---
title: pliable — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «pliable» in the school dictionary: Easily bent without breaking; flexible. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# pliable

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Willow twigs, we, you, Copper wire, leather, bully · **What happens:** break, persuade, control, be, weave, warm · **To what, where:** baskets, clay, hands, pliable boy, dirty work, Pliable plastic

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Easily bent without breaking; flexible.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pliable:m1:1
# text = Easily bent without breaking; flexible.
1	Easily	easily	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
2	bent	bent	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
3	without	without	SCONJ	IN	_	4	mark	_	_
4	breaking	break	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	6	punct	_	_
6	flexible	flexible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **break** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn hurt-40.8.3-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Patient |

<!-- .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: about people — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Easily persuaded or controlled by others.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pliable:m2:1
# text = Easily persuaded or controlled by others.
1	Easily	easily	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
2	persuaded	persuade	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	controlled	control	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	conj	_	_
5	by	by	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	others	other	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **persuade** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | easily *property* | vn compel-59.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **control** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | by others | vn enforce-63 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Willow twigs are pliable, so we can weave baskets.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pliable:x1:1
# text = Willow twigs are pliable, so we can weave baskets.
1	Willow	willow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	twigs	twig	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	pliable	pliable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	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	weave	weave	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	conj	_	_
10	baskets	basket	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Willow twigs |  |  |  |  | pliable *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **weave** | can | we | baskets |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent basket=Product |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Warm the clay in your hands to make it more pliable.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pliable:x2:1
# text = Warm the clay in your hands to make it more pliable.
1	Warm	warm	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	clay	clay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	hands	hand	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obl	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	advcl	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	_
10	more	more	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	11	advmod	_	_
11	pliable	pliable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **warm** | imperative | you *not said here* | the clay |  | your hands |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent clay=Patient |
| 2 | **make** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* | clay |  |  |  | pliable *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset it=Product |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Copper wire is pliable and easy to bend.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pliable:x3:1
# text = Copper wire is pliable and easy to bend.
1	Copper	copper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	wire	wire	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	pliable	pliable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	easy	easy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	bend	bend	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Copper wire |  |  |  |  | pliable *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **be** |  | Copper wire *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **bend** | to-infinitive | Copper wire *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The leather became pliable after oiling.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pliable:x4:1
# text = The leather became pliable after oiling.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	leather	leather	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	became	become	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	pliable	pliable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	xcomp	_	_
5	after	after	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
6	oiling	oil	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **become** | past | the leather |  |  |  |  | pliable *property* | vn become-109.1-1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **oil** | gerund | the leather *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn butter-9.9 «NP V NP.destination»: agent=Agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The bully picked a pliable boy to do his dirty work.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pliable:x5:1
# text = The bully picked a pliable boy to do his dirty work.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	bully	bully	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	picked	pick	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	pliable	pliable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	boy	boy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
9	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	11	nmod:poss	_	_
10	dirty	dirty	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	work	work	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pick** | past | the bully | a pliable boy |  |  |  |  | vn chew-39.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent boy=Patient |
| 2 | **do** | to-infinitive | the bully *not said here* | bully's dirty work |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent work=Eventuality |
| 3 | **work** |  | bully |  |  |  |  |  | nom work «act intransitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Pliable plastic is used for lunchboxes.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pliable:x6:1
# text = Pliable plastic is used for lunchboxes.
1	Pliable	pliable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	plastic	plastic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	lunchboxes	lunchbox	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | present · passive |  | Pliable plastic |  |  |  | for lunchboxes | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP PP.predicate»: subject=Theme for lunchbox=Eventuality |

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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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