---
title: minus — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «minus» in the school dictionary: Minus means take away. 7 minus 3 is 4. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# minus

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Minus, 7 minus, sign, number, temperature, you · **What happens:** mean, take away, be, write, get, test · **To what, where:** 4, −, zero, bad point, 10 minus, 3 degrees · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«minus» in the school dictionary: its 5 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: [minus in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/minus.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Minus means take away. 7 minus 3 is 4.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Minus means take away.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:minus:m1:1
# text = Minus means take away.
1	Minus	Minus	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	take	take	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	ccomp	_	_
4	away	away	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Minus |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **take away** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | away *property* | vn remove-10.1 «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.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* 7 minus 3 is 4.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:minus:m1:2
# text = 7 minus 3 is 4.
1	7	7	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	2	nummod	_	_
2	minus	minus	NOUN	NN	_	5	nsubj	_	_
3	3	3	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	2	flat	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	4	4	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | 7 minus | 4 |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The sign for minus is −.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:minus:m2:1
# text = The sign for minus is −.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	sign	sign	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	for	for	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	minus	minus	NOUN	NN	_	2	nmod	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
6	−	−	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the sign for minus | − |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Minus before a number means below zero: minus 5 degrees.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:minus:m3:1
# text = Minus before a number means below zero: minus 5 degrees.
1	Minus	minus	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
2	before	before	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	number	number	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	below	below	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	zero	zero	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	11	punct	_	_
9	minus	minus	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	5	5	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	11	nummod	_	_
11	degrees	degree	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | a number | zero |  |  |  | 5 degrees *obl:unmarked* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent zero=Topic |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A minus is a bad point, a disadvantage: «pluses and minuses».

<!-- fold The tree, 11 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:minus:m4:1
# text = A minus is a bad point, a disadvantage: «pluses and minuses».
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	minus	minus	NOUN	NN	_	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	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	point	point	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	disadvantage	disadvantage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	12	punct	_	_
11	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	pluses	plus	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	appos	_	_
13	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	minuses	minus	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a minus | a bad point |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Meaning 5 {#m5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
After a grade, minus means a bit lower.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:minus:m5:1
# text = After a grade, minus means a bit lower.
1	After	after	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	grade	grade	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	minus	minus	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	bit	bit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl:unmarked	_	_
9	lower	low	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	6	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

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

<!-- .note -->
The example in this meaning, parsed on its own:

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
B minus.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:minus:m5e:1
# text = B minus.
1	B	B	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
2	minus	minus	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	1	flat	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
What is 10 minus 4?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:minus:x1:1
# text = What is 10 minus 4?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	0	root	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	10	10	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	4	nummod	_	_
4	minus	minus	NOUN	NN	_	1	nsubj	_	_
5	4	4	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	4	flat	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present |  | 10 minus |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
15 minus 6 equals 9.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:minus:x2:1
# text = 15 minus 6 equals 9.
1	15	15	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	0	root	_	_
2	minus	minus	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	6	6	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	4	nummod	_	_
4	equals	equal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	nmod	_	_
5	9	9	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	4	flat	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The temperature was minus 3 degrees.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:minus:x3:1
# text = The temperature was minus 3 degrees.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	temperature	temperature	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	minus	minus	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
5	3	3	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	6	nummod	_	_
6	degrees	degree	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | the temperature | 3 degrees |  |  |  | minus *property* | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Twenty minus eight is twelve.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:minus:x4:1
# text = Twenty minus eight is twelve.
1	Twenty	twenty	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	5	compound	_	_
2	minus	minus	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	eight	eight	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	1	nmod	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	twelve	twelve	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present |  | Twenty twelve |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Write a minus sign between the numbers.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:minus:x5:1
# text = Write a minus sign between the numbers.
1	Write	write	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	minus	minus	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	sign	sign	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
5	between	between	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	numbers	number	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write** | imperative | you *not said here* | a minus sign |  |  |  | between the numbers | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sign=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I got a B minus on my spelling test.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:minus:x6:1
# text = I got a B minus on my spelling test.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	got	get	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	B	B	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	minus	minus	NOUN	NN	_	2	obj	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
8	spelling	spelling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	test	test	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** | past | I | a B minus |  | my spelling test |  |  | vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP PP.source»: agent=Agent minus=Theme on test=Source |
| 2 | **test** |  | my |  |  |  |  |  | nom test «cognition transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
One minus of the trip is the long drive.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:minus:x7:1
# text = One minus of the trip is the long drive.
1	One	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	2	nummod	_	_
2	minus	minus	NOUN	NN	_	9	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	trip	trip	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	drive	drive	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | One minus of the trip | the long drive |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Count down: 3, 2, 1, 0, minus 1.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:minus:x8:1
# text = Count down: 3, 2, 1, 0, minus 1.
1	Count	count	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	down	down	ADP	RP	_	1	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	4	punct	_	_
4	3	3	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
6	2	2	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	4	flat	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
8	1	1	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
10	0	0	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	4	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
12	minus	minus	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
13	1	1	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **count down** | imperative | you *not said here* | 3 |  |  |  | 1 *obl* | vn matter-91 «NP V»: agent=Stimulus |

<!-- 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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