---
title: plaything — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «plaything» in the school dictionary: A plaything is a toy, or a thing that is used for fun. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# plaything

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** plaything, You, I, playthings, He · **What happens:** be, use, treat, have, take, love · **To what, where:** toy, thing, person, that, it, care

<!-- .vabout -->
«plaything» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 3 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: [plaything in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/plaything.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A plaything is a toy, or a thing that is used for fun.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plaything:m1:1
# text = A plaything is a toy, or a thing that is used for fun.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	plaything	plaything	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	toy	toy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	thing	thing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
10	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	12	nsubj:pass	_	_
11	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	aux:pass	_	_
12	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	9	acl:relcl	_	_
13	for	for	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	fun	fun	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a plaything | a toy or a thing |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **use** | present · passive |  | a thing |  |  |  | for fun | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP PP.predicate»: subject=Theme for fun=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}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A plaything can be a person or thing that is treated as a toy and used by others, with no say of their own.

<!-- fold The tree, 24 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plaything:m2:1
# text = A plaything can be a person or thing that is treated as a toy and used by others, with no say of their own.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	plaything	plaything	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
4	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	thing	thing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	_
9	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	11	nsubj:pass	_	_
10	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux:pass	_	_
11	treated	treat	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	parataxis	_	_
12	as	as	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	toy	toy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	_
15	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
16	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	11	conj	_	_
17	by	by	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
18	others	other	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	22	punct	_	_
20	with	with	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
21	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	22	det	_	_
22	say	say	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obl	_	_
23	of	of	ADP	IN	_	25	case	_	_
24	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	25	nmod:poss	_	_
25	own	own	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	22	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | can | a plaything | a person or thing |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **treat** | present · passive |  | that |  |  |  | as a toy | vn characterize-29.2 «NP V NP S\_ING»: subject=Theme as toy=Attribute |
| 3 | **use** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | by others; with no say of others's own | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
You may have it for a plaything.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plaything:x1:1
# text = You may have it for a plaything.
1	You	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	may	may	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	have	have	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	obj	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	plaything	plaything	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 | **have** | may | You | it |  |  |  | for a plaything | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I take care of all the playthings the children have loved.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plaything:x2:1
# text = I take care of all the playthings the children have loved.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	take	take	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	care	care	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	all	all	DET	PDT	PronType=Tot	7	det:predet	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	playthings	plaything	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nmod	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	children	child	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	nsubj:pass	_	_
10	have	have	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
11	loved	love	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **take** | present | I | care of all playthings |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent care=Theme |
| 2 | **love** | present · perfect · passive | all playthings *not said here* | the children |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Stimulus |
| 3 | **care** |  | all playthings |  |  |  |  |  | nom care «act intransitive»: of=agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He felt he was only the plaything of fortune.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plaything:x3:1
# text = He felt he was only the plaything of fortune.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	felt	feel	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
5	only	only	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	plaything	plaything	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	ccomp	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	fortune	fortune	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **feel** | past | He |  |  |  |  |  | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Stimulus |
| 2 | **is a** | past | he | the plaything |  |  |  | of fortune | tree rules |

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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.

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