---
title: mere — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «mere» in the school dictionary: Mere means only, just, no more than: a mere child, a mere five minutes. It makes something sound small or unimportant. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# mere

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Mere, something, merest, It, five minutes, She · **What happens:** mean, make, sound, be, walk, learn · **To what, where:** more, something, smallest possible, lake, mere, mere child

<!-- .vabout -->
«mere» in the school dictionary: its 3 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: [mere in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/mere.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mere means only, just, no more than: a mere child, a mere five minutes. It makes something sound small or unimportant.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Mere means only, just, no more than: a mere child, a mere five minutes.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mere:m1:1
# text = Mere means only, just, no more than: a mere child, a mere five minutes.
1	Mere	mere	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	only	only	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
5	just	just	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
7	no	no	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp|ExtPos=ADV	2	obj	_	_
9	than	than	ADP	IN	_	8	fixed	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	13	punct	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	mere	mere	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	child	child	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	mere	mere	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	appos	_	_
17	five	five	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	18	nummod	_	_
18	minutes	minute	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	nmod:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Mere | more |  |  |  | a mere child *obl* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent more=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.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* It makes something sound small or unimportant.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mere:m1:2
# text = It makes something sound small or unimportant.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	makes	make	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	sound	sound	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
5	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	xcomp	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	unimportant	unimportant	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | present | Mere | something |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **sound** | infinitive | something *not said here* |  |  |  |  | small *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The merest means the smallest possible: the merest touch.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mere:m2:1
# text = The merest means the smallest possible: the merest touch.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	merest	mere	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	3	nsubj	_	_
3	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	smallest	small	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	6	amod	_	_
6	possible	possible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	10	punct	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	merest	mere	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	10	amod	_	_
10	touch	touch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | the merest | the smallest possible |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent possible=Topic |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: old, poetic, place names — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A mere is a lake or pond, as in some English place names.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mere:m3:1
# text = A mere is a lake or pond, as in some English place names.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	mere	mere	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	lake	lake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	pond	pond	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
9	as	as	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
11	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	14	det	_	_
12	English	English	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
13	place	place	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	compound	_	_
14	names	name	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a mere | a lake or pond and some English place names |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It was a mere five minutes' walk to school.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mere:x1:1
# text = It was a mere five minutes' walk to school.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	mere	mere	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	five	five	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	6	nummod	_	_
6	minutes	minute	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	'	's	PART	POS	_	6	case	_	_
8	walk	walk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
9	to	to	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | It | a mere |  |  |  | five minutes's walk to school *nmod* | tree rules |
| 2 | **walk** |  | five minutes |  |  |  |  | to school | nom walk «act transitive»: poss=agent to=obl |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She was a mere child when she learnt to swim.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mere:x2:1
# text = She was a mere child when she learnt to swim.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	mere	mere	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	child	child	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	8	advmod	_	_
7	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	learnt	learn	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	swim	swim	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | She | a mere child |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **learn** | past | child |  |  |  |  |  | vn learn-14-2-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **swim** | to-infinitive | child *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The mere sight of the dentist's chair scared him.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mere:x3:1
# text = The mere sight of the dentist's chair scared him.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	mere	mere	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	sight	sight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	dentist	dentist	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	's	's	PART	POS	_	6	case	_	_
8	chair	chair	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	_
9	scared	scare	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
10	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **scare** | past | the mere sight of the dentist's chair | him *= he* |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus he=Experiencer |
| 2 | **sight** |  |  | the dentist's chair |  |  |  |  | nom sight «cognition transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It cost a mere fifty pence.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mere:x4:1
# text = It cost a mere fifty pence.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	cost	cost	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	mere	mere	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	fifty	fifty	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	6	nummod	_	_
6	pence	pence	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cost** | past | It | a mere |  |  |  |  | vn cost-54.2 «NP V NP NP»: agent=Theme mere=Beneficiary pence=Value |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
At the merest noise, the rabbit ran away.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mere:x5:1
# text = At the merest noise, the rabbit ran away.
1	At	at	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	merest	mere	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	4	amod	_	_
4	noise	noise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	rabbit	rabbit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
8	ran	run	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	away	away	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **run away** | past | the rabbit |  |  | the merest noise |  | away *property* | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme at noise=Trajectory |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The walk took us around the mere.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mere:x6:1
# text = The walk took us around the mere.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	walk	walk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	took	take	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	iobj	_	_
5	around	around	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	mere	mere	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **take** | past | the walk |  | us | the mere |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP ADVP»: agent=Instrument we=Destination |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I shiver at the mere thought of it.”

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mere:x7:1
# text = I shiver at the mere thought of it.”
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	shiver	shiver	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	at	at	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	mere	mere	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	thought	think	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	”	"	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **shiver** | present | I |  |  |  |  |  | vn body\_internal\_states-40.6 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **think** *speech: other* | past | the mere |  |  |  |  | of it | vn focus-87.1-1 «NP V»: 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 -->

<!-- pn -->
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