---
title: observed — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «observed» in the school dictionary: Watched or looked at carefully, often to learn something. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# observed

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** custom, minute, We, I, ice, you · **What happens:** watch, look, learn, notice, see, say · **To what, where:** something, rule, custom, speed limit, silence, caterpillar · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Watched or looked at carefully, often to learn something.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:observed:m1:1
# text = Watched or looked at carefully, often to learn something.
1	Watched	watch	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
2	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
3	looked	look	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	1	conj	_	_
4	at	at	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	carefully	carefully	ADV	RB	_	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
7	often	often	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	learn	learn	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	conj	_	_
10	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **watch** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn search-35.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **look** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent at carefully=Theme |
| 3 | **learn** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  | often *property* | vn learn-14-2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=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.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Noticed or saw something.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:observed:m2:1
# text = Noticed or saw something.
1	Noticed	notice	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
2	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
3	saw	see	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	1	conj	_	_
4	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **notice** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn see-30.1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **see** | past |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer something=Stimulus |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Said or remarked.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:observed:m3:1
# text = Said or remarked.
1	Said	say	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
2	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
3	remarked	remark	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	1	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **remark** *speech: assert* | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn lecture-37.11-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Obeyed a rule or kept a custom (observed the speed limit, observed a minute's silence).

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:observed:m4:1
# text = Obeyed a rule or kept a custom (observed the speed limit, observed a minute's silence).
1	Obeyed	obey	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	rule	rule	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	kept	keep	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	1	conj	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	custom	custom	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	observed	observe	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	acl	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	speed	speed	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	compound	_	_
12	limit	limit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
14	observed	observe	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	1	parataxis	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	minute	minute	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	's	's	PART	POS	_	16	case	_	_
18	silence	silence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **obey** | past |  | a rule |  |  |  |  | vn abide\_by-93.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent rule=Theme |
| 2 | **keep** | past |  | a custom |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent custom=Theme |
| 3 | **observe** | participle | a custom *not said here* | the speed limit |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent limit=Topic |
| 4 | **observe** | past |  | a minute's silence |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent silence=Topic |
| 5 | **silence** |  | a minute |  |  |  |  |  | nom silence «state transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We observed the caterpillar every day.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:observed:x1:1
# text = We observed the caterpillar every day.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	observed	observe	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	caterpillar	caterpillar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	6	det	_	_
6	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **observe** | past | We | the caterpillar |  |  | day |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent caterpillar=Topic |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I observed that the ice melted faster in the sun.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:observed:x2:1
# text = I observed that the ice melted faster in the sun.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	observed	observe	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	ice	ice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	melted	melt	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	ccomp	_	_
7	faster	fast	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	6	advmod	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	sun.	sun.	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **observe** | past | I |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **melt** | past | the ice |  |  | the sun. |  | fast *property* | vn other\_cos-45.4-1 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Write down what you observed.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:observed:x3:1
# text = Write down what you observed.
1	Write	write	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	down	down	ADP	RP	_	1	compound:prt	_	_
3	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	5	obj	_	_
4	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
5	observed	observe	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	1	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write down** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **observe** | past | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent what=Topic |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«It's getting late,» she observed.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:observed:x4:1
# text = «It's getting late,» she observed.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	getting	get	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	9	ccomp	_	_
5	late	late	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
8	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	observed	observe	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** *in a quote* | present · progressive | It |  |  |  |  | late *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **observe** | past | she |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The class observed a minute's silence.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:observed:x5:1
# text = The class observed a minute's silence.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	class	class	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	observed	observe	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	minute	minute	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	's	's	PART	POS	_	5	case	_	_
7	silence	silence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **observe** | past | the class | a minute's silence |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent silence=Topic |
| 2 | **silence** |  | a minute |  |  |  |  |  | nom silence «state transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Drivers observed the speed limit near the school.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:observed:x6:1
# text = Drivers observed the speed limit near the school.
1	Drivers	driver	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	observed	observe	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	speed	speed	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	limit	limit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	near	near	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **observe** | past | Drivers | the speed limit |  | the school |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent limit=Topic |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The birds were observed in the garden at dawn.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:observed:x7:1
# text = The birds were observed in the garden at dawn.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	birds	bird	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	observed	observe	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	garden	garden	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
8	at	at	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	dawn	dawn	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **observe** | past · passive |  | the birds |  | the garden | dawn |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: subject=Topic |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"It is terribly warm here!" he observed.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:observed:x8:1
# text = "It is terribly warm here!" he observed.
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	terribly	terribly	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	warm	warm	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	ccomp	_	_
6	here	here	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
9	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	observed	observe	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** *in a quote* | present | It |  |  | here |  | terribly, warm *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **observe** | past | he |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: 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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