---
title: mirror — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «mirror» in the school dictionary: A mirror is a piece of special glass with a shiny back in which you can see yourself and things behind you. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# mirror

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** mirror, you, something, mirror image, magic mirror, She · **What happens:** be, see, show, swap, talk, answer · **To what, where:** piece, yourself, shiny back, it, reflection, fairy tales

<!-- .vabout -->
«mirror» in the school dictionary: its 4 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: [mirror in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/mirror.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A mirror is a piece of special glass with a shiny back in which you can see yourself and things behind you.

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mirror:m1:1
# text = A mirror is a piece of special glass with a shiny back in which you can see yourself and things behind you.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	mirror	mirror	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	piece	piece	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	special	special	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	glass	glass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
9	with	with	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	shiny	shiny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	back	back	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	_
13	in	in	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	17	obl	_	_
15	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	17	nsubj	_	_
16	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	17	aux	_	_
17	see	see	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	acl:relcl	_	_
18	yourself	yourself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=2|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	17	obj	_	_
19	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	20	cc	_	_
20	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	18	conj	_	_
21	behind	behind	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
22	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	18	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a mirror | a piece |  |  |  | of special glass with a shiny back | tree rules |
| 2 | **see** | can | you | yourself |  | a shiny back |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer yourself=Stimulus |

<!-- .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 -->
To mirror something is to copy it exactly or show it like a reflection.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mirror:m2:1
# text = To mirror something is to copy it exactly or show it like a reflection.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
2	mirror	mirror	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	6	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	copy	copy	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	advcl	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	exactly	exactly	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	show	show	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
11	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	obj	_	_
12	like	like	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	reflection	reflection	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | something |  |  |  |  | copy *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **show** | imperative | you *not said here* | it |  |  |  | like a reflection; exactly *property* | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent it=Recipient |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A mirror image is a reflection where left and right are swapped.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mirror:m3:1
# text = A mirror image is a reflection where left and right are swapped.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	mirror	mirror	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	image	image	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	reflection	reflection	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	8	advmod	_	_
8	left	left	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	right	right	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	conj	_	_
11	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	aux:pass	_	_
12	swapped	swap	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a mirror image | a reflection |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **swap** | present · passive |  | a reflection *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn substitute-13.6.2 «NP V PP.co-theme» |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In fairy tales, a magic mirror can talk and answer questions.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mirror:m4:1
# text = In fairy tales, a magic mirror can talk and answer questions.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	fairy	fairy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	tales	tale	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	magic	magic	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	mirror	mirror	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
8	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
9	talk	talk	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	answer	answer	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	conj	_	_
12	questions	question	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **talk** | can | a magic mirror |  |  | fairy tales |  |  | vn talk-37.5 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **answer** *speech: assert* | infinitive | a magic mirror *not said here* | questions |  |  |  |  | vn reciprocate-112-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent question=Eventuality |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She looked at herself in the mirror.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mirror:x1:1
# text = She looked at herself in the mirror.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	looked	look	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	at	at	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	herself	herself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	2	obl	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	mirror	mirror	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 | **look** | past | She |  |  | the mirror |  | at herself *= she* | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent at herself=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A mirror reflects light.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mirror:x2:1
# text = A mirror reflects light.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	mirror	mirror	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	reflects	reflect	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	light	light	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Draw the mirror image of the shape.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mirror:x3:1
# text = Draw the mirror image of the shape.
1	Draw	draw	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	mirror	mirror	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	image	image	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	shape	shape	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **draw** | imperative | you *not said here* | the mirror image of the shape |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent image=Theme |
| 2 | **image** |  |  | the shape |  |  |  |  | nom image «cognition transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The mirror line cuts the butterfly into two equal halves.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mirror:x4:1
# text = The mirror line cuts the butterfly into two equal halves.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	mirror	mirror	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	line	line	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	cuts	cut	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	butterfly	butterfly	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	into	into	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	10	nummod	_	_
9	equal	equal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	halves	half	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cut** | present | the mirror line | the butterfly |  | two equal halves |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP.material PP.product»: agent=Agent butterfly=Material into half=Product |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Check the mirror before you change lanes.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mirror:x5:1
# text = Check the mirror before you change lanes.
1	Check	check	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	mirror	mirror	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	before	before	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
5	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	change	change	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	advcl	_	_
7	lanes	lane	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **check** | imperative | you *not said here* | the mirror |  |  |  |  | vn assessment-34.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent mirror=Theme |
| 2 | **change** | present | you | lanes |  |  |  |  | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent lane=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Her face mirrored her mother's.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mirror:x6:1
# text = Her face mirrored her mother's.
1	Her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	face	face	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	mirrored	mirror	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	mother	mother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	's	's	PART	POS	_	5	case	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mirror** | past | Her face | face's mother |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Writing looks back to front in a mirror.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mirror:x7:1
# text = Writing looks back to front in a mirror.
1	Writing	writing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	looks	look	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	back	back	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
4	to	to	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	front	front	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	mirror	mirror	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look back** | present | Writing |  |  |  |  | to front in a mirror | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent to front=Theme |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
and the mirror answered as before:

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mirror:x8:1
# text = and the mirror answered as before:
1	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	mirror	mirror	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	answered	answer	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	as	as	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	before	before	ADV	RB	_	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **answer** *speech: assert* | past | the mirror |  |  |  |  |  | vn reciprocate-112-1 «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 -->

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