---
title: plebeian — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «plebeian» in the school dictionary: In ancient Rome, a plebeian was an ordinary citizen, not one of the rich noble families called patricians. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# plebeian

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** rich noble families, Plebeian, snobs, short form, someone, most people · **What happens:** be, call, mean, not refine, use, look down · **To what, where:** ordinary citizen, ancient Rome, patricians, it, insult, plebeians · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«plebeian» in the school dictionary: its 3 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: [plebeian in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/plebeian.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In ancient Rome, a plebeian was an ordinary citizen, not one of the rich noble families called patricians.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plebeian:m1:1
# text = In ancient Rome, a plebeian was an ordinary citizen, not one of the rich noble families called patricians.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	ancient	ancient	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	Rome	Rome	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	plebeian	plebeian	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	conj	_	_
7	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
8	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	ordinary	ordinary	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	citizen	citizen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
12	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	13	advmod	_	_
13	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	10	appos	_	_
14	of	of	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
16	rich	rich	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
17	noble	noble	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
18	families	family	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	nmod	_	_
19	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	18	acl	_	_
20	patricians	patrician	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	19	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past |  | a ordinary citizen |  | ancient Rome |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **call** | participle | the rich noble families *not said here* | patricians |  |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «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: formal, often rude — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Plebeian means common, ordinary or not refined; snobs use it to look down on people or things.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plebeian:m2:1
# text = Plebeian means common, ordinary or not refined; snobs use it to look down on people or things.
1	Plebeian	plebeian	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	common	common	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
5	ordinary	ordinary	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	conj	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
7	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	8	advmod	_	_
8	refined	refine	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	11	punct	_	_
10	snobs	snob	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	nsubj	_	_
11	use	use	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	parataxis	_	_
12	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	obj	_	_
13	to	to	PART	TO	_	14	mark	_	_
14	look	look	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	advcl	_	_
15	down	down	ADP	RP	_	14	compound:prt	_	_
16	on	on	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
17	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	obl	_	_
18	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
19	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	17	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Plebeian |  |  |  |  | common *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **not** **refine** | participle | Plebeian *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 3 | **use** | present | snobs | it |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Patient |
| 4 | **look down** | to-infinitive | snobs *not said here* |  |  |  |  | on people or things | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent on people=Theme |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: UK slang, rude — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The short form «pleb» is an insult for someone thought to be common or low class.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plebeian:m3:1
# text = The short form «pleb» is an insult for someone thought to be common or low class.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	short	short	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	form	form	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
4	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	pleb	pleb	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
8	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	insult	insult	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
10	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
11	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	12	nsubj	_	_
12	thought	think	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	acl	_	_
13	to	to	PART	TO	_	15	mark	_	_
14	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	15	cop	_	_
15	common	common	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	ccomp	_	_
16	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
17	low	low	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
18	class	class	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the short form | a insult |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **think** *speech: other* | past | someone | a insult *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn wish-62 «NP V NP»: agent=Pivot insult=Theme |
| 3 | **is** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | common *property* | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In Rome, most people were plebeians.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plebeian:x1:1
# text = In Rome, most people were plebeians.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	Rome	Rome	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	most	most	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	5	amod	_	_
5	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
6	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	plebeians	plebeian	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | most people | plebeians |  | Rome |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Plebeians could not at first marry patricians.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plebeian:x2:1
# text = Plebeians could not at first marry patricians.
1	Plebeians	plebeian	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
2	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
3	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	6	advmod	_	_
4	at	at	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	first	first	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	6	advmod	_	_
6	marry	marry	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
7	patricians	patrician	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **marry** | could | Plebeians | patricians |  |  |  | first *property* | vn amalgamate-22.2-3-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent patrician=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The plebeians fought for their own leaders, the tribunes.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plebeian:x3:1
# text = The plebeians fought for their own leaders, the tribunes.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	plebeians	plebeian	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	fought	fight	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
6	own	own	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	leaders	leader	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	tribunes	tribune	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fight** | past | the plebeians |  |  |  |  | for plebeians's own leaders and the tribunes | vn battle-36.4-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
(formal) The snobby lady called the funfair plebeian.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plebeian:x4:1
# text = (formal) The snobby lady called the funfair plebeian.
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	formal	formal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	2	punct	_	_
4	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	snobby	snobby	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	lady	lady	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	acl	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	funfair	funfair	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
10	plebeian	plebeian	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** | participle | the snobby lady *not said here* | the funfair |  |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent funfair=Recipient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
(rude) «Don't be a pleb,» he sneered.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plebeian:x5:1
# text = (rude) «Don't be a pleb,» he sneered.
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	rude	rude	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	2	punct	_	_
4	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	Do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	9	advmod	_	_
7	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	cop	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	pleb	pleb	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	9	punct	_	_
12	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
13	sneered	sneer	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	13	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **is a** *in a quote* | infinitive · do-support |  | a pleb |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **sneer** | past | he |  |  |  |  |  | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Calling someone a pleb is unkind.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plebeian:x6:1
# text = Calling someone a pleb is unkind.
1	Calling	call	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	csubj	_	_
2	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	1	obj	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	pleb	pleb	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
6	unkind	unkind	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** | gerund |  | someone |  |  |  |  | vn dub-29.3.2 «NP V NP NP»: agent=Agent someone=Theme pleb=Result |
| 2 | **is** | present | Calling |  |  |  |  | unkind *property* | tree rules |

<!-- 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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