---
title: perpetual — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «perpetual» in the school dictionary: Lasting forever or for a very long time, never ending. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# perpetual

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Lasting, it, perpetual crying, baby, lighthouse, She · **What happens:** last, not end, happen, seem, not stop, work · **To what, where:** perpetual complaints, mountain tops, motion machine, us, perpetual guard, perpetual fear

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Lasting forever or for a very long time, never ending.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:perpetual:m1:1
# text = Lasting forever or for a very long time, never ending.
1	Lasting	last	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	11	csubj	_	_
2	forever	forever	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
4	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
6	very	very	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
10	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	11	advmod	_	_
11	ending	end	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **last** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | forever *property* | vn cost-54.2 «NP V NP.value»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **not** **end** | gerund | Lasting |  |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |

<!-- .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 -->
Happening again and again, so often it seems never to stop: perpetual complaints.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:perpetual:m2:1
# text = Happening again and again, so often it seems never to stop: perpetual complaints.
1	Happening	happen	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	9	csubj	_	_
2	again	again	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	_
3	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	again	again	ADV	RB	_	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
6	so	so	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	often	often	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	seems	seem	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
10	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	12	advmod	_	_
11	to	to	PART	TO	_	12	mark	_	_
12	stop	stop	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	15	punct	_	_
14	perpetual	perpetual	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	compound	_	_
15	complaints	complaint	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **happen** | gerund |  |  |  |  | again |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **seem** | present | it |  |  |  |  | often *property* | vn seem-109-1-1-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Theme clause=Attribute |
| 3 | **not** **stop** | to-infinitive |  | perpetual complaints |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: of a calendar or plant — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Working or flowering year after year without needing changing.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:perpetual:m3:1
# text = Working or flowering year after year without needing changing.
1	Working	work	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
2	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
3	flowering	flower	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	1	conj	_	_
4	year	year	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
5	after	after	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	year	year	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	without	without	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
8	needing	need	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	1	advcl	_	_
9	changing	change	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	8	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **work** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn employment-95.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **flower** | gerund |  |  |  |  | year |  | vn entity\_specific\_modes\_being-47.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **need** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Pivot clause=Theme |
| 4 | **change** *not said to happen* | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The mountain tops are covered in perpetual snow.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:perpetual:x1:1
# text = The mountain tops are covered in perpetual snow.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	mountain	mountain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	tops	top	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	covered	cover	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	perpetual	perpetual	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	snow	snow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cover** | present · passive |  | the mountain tops |  |  |  | in perpetual snow | vn fill-9.8-1 «NP V NP PP.theme»: subject=Destination in snow=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A perpetual motion machine cannot be built.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:perpetual:x2:1
# text = A perpetual motion machine cannot be built.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
2	perpetual	perpetual	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	motion	motion	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	machine	machine	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj:pass	_	_
5	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	8	advmod	_	_
7	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	aux:pass	_	_
8	built	build	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **build** | can · passive |  | a motion machine |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: subject=Product |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The baby's perpetual crying kept us awake.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:perpetual:x3:1
# text = The baby's perpetual crying kept us awake.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	baby	baby	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	perpetual	perpetual	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	crying	crying	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	kept	keep	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	awake	awake	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **keep** | past | the baby's perpetual crying | us |  |  |  | awake *property* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent we=Theme |
| 2 | **cry** |  | the baby |  |  |  |  |  | nom crying «act transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The lighthouse is a perpetual guard of the coast.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:perpetual:x4:1
# text = The lighthouse is a perpetual guard of the coast.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	lighthouse	lighthouse	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	perpetual	perpetual	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	guard	guard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	coast	coast	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the lighthouse | a perpetual guard |  |  |  | of the coast | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She lived in perpetual fear of spiders.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:perpetual:x5:1
# text = She lived in perpetual fear of spiders.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	lived	live	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	perpetual	perpetual	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	fear	fear	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	spiders	spider	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **live** | past | She |  |  | perpetual fear of spiders |  |  | vn lodge-46 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in fear=Location |
| 2 | **fear** |  |  | spiders |  |  |  |  | nom fear «feeling transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The waterfall makes a perpetual roar.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:perpetual:x6:1
# text = The waterfall makes a perpetual roar.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	waterfall	waterfall	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	makes	make	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	perpetual	perpetual	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	roar	roar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | present | the waterfall | a perpetual roar |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset roar=Product |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The pattern 1, 2, 1, 2 is perpetual — it never ends.

<!-- fold The tree, 11 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:perpetual:x7:1
# text = The pattern 1, 2, 1, 2 is perpetual — it never ends.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	pattern	pattern	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	compound	_	_
3	1	1	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	2	flat	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
5	2	2	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
7	1	1	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	3	flat	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
9	2	2	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	2	flat	_	_
10	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
11	perpetual	perpetual	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
12	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	15	punct	_	_
13	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	nsubj	_	_
14	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	15	advmod	_	_
15	ends	end	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present |  | pattern perpetual |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **end** | present | perpetual | pattern perpetual *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V NP.eventuality»: agent=Subeventuality perpetual=Eventuality |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
THE WEASELS and the Mice waged a perpetual war with each other, in which much blood was shed.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:perpetual:x8:1
# text = THE WEASELS and the Mice waged a perpetual war with each other, in which much blood was shed.
1	THE	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	WEASELS	weasel	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
3	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	Mice	mouse	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	conj	_	_
6	waged	wage	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	perpetual	perpetual	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	war	war	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
10	with	with	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	each	each	DET	DT	ExtPos=PRON|PronType=Rcp	6	obl	_	_
12	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	fixed	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
14	in	in	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	19	obl	_	_
16	much	much	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	amod	_	_
17	blood	blood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	nsubj:pass	_	_
18	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	19	aux:pass	_	_
19	shed	shed	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wage** | past | the WEASELS and the Mice | a perpetual war |  |  |  | with each | tree rules |
| 2 | **shed** | past · passive |  | much blood |  |  |  |  | vn substance\_emission-43.4-1 «PP.location V NP»: subject=Source |

<!-- 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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