---
title: mimic — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «mimic» in the school dictionary: To copy the way someone talks or moves, often to be funny or to make fun of them. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# mimic

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** someone, animals, person, Parrots, lyrebird, hoverfly · **What happens:** copy, talk, move, be, make, look · **To what, where:** way, fun, sounds, human words, sound, wasp

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To copy the way someone talks or moves, often to be funny or to make fun of them.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mimic:m1:1
# text = To copy the way someone talks or moves, often to be funny or to make fun of them.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	copy	copy	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	6	nsubj	_	_
6	talks	talk	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	acl:relcl	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	moves	move	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
10	often	often	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
11	to	to	PART	TO	_	13	mark	_	_
12	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	13	cop	_	_
13	funny	funny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	parataxis	_	_
14	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
15	to	to	PART	TO	_	16	mark	_	_
16	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	13	conj	_	_
17	fun	fun	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obj	_	_
18	of	of	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
19	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	17	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **copy** | to-infinitive |  | the way |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent way=Theme |
| 2 | **talk** | present | someone | the way *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn compel-59.1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent way=Patient |
| 3 | **move** | present | someone *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP.theme V»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **is** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | funny, often *property* | tree rules |
| 5 | **make** | to-infinitive |  | fun of them |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset fun=Product |

<!-- .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 -->
In nature, to look or sound like something else to stay safe or to trick, as some animals do.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mimic:m2:1
# text = In nature, to look or sound like something else to stay safe or to trick, as some animals do.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	nature	nature	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	look	look	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	sound	sound	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
8	like	like	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	7	obl	_	_
10	else	else	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
11	to	to	PART	TO	_	12	mark	_	_
12	stay	stay	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	advcl	_	_
13	safe	safe	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	xcomp	_	_
14	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
15	to	to	PART	TO	_	16	mark	_	_
16	trick	trick	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
18	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	21	mark	_	_
19	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	20	det	_	_
20	animals	animal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	21	nsubj	_	_
21	do	do	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	16	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | in nature | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent in nature=Theme |
| 2 | **sound** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | like something | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Stimulus |
| 3 | **stay** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | safe *property* | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **trick** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn trick-59.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 5 | **do** | present | some animals |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: noun — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A person or animal that is good at copying sounds or actions.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mimic:m3:1
# text = A person or animal that is good at copying sounds or actions.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	animal	animal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
5	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
8	at	at	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
9	copying	copy	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	7	advcl	_	_
10	sounds	sound	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obj	_	_
11	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	actions	action	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | a person or animal |  |  |  |  | good *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **copy** | gerund | a person or animal *not said here* | sounds or actions |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sound=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Parrots can mimic human words.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mimic:x1:1
# text = Parrots can mimic human words.
1	Parrots	parrot	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	mimic	mimic	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	human	human	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	words	word	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 | **mimic** | can | Parrots | human words |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The lyrebird mimics the sound of a camera shutter.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mimic:x2:1
# text = The lyrebird mimics the sound of a camera shutter.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	lyrebird	lyrebird	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	mimics	mimic	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	sound	sound	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	camera	camera	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	shutter	shutter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mimic** | present | the lyrebird | the sound of a camera shutter |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The hoverfly mimics a wasp so birds leave it alone.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mimic:x3:1
# text = The hoverfly mimics a wasp so birds leave it alone.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	hoverfly	hoverfly	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	mimics	mimic	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	wasp	wasp	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	so	so	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
7	birds	bird	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
8	leave	leave	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	_
10	alone	alone	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mimic** | present | the hoverfly | a wasp |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **leave** | present | birds | wasp |  |  |  | alone *property* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Please don't mimic Sam's voice; it upsets him.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mimic:x4:1
# text = Please don't mimic Sam's voice; it upsets him.
1	Please	please	INTJ	UH	_	4	discourse	_	_
2	do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	mimic	mimic	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	Sam	Sam	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	's	's	PART	POS	_	5	case	_	_
7	voice	voice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	10	punct	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	upsets	upset	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	parataxis	_	_
11	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **mimic** | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* | Sam's voice |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **upset** | present | voice | Sam |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus he=Experiencer |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My sister is a brilliant mimic of our teacher.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mimic:x5:1
# text = My sister is a brilliant mimic of our teacher.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	sister	sister	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	brilliant	brilliant	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	mimic	mimic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | My sister | a brilliant mimic |  |  |  | of our teacher | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The stick insect mimics a twig.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mimic:x6:1
# text = The stick insect mimics a twig.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	stick	stick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	insect	insect	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	mimics	mimic	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	twig	twig	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mimic** | present | the stick insect | a twig |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Robots can mimic the way people walk.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mimic:x7:1
# text = Robots can mimic the way people walk.
1	Robots	robot	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	mimic	mimic	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
7	walk	walk	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mimic** | can | Robots | the way |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **walk** | present | people | the way *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme way=Trajectory |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
By-and-by he began to mimic the speech and gait of persons in the street.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mimic:x8:1
# text = By-and-by he began to mimic the speech and gait of persons in the street.
1	By	by	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
6	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	began	begin	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	mimic	mimic	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	xcomp	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	speech	speech	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	gait	gait	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	conj	_	_
14	of	of	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	persons	person	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	nmod	_	_
16	in	in	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	street	street	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **begin** | past | he |  |  |  |  |  | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **mimic** | to-infinitive | he *not said here* | the speech and gait of persons in the street |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- 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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