---
title: penitent — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «penitent» in the school dictionary: Penitent means feeling and showing that you are sorry for doing wrong. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# penitent

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Penitent, you, person, penitent boy, puppy, priest · **What happens:** mean, show, be, do, confess, say · **To what, where:** feeling, person, sins, priest, penance, penitent · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«penitent» in the school dictionary: its 2 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: [penitent in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/penitent.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Penitent means feeling and showing that you are sorry for doing wrong.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:penitent:m1:1
# text = Penitent means feeling and showing that you are sorry for doing wrong.
1	Penitent	penitent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	feeling	feeling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	showing	show	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	conj	_	_
6	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
7	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
8	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
9	sorry	sorry	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	ccomp	_	_
10	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
11	doing	do	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	9	advcl	_	_
12	wrong	wrong	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Penitent | feeling |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent feeling=Topic |
| 2 | **show** | gerund | Penitent *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **is** | present | you |  |  |  |  | sorry *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **do** | gerund | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | wrong *property* | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=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}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A penitent is a person who confesses their sins to a priest or does penance.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:penitent:m2:1
# text = A penitent is a person who confesses their sins to a priest or does penance.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	penitent	penitent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	confesses	confess	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	sins	sin	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	_
10	to	to	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	priest	priest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
13	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	does	do	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	_
15	penance	penance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a penitent | a person |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **confess** | present | a person | their sins | a priest |  |  |  | vn confess-37.10 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: agent=Agent sin=Topic to priest=Recipient |
| 3 | **do** | present | a person *not said here* | penance |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent penance=Eventuality |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The penitent boy said sorry to his grandmother.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:penitent:x1:1
# text = The penitent boy said sorry to his grandmother.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	penitent	penitent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	boy	boy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	sorry	sorry	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	xcomp	_	_
6	to	to	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	grandmother	grandmother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: apologize* | past | the penitent boy |  |  |  |  | sorry *property* | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The puppy looked penitent after chewing the shoe.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:penitent:x2:1
# text = The puppy looked penitent after chewing the shoe.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	puppy	puppy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	looked	look	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	penitent	penitent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
5	after	after	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
6	chewing	chew	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	advcl	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	shoe	shoe	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** | past | the puppy | penitent |  |  |  |  | vn seem-109-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme penitent=Attribute |
| 2 | **chew** | gerund | the puppy *not said here* | the shoe |  |  |  |  | vn chew-39.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent shoe=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The priest listened kindly to the penitent.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:penitent:x3:1
# text = The priest listened kindly to the penitent.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	priest	priest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	listened	listen	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	kindly	kindly	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	penitent	penitent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **listen** | past | the priest |  |  |  |  | to the penitent; kindly *property* | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent to penitent=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She wrote a penitent letter to her friend.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:penitent:x4:1
# text = She wrote a penitent letter to her friend.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	wrote	write	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	penitent	penitent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	letter	letter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	to	to	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	friend	friend	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write** | past | She | a penitent letter | her friend |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: agent=Agent letter=Topic to friend=Recipient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the Bible story, the penitent son came home to his father.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:penitent:x5:1
# text = In the Bible story, the penitent son came home to his father.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	Bible	Bible	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	penitent	penitent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	son	son	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
9	came	come	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
10	home	home	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
11	to	to	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	13	nmod:poss	_	_
13	father	father	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come** | past | the penitent son |  |  | the Bible story |  | to son's father; home *property* | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme to father=Initial\_Location |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Penitents in the old church wore plain clothes.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:penitent:x6:1
# text = Penitents in the old church wore plain clothes.
1	Penitents	penitent	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
2	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	church	church	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nmod	_	_
6	wore	wear	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	plain	plain	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	clothes	clothes	NOUN	NNS	Number=Ptan	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wear** | past | Penitents in the old church | plain clothes |  |  |  |  | vn wipe\_manner-10.4.1-1 «NP V NP.source»: agent=Agent clothes=Source |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He was truly penitent and promised not to lie again.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:penitent:x7:1
# text = He was truly penitent and promised not to lie again.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	truly	truly	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	penitent	penitent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	promised	promise	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
7	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	9	advmod	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	lie	lie	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	xcomp	_	_
10	again	again	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | He | penitent |  |  |  | truly *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **promise** *speech: promise* | past | He *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn promise-37.13 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **not** **lie** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | He *not said here* |  |  |  | again |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: 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 -->

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