---
title: nickname — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «nickname» in the school dictionary: A short or friendly name used instead of someone's real name, such as "Liz" for Elizabeth. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# nickname

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** someone, nickname, My, Grandpa, New York, They · **What happens:** use, name, give, be, nickname, call · **To what, where:** short name, name, nickname, Bea, me, Big Apple · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A short or friendly name used instead of someone's real name, such as "Liz" for Elizabeth.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nickname:m1:1
# text = A short or friendly name used instead of someone's real name, such as "Liz" for Elizabeth.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
2	short	short	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	friendly	friendly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	conj	_	_
5	name	name	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	acl	_	_
7	instead	instead	ADV	RB	ExtPos=ADP	12	case	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	fixed	_	_
9	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	12	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	's	's	PART	POS	_	9	case	_	_
11	real	real	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	name	name	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
14	such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|ExtPos=ADP	17	case	_	_
15	as	as	ADP	IN	_	14	fixed	_	_
16	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	17	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	Liz	Liz	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	12	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	17	punct	_	_
19	for	for	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
20	Elizabeth	Elizabeth	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | participle |  | a short name *not said here* |  |  |  | instead someone's real name; for Elizabeth | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **name** |  | someone |  |  |  |  |  | nom name «communication transitive»: poss=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 -->
A name given because of something about a person, place or thing.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nickname:m2:1
# text = A name given because of something about a person, place or thing.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	name	name	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	given	give	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	because	because	ADP	IN	ExtPos=ADP	6	case	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	fixed	_	_
6	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	3	obl	_	_
7	about	about	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
11	place	place	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	conj	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	thing	thing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | participle |  | a name *not said here* |  |  |  | because something | vn break\_down-45.8 «NP V»: agent=Patient |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"the Big Apple" for New York.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nickname:m2e:1
# text = "the Big Apple" for New York.
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	Big	Big	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	flat	_	_
4	Apple	Apple	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	New	New	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	flat	_	_
8	York	York	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

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

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
As a verb, to give a nickname.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nickname:m3:1
# text = As a verb, to give a nickname.
1	As	as	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	verb	verb	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	give	give	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	nickname	nickname	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | to-infinitive |  | a nickname |  |  |  | as a verb | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent nickname=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My nickname is Bea.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nickname:x1:1
# text = My nickname is Bea.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	nickname	nickname	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	Bea	Bea	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | My nickname | Bea |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **nickname** |  | My |  |  |  |  |  | nom nickname «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grandpa calls me by a funny nickname.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nickname:x2:1
# text = Grandpa calls me by a funny nickname.
1	Grandpa	Grandpa	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	calls	call	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	obj	_	_
4	by	by	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	funny	funny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	nickname	nickname	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 | **call** | present | Grandpa |  | me |  |  | by a funny nickname | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent i=Recipient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
New York's nickname is the Big Apple.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nickname:x3:1
# text = New York's nickname is the Big Apple.
1	New	New	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	flat	_	_
2	York	York	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	nickname	nickname	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	Big	Big	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	flat	_	_
8	Apple	Apple	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | New York's nickname | the Big Apple |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **nickname** |  | New York |  |  |  |  |  | nom nickname «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
They nicknamed him "Speedy" because he runs fast.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nickname:x4:1
# text = They nicknamed him "Speedy" because he runs fast.
1	They	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	nicknamed	nickname	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	obj	_	_
4	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	Speedy	speedy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
7	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
8	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	runs	run	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	_
10	fast	fast	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	9	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **nickname** | past | They | him *= he* |  |  |  | speedy *property* | vn dub-29.3.2 «NP V NP NP»: agent=Agent he=Result |
| 2 | **run** | present | he |  |  |  |  | fast *property* | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Don't use a nickname that hurts someone's feelings.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nickname:x5:1
# text = Don't use a nickname that hurts someone's feelings.
1	Do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	use	use	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	nickname	nickname	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	hurts	hurt	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	10	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	's	's	PART	POS	_	8	case	_	_
10	feelings	feeling	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **use** | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* | a nickname |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent nickname=Patient |
| 2 | **hurt** | present | a nickname | someone's feelings |  |  |  |  | vn hurt-40.8.3-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer feeling=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ask your new friend which name they like.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nickname:x6:1
# text = Ask your new friend which name they like.
1	Ask	ask	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
3	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	friend	friend	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
5	which	which	DET	WDT	PronType=Int	6	det	_	_
6	name	name	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	appos	_	_
7	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	like	like	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ask** *speech: ask* | imperative | you *not said here* |  | your new friend |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent friend=Recipient |
| 2 | **like** | present | they | which name *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Pivot name=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
His face was jolly and round, and because he had red hair he was nicknamed Rufus, or the Red.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nickname:x7:1
# text = His face was jolly and round, and because he had red hair he was nicknamed Rufus, or the Red.
1	His	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	face	face	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	jolly	jolly	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	round	round	ADV	RB	_	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
9	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
10	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
11	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	16	aux	_	_
12	red	red	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	hair	hair	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	_
14	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	nsubj	_	_
15	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	16	aux:pass	_	_
16	nicknamed	nickname	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
17	Rufus	Rufus	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	16	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
19	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	21	cc	_	_
20	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
21	Red	Red	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	17	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	16	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | His face |  |  |  |  | jolly *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **nickname** | past · passive |  | he |  |  |  |  | vn dub-29.3.2 «NP V NP NP»: subject=Result |

<!-- 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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