matchstick arms», «matchstick men».
1	Used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
2	to	to	PART	TO	_	3	mark	_	_
3	describe	describe	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	advcl	_	_
4	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	3	obj	_	_
5	very	very	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	thin	thin	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	10	punct	_	_
8	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	matchstick	matchstick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	arms	arm	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
13	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	matchstick	matchstick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	compound	_	_
15	men	man	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **describe** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent something=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The model ship was made of matchsticks.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:matchstick:x1:1
# text = The model ship was made of matchsticks.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	model	model	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	ship	ship	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	matchsticks	matchstick	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past · passive |  | the model ship |  |  |  | of matchsticks | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: subject=Product |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Move one matchstick to make the sum correct.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:matchstick:x2:1
# text = Move one matchstick to make the sum correct.
1	Move	move	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	3	nummod	_	_
3	matchstick	matchstick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	advcl	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	sum	sum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	correct	correct	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **move** | imperative | you *not said here* | one matchstick |  |  |  |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent matchstick=Theme |
| 2 | **make** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* | the sum |  |  |  | correct *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset sum=Product |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Each square in the pattern needs four matchsticks.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:matchstick:x3:1
# text = Each square in the pattern needs four matchsticks.
1	Each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	2	det	_	_
2	square	square	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	pattern	pattern	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	needs	need	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	four	four	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	8	nummod	_	_
8	matchsticks	matchstick	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **need** | present | each square in the pattern | four matchsticks |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Pivot matchstick=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Keep matches away from small children.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:matchstick:x4:1
# text = Keep matches away from small children.
1	Keep	keep	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	matches	match	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obj	_	_
3	away	away	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	_
4	from	from	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	children	child	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **keep away** | imperative | you *not said here* | matches |  |  |  | from small children; away *property* | vn forbid-64.4 «NP V NP PP.theme»: agent=Causer match=Beneficiary from child=Eventuality |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He drew a matchstick man.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:matchstick:x5:1
# text = He drew a matchstick man.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	drew	draw	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	matchstick	matchstick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **draw** | past | He | a matchstick man |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent man=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The burnt matchstick was put in water.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:matchstick:x6:1
# text = The burnt matchstick was put in water.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	burnt	burnt	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	matchstick	matchstick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	put	put	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **put** | past · passive |  | the burnt matchstick |  | water |  |  | vn put-9.1-2 «NP V NP PP.destination»: subject=Theme in water=Destination |

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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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