---
title: pistol — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «pistol» in the school dictionary: A pistol is a small gun that you hold and fire with one hand. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# pistol

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** pistol, you, starting pistol, like pistol, water pistol, toy · **What happens:** be, hold, make, use, start, squirt · **To what, where:** small gun, like pistol, loud bang, races, toy, water · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A pistol is a small gun that you hold and fire with one hand.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pistol:m1:1
# text = A pistol is a small gun that you hold and fire with one hand.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	pistol	pistol	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	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	gun	gun	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	9	obj	_	_
8	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	hold	hold	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	acl:relcl	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	fire	fire	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	conj	_	_
12	with	with	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	14	nummod	_	_
14	hand	hand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a pistol | a small gun |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **hold** | present | you | a small gun |  |  |  | with one hand | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent that=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 starting pistol is a toy-like pistol that only makes a loud bang, used to start races.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pistol:m2:1
# text = A starting pistol is a toy-like pistol that only makes a loud bang, used to start races.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	starting	starting	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	pistol	pistol	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
6	toy	toy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	like	like	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	pistol	pistol	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
10	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	12	nsubj	_	_
11	only	only	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
12	makes	make	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	acl:relcl	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
14	loud	loud	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	bang	bang	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
17	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	12	conj	_	_
18	to	to	PART	TO	_	19	mark	_	_
19	start	start	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	17	xcomp	_	_
20	races	race	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	19	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a starting pistol | a like pistol |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **make** | present | a like pistol | a loud bang |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset bang=Product |
| 3 | **use** | participle | a like pistol *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 4 | **start** | to-infinitive | a like pistol *not said here* | races |  |  |  |  | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent race=Eventuality |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A water pistol is a toy that squirts water.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pistol:m3:1
# text = A water pistol is a toy that squirts water.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	pistol	pistol	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	toy	toy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	8	nsubj	_	_
8	squirts	squirt	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	acl:relcl	_	_
9	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a water pistol | a toy |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **squirt** | present | a toy | water |  |  |  |  | vn spray-9.7-1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent water=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The race began with a bang from the starting pistol.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pistol:x1:1
# text = The race began with a bang from the starting pistol.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	race	race	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	began	begin	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	bang	bang	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	from	from	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	starting	starting	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	pistol	pistol	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **begin** | past | the race |  |  | the starting pistol |  | with a bang | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V PP.subeventuality»: agent=Eventuality with bang=Subeventuality |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We had a water pistol fight in the garden.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pistol:x2:1
# text = We had a water pistol fight in the garden.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
4	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	pistol	pistol	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	fight	fight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	garden	garden	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | We | a pistol fight |  | the garden |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent fight=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
If you ever see a pistol lying around, don't touch it and tell an adult.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pistol:x3:1
# text = If you ever see a pistol lying around, don't touch it and tell an adult.
1	If	if	SCONJ	IN	_	4	mark	_	_
2	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
3	ever	ever	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	4	advmod	_	_
4	see	see	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	advcl	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	pistol	pistol	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	lying	lie	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	acl	_	_
8	around	around	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
10	do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	12	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	12	advmod	_	_
12	touch	touch	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
13	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	obj	_	_
14	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
15	tell	tell	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	12	conj	_	_
16	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	adult	adult	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	12	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **see** *a condition, not said to happen* | present | you | a pistol |  |  | ever |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer pistol=Stimulus |
| 2 | **lie around** | gerund | a pistol *not said here* |  |  |  |  | around *property* | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **not** **touch** | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* | pistol |  |  |  |  | vn contiguous\_location-47.8-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme it=Co-Theme |
| 4 | **tell** *speech: assert* | infinitive | you *not said here* |  | a adult |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent adult=Recipient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The police officer carried a pistol on her belt.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pistol:x4:1
# text = The police officer carried a pistol on her belt.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	police	police	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	officer	officer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	carried	carry	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	pistol	pistol	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	on	on	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	belt	belt	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **carry** | past | the police officer | a pistol |  | officer's belt |  |  | vn carry-11.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent pistol=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the old story two men fought a duel with pistols.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pistol:x5:1
# text = In the old story two men fought a duel with pistols.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
5	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	6	nummod	_	_
6	men	man	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
7	fought	fight	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	duel	duel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
10	with	with	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	pistols	pistol	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fight** | past | two men | a duel |  | the old story |  | with pistols | vn battle-36.4-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent duel=Co-Agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Pirates in films often carry a pistol and a sword.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pistol:x6:1
# text = Pirates in films often carry a pistol and a sword.
1	Pirates	pirate	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
2	in	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	films	film	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	nmod	_	_
4	often	often	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	carry	carry	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	pistol	pistol	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	sword	sword	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **carry** | present | Pirates in films | a pistol and a sword |  |  |  | often *property* | vn carry-11.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent pistol=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My water pistol holds half a litre of water.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pistol:x7:1
# text = My water pistol holds half a litre of water.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	pistol	pistol	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	holds	hold	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	half	half	DET	PDT	NumForm=Word|NumType=Frac|PronType=Ind	7	det:predet	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	litre	litre	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hold** | present | My water pistol | half litre of water |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent litre=Theme |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He had three silver cups, two handsome pistols, and a silver coffee-pot.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pistol:x8:1
# text = He had three silver cups, two handsome pistols, and a silver coffee-pot.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	three	three	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
4	silver	silver	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	cups	cup	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
7	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	9	nummod	_	_
8	handsome	handsome	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	pistols	pistol	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
13	silver	silver	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
14	coffee	coffee	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	pot	pot	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | He | three silver cups and two handsome pistols |  |  |  | a silver coffee pot *obl* | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent cup=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 -->

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