---
title: operation — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «operation» in the school dictionary: In maths, an operation is a way of working with numbers: add, subtract, multiply or divide. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# operation

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** operation, way, doctor, we, problem, Adding · **What happens:** be, work, add, subtract, multiply, divide · **To what, where:** way, maths, something, body, planned piece, work

<!-- .vabout -->
«operation» in the school dictionary: its 3 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: [operation in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/operation.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In maths, an operation is a way of working with numbers: add, subtract, multiply or divide.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:operation:m1:1
# text = In maths, an operation is a way of working with numbers: add, subtract, multiply or divide.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	maths	math	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	operation	operation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
9	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
10	working	work	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	8	acl	_	_
11	with	with	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	numbers	number	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	14	punct	_	_
14	add	add	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	8	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
16	subtract	subtract	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	14	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
18	multiply	multiply	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	14	conj	_	_
19	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	20	cc	_	_
20	divide	divide	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	18	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a operation | a way |  | maths |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **work** | gerund | a way *not said here* |  |  |  |  | with numbers | vn cooperate-73.1-3 «NP V PP.co-agent PP.theme»: agent=Agent with number=Co-Agent |
| 3 | **add** *speech: assert* | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn mix-22.1-2 «NP V ADVP-Middle»: agent=Patient |
| 4 | **subtract** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn multiply-108-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 5 | **multiply** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 6 | **divide** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

<!-- .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 -->
An operation is when a doctor (a surgeon) fixes something inside the body.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:operation:m2:1
# text = An operation is when a doctor (a surgeon) fixes something inside the body.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	operation	operation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	0	root	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	doctor	doctor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
7	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	surgeon	surgeon	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	9	punct	_	_
11	fixes	fix	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	advcl	_	_
12	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	11	obj	_	_
13	inside	inside	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	body	body	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | a operation |  |  |  |  | when *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **fix** | present | a doctor | something |  | the body |  |  | vn shake-22.3-2 «NP V NP together»: agent=Agent something=Patient |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An operation is a planned piece of work done by many people: a rescue operation.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:operation:m3:1
# text = An operation is a planned piece of work done by many people: a rescue operation.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	operation	operation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	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	planned	plan	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	amod	_	_
6	piece	piece	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	work	work	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
9	done	do	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	acl	_	_
10	by	by	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obl:agent	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	16	punct	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
15	rescue	rescue	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	compound	_	_
16	operation	operation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **plan** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is a** | present | a operation | a planned piece and a rescue operation |  |  |  | of work | tree rules |
| 3 | **do** | participle |  | work *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Today we practise all four operations together.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:operation:x1:1
# text = Today we practise all four operations together.
1	Today	today	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl:unmarked	_	_
2	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	practise	practise	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	all	all	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	four	four	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	6	nummod	_	_
6	operations	operation	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
7	together	together	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **practise** | present | we | four operations |  |  | today | together *property* | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Which operation do we use here?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:operation:x2:1
# text = Which operation do we use here?
1	Which	which	DET	WDT	PronType=Int	2	det	_	_
2	operation	operation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
4	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
5	use	use	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	here	here	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | present · do-support | which operation |  |  | here |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
This problem needs two operations.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:operation:x3:1
# text = This problem needs two operations.
1	This	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	2	det	_	_
2	problem	problem	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	needs	need	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	operations	operation	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **need** | present | this problem | two operations |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Pivot operation=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Adding and subtracting are opposite operations.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:operation:x4:1
# text = Adding and subtracting are opposite operations.
1	Adding	add	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	csubj	_	_
2	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
3	subtracting	subtract	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	1	conj	_	_
4	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	opposite	opposite	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	operations	operation	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 | **add** *speech: assert* | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn mix-22.1-2 «NP V ADVP-Middle»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **subtract** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn multiply-108-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **is a** | present | Adding | opposite operations |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grandpa had an operation on his knee.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:operation:x5:1
# text = Grandpa had an operation on his knee.
1	Grandpa	Grandpa	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	operation	operation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	knee	knee	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 | **have** | past | Grandpa | a operation |  | Grandpa's knee |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent operation=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The doctors did the operation in the morning.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:operation:x6:1
# text = The doctors did the operation in the morning.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	doctors	doctor	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	did	do	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	operation	operation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	morning	morning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | past | the doctors | the operation |  |  | morning |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent operation=Eventuality |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A big rescue operation found the lost hikers.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:operation:x7:1
# text = A big rescue operation found the lost hikers.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
2	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
3	rescue	rescue	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	operation	operation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	found	find	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	lost	lose	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	amod	_	_
8	hikers	hiker	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **find** | past | a big rescue operation | the lost hikers |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent hiker=Topic |
| 2 | **lose** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Here is another instance of a life-giving operation of a double nature.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:operation:x8:1
# text = Here is another instance of a life-giving operation of a double nature.
1	Here	here	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	0	root	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	cop	_	_
3	another	another	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	4	det	_	_
4	instance	instance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nsubj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
7	life	life	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	giving	give	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	10	amod	_	_
10	operation	operation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
11	of	of	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	double	double	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	nature	nature	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | another instance of a giving operation of a double nature |  |  |  |  | here *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **give** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn break\_down-45.8 «NP V»: agent=Patient |
| 3 | **instance** |  |  | a giving operation of a double nature |  |  |  |  | nom instance «event transitive»: of=patient |
| 4 | **operate** |  |  | a double nature |  |  |  |  | nom operation «state transitive»: of=patient |

<!-- 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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