---
title: obtuseness — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «obtuseness» in the school dictionary: Slowness to understand things; not noticing what is obvious. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# obtuseness

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Slowness, obtuseness, joke, Badger, teacher, it · **What happens:** understand, not notice, be, not be, make, fall · **To what, where:** things, joke, obtuseness, real obtuseness, knife · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«obtuseness» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 6 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: [obtuseness in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/obtuseness.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Slowness to understand things; not noticing what is obvious.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:obtuseness:m1:1
# text = Slowness to understand things; not noticing what is obvious.
1	Slowness	slowness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	to	to	PART	TO	_	3	mark	_	_
3	understand	understand	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	7	punct	_	_
6	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	7	advmod	_	_
7	noticing	notice	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	advcl	_	_
8	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	10	nsubj	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
10	obvious	obvious	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **understand** | to-infinitive | Slowness | things |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Experiencer thing=Stimulus |
| 2 | **not** **notice** | gerund | Slowness *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn see-30.1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |
| 3 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | obvious *property* | tree rules |

<!-- .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}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The quality of being an obtuse angle, wider than a right angle.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:obtuseness:m2:1
# text = The quality of being an obtuse angle, wider than a right angle.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	quality	quality	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
4	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	7	cop	_	_
5	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	obtuse	obtuse	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	angle	angle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
9	wider	wide	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	2	amod	_	_
10	than	than	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	right	right	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	angle	angle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | of a obtuse angle | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Bluntness, not being sharp or pointed.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:obtuseness:m3:1
# text = Bluntness, not being sharp or pointed.
1	Bluntness	bluntness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
3	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	5	advmod	_	_
4	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	5	cop	_	_
5	sharp	sharp	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	appos	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	pointed	pointed	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **is** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | sharp *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **be** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Her obtuseness made the joke fall flat.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:obtuseness:x1:1
# text = Her obtuseness made the joke fall flat.
1	Her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	obtuseness	obtuseness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	joke	joke	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	fall	fall	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
7	flat	flat	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past | Her obtuseness | the joke |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **fall** | infinitive | the joke *not said here* |  |  |  |  | flat *property* | vn occur-48.3 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Badger sighed at Toad's obtuseness.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:obtuseness:x2:1
# text = Badger sighed at Toad's obtuseness.
1	Badger	Badger	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	sighed	sigh	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	at	at	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	Toad	Toad	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	's	's	PART	POS	_	4	case	_	_
6	obtuseness	obtuseness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sigh** | past | Badger |  |  | Toad's obtuseness |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
His obtuseness about the hints was annoying.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:obtuseness:x3:1
# text = His obtuseness about the hints was annoying.
1	His	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	obtuseness	obtuseness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	about	about	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	hints	hint	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nmod	_	_
6	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	annoying	annoying	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | His obtuseness about the hints |  |  |  |  | annoying *property* | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The teacher explained the obtuseness of the angle by comparing it with a right angle.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:obtuseness:x4:1
# text = The teacher explained the obtuseness of the angle by comparing it with a right angle.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	explained	explain	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	obtuseness	obtuseness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	angle	angle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
9	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
10	comparing	compare	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	advcl	_	_
11	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	obj	_	_
12	with	with	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
14	right	right	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	angle	angle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **explain** *speech: assert* | past | the teacher | the obtuseness of the angle |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent obtuseness=Topic |
| 2 | **compare** | gerund | the teacher *not said here* | obtuseness |  |  |  | with a right angle | vn amalgamate-22.2-2 «NP V NP PP.co-patient»: agent=Agent it=Patient with angle=Co-Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Was it real obtuseness, or was he pretending not to understand?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:obtuseness:x5:1
# text = Was it real obtuseness, or was he pretending not to understand?
1	Was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
2	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
3	real	real	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	obtuseness	obtuseness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
7	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
8	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	pretending	pretend	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	advcl	_	_
10	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	12	advmod	_	_
11	to	to	PART	TO	_	12	mark	_	_
12	understand	understand	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | it | real obtuseness |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **pretend** | past · progressive | he |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **not** **understand** | to-infinitive | he *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The obtuseness of the old knife made it useless for cutting.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:obtuseness:x6:1
# text = The obtuseness of the old knife made it useless for cutting.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	obtuseness	obtuseness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	knife	knife	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
7	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
9	useless	useless	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	xcomp	_	_
10	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
11	cutting	cut	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	9	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past | the obtuseness of the old knife | knife |  |  |  | useless *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset it=Product |
| 2 | **cut** | gerund | the obtuseness of the old knife *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |

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