---
title: plasticity — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «plasticity» in the school dictionary: Being able to be shaped or moulded easily and keep the new shape, like clay. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# plasticity

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Clay, we, Brain plasticity, you, plasticity, brains · **What happens:** be, shape, mould, keep, change, adapt · **To what, where:** new shape, something, great plasticity, pots, Clay, wax · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«plasticity» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 6 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: [plasticity in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/plasticity.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Being able to be shaped or moulded easily and keep the new shape, like clay.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plasticity:m1:1
# text = Being able to be shaped or moulded easily and keep the new shape, like clay.
1	Being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	cop	_	_
2	able	able	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
4	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	shaped	shape	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	xcomp	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	moulded	mould	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	conj	_	_
8	easily	easily	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	keep	keep	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	conj	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	shape	shape	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
15	like	like	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
16	clay	clay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | able *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **shape** | to-infinitive · passive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP» |
| 3 | **mould** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | easily *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **keep** | infinitive |  | the new shape |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent shape=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}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The ability of the brain or a living thing to change and adapt, e.g. when learning something new.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plasticity:m2:1
# text = The ability of the brain or a living thing to change and adapt, e.g. when learning something new.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	ability	ability	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	brain	brain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	living	living	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	thing	thing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	change	change	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	acl	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	adapt	adapt	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
15	e.g.	e.g.	ADV	FW	_	17	advmod	_	_
16	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	17	mark	_	_
17	learning	learn	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	conj	_	_
18	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	17	obj	_	_
19	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **change** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **adapt** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn adjust-26.9 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **learn** | gerund |  | something |  |  |  | e.g. *property* | vn learn-14-2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Topic |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Clay has great plasticity, so we can make pots from it.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plasticity:x1:1
# text = Clay has great plasticity, so we can make pots from it.
1	Clay	clay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	great	great	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	plasticity	plasticity	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
6	so	so	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
7	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
8	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
9	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	parataxis	_	_
10	pots	pot	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obj	_	_
11	from	from	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | Clay | great plasticity |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent plasticity=Patient |
| 2 | **make** | can | we | pots |  | Clay |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP.product PP.material»: agent=Agent pot=Product from it=Material |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Brain plasticity means you can get better with practice.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plasticity:x2:1
# text = Brain plasticity means you can get better with practice.
1	Brain	brain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	plasticity	plasticity	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
5	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	get	get	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	ccomp	_	_
7	better	good	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	6	xcomp	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	practice	practice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Brain plasticity |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **get** | can | you |  |  |  |  | with practice; good *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The plasticity of warm wax makes it easy to model.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plasticity:x3:1
# text = The plasticity of warm wax makes it easy to model.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	plasticity	plasticity	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	warm	warm	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	wax	wax	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	makes	make	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	easy	easy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	xcomp	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	model	model	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | present | the plasticity of warm wax | wax |  |  |  | easy *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset it=Product |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Children's brains have a lot of plasticity.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plasticity:x4:1
# text = Children's brains have a lot of plasticity.
1	Children	child	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	's	PART	POS	_	1	case	_	_
3	brains	brain	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	have	have	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	lot	lot	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	plasticity	plasticity	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | Children's brains | a lot of plasticity |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent lot=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Metals like gold have plasticity and can be hammered thin.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plasticity:x5:1
# text = Metals like gold have plasticity and can be hammered thin.
1	Metals	metal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
2	like	like	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	gold	gold	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nmod	_	_
4	have	have	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	plasticity	plasticity	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
7	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
8	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	aux:pass	_	_
9	hammered	hammer	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	conj	_	_
10	thin	thin	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | Metals like gold | plasticity |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent plasticity=Patient |
| 2 | **hammer** | can · passive | Metals like gold *not said here* |  |  |  |  | thin *property* | vn bump-18.4-1 «NP V together» |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The plasticity of the dough let us shape it into animals.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plasticity:x6:1
# text = The plasticity of the dough let us shape it into animals.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	plasticity	plasticity	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	dough	dough	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	let	let	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	shape	shape	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	xcomp	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	_
10	into	into	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	animals	animal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **let** | infinitive | the plasticity of the dough | us |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **shape** | infinitive | us *not said here* | plasticity |  |  |  | into animals | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP.material PP.product»: agent=Agent it=Material into animal=Product |

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**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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