---
title: oracle — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «oracle» in the school dictionary: In ancient Greece and Rome, a priest or priestess through whom people believed the gods gave advice or told the future, or the holy place where this happened, like the Oracle of Delphi. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# oracle

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** people, gods, this, person, Greeks, answer · **What happens:** believe, give, tell, happen, know, ask · **To what, where:** advice, future, answer, lot, Oracle, Delphi · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In ancient Greece and Rome, a priest or priestess through whom people believed the gods gave advice or told the future, or the holy place where this happened, like the Oracle of Delphi.

<!-- fold The tree, 33 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:oracle:m1:1
# text = In ancient Greece and Rome, a priest or priestess through whom people believed the gods gave advice or told the future, or the holy place where this happened, like the Oracle of Delphi.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	ancient	ancient	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	Greece	Greece	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	Rome	Rome	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	priest	priest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	appos	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	priestess	priestess	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	conj	_	_
11	through	through	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	whom	whom	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	8	nmod	_	_
13	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	nsubj	_	_
14	believed	believe	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	12	acl:relcl	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	gods	god	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	17	nsubj	_	_
17	gave	give	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	14	ccomp	_	_
18	advice	advice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obj	_	_
19	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	20	cc	_	_
20	told	tell	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	17	conj	_	_
21	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
22	future	future	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	27	punct	_	_
24	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	27	cc	_	_
25	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	27	det	_	_
26	holy	holy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	27	amod	_	_
27	place	place	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	ccomp	_	_
28	where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	30	advmod	_	_
29	this	this	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	30	nsubj	_	_
30	happened	happen	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	27	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
31	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	34	punct	_	_
32	like	like	ADP	IN	_	34	case	_	_
33	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	34	det	_	_
34	Oracle	Oracle	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	30	obl	_	_
35	of	of	ADP	IN	_	36	case	_	_
36	Delphi	Delphi	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	34	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
37	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **believe** | past | people |  |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V that S»: agent=Experiencer clause=Stimulus |
| 2 | **give** | past | the gods | advice |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent advice=Theme |
| 3 | **tell** *speech: assert* | past | the gods *not said here* | the future |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent future=Recipient |
| 4 | **happen** | past | this |  |  |  |  | like the Oracle of Delphi | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- .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 message or answer given by such an oracle.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:oracle:m2:1
# text = A message or answer given by such an oracle.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	message	message	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	answer	answer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
5	given	give	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	acl	_	_
6	by	by	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	such	such	DET	PDT	PronType=Ind	9	det:predet	_	_
8	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	oracle	oracle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

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

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A person who knows a lot and is asked for advice.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:oracle:m3:1
# text = A person who knows a lot and is asked for advice.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	4	nsubj	_	_
4	knows	know	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	acl:relcl	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	lot	lot	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux:pass	_	_
9	asked	ask	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	conj	_	_
10	for	for	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	advice	advice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **know** | present | a person | a lot |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Experiencer lot=Stimulus |
| 2 | **ask** *speech: ask* | present · passive | a person *not said here* |  |  |  |  | for advice | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V» |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Greeks visited the Oracle at Delphi for advice.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:oracle:x1:1
# text = The Greeks visited the Oracle at Delphi for advice.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	Greeks	Greek	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	visited	visit	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	Oracle	Oracle	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	at	at	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	Delphi	Delphi	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
8	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	advice	advice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **visit** | past | the Greeks | the Oracle |  | Delphi |  | for advice | vn meet-36.3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent oracle=Co-Agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The oracle's answer was a puzzling riddle.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:oracle:x2:1
# text = The oracle's answer was a puzzling riddle.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	oracle	oracle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	answer	answer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
5	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	puzzling	puzzling	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	riddle	riddle	NOUN	NN	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** | past | the oracle's answer | a puzzling riddle |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **answer** |  | the oracle |  |  |  |  |  | nom answer «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The king asked the oracle if he would win the war.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:oracle:x3:1
# text = The king asked the oracle if he would win the war.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	king	king	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	asked	ask	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	oracle	oracle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
7	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
8	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
9	win	win	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	war	war	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ask** *speech: ask* | past | the king |  | the oracle |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V NP whether S»: agent=Agent oracle=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 2 | **win** *a condition, not said to happen* | would | king | the war |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent war=Eventuality |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My sister is the family oracle on dinosaurs.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:oracle:x4:1
# text = My sister is the family oracle on dinosaurs.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	sister	sister	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	family	family	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	oracle	oracle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	dinosaurs	dinosaur	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | My sister | the family oracle |  |  |  | on dinosaurs | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The oracle was believed to speak the words of the god Apollo.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:oracle:x5:1
# text = The oracle was believed to speak the words of the god Apollo.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	oracle	oracle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	believed	believe	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	speak	speak	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	god	God	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	12	compound	_	_
12	Apollo	Apollo	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **believe** | past · passive |  | the oracle |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **speak** *speech: other* | to-infinitive |  | the words of the god Apollo |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **word** |  |  | the god Apollo |  |  |  |  | nom word «communication transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ask Grandpa, he's the oracle on football facts.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:oracle:x6:1
# text = Ask Grandpa, he's the oracle on football facts.
1	Ask	ask	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	Grandpa	Grandpa	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
4	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	oracle	oracle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	parataxis	_	_
8	on	on	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	football	football	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	facts	fact	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	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* |  | Grandpa |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent grandpa=Recipient |
| 2 | **is a** | present | Grandpa | the oracle |  | football facts |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Hence the Greeks had returned home in order to seek fresh instructions from an oracle.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:oracle:x7:1
# text = Hence the Greeks had returned home in order to seek fresh instructions from an oracle.
1	Hence	hence	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	Greeks	Greek	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
4	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	returned	return	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
6	home	home	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
7	in	in	SCONJ	IN	ExtPos=SCONJ	10	mark	_	_
8	order	order	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	fixed	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	seek	seek	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	advcl	_	_
11	fresh	fresh	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	instructions	instruction	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obj	_	_
13	from	from	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	oracle	oracle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **return** | past · perfect | the Greeks |  |  |  |  | hence, home *property* | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **seek** | to-infinitive | the Greeks *not said here* | fresh instructions |  |  |  | from a oracle | vn hunt-35.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent instruction=Theme |

<!-- 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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