---
title: portent — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «portent» in the school dictionary: A sign or warning that something important, often bad, is going to happen. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# portent

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** something, strange thing, great portent, villagers, comet, Dark clouds · **What happens:** go, happen, seem, carry, matter, believe · **To what, where:** warning, message, portent, storm, raven, story · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A sign or warning that something important, often bad, is going to happen.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:portent:m1:1
# text = A sign or warning that something important, often bad, is going to happen.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	sign	sign	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	warning	warning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
5	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
6	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	13	nsubj	_	_
7	important	important	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
9	often	often	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
10	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
12	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	aux	_	_
13	going	go	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	acl	_	_
14	to	to	PART	TO	_	15	mark	_	_
15	happen	happen	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	13	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go** | present · progressive | something | warning *not said here* |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **happen** | to-infinitive | something *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=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: literary — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A strange or wonderful thing that seems to carry a message.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:portent:m2:1
# text = A strange or wonderful thing that seems to carry a message.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
2	strange	strange	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	wonderful	wonderful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	conj	_	_
5	thing	thing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	seems	seem	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	carry	carry	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	xcomp	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	message	message	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **seem** | present | a strange thing |  |  |  |  |  | vn seem-109-1-1-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Theme clause=Attribute |
| 2 | **carry** | to-infinitive | a strange thing *not said here* | a message |  |  |  |  | vn carry-11.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent message=Theme |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Serious meaning or importance: «a matter of great portent».

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:portent:m3:1
# text = Serious meaning or importance: «a matter of great portent».
1	Serious	serious	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	meaning	meaning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	importance	importance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	8	punct	_	_
6	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	matter	matter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	appos	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	great	great	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	portent	portent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **matter** *in a quote* |  | great portent |  |  |  |  |  | nom matter «cognition intransitive»: of=agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The villagers believed the comet was a portent of war.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:portent:x1:1
# text = The villagers believed the comet was a portent of war.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	villagers	villager	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	believed	believe	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	comet	comet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
6	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	portent	portent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	ccomp	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	war	war	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **believe** | past | the villagers |  |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V that S»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **is a** | past | the comet | a portent |  |  |  | of war | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dark clouds rolled in like a portent of the storm to come.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:portent:x2:1
# text = Dark clouds rolled in like a portent of the storm to come.
1	Dark	dark	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	clouds	cloud	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	rolled	roll	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	in	in	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
5	like	like	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	portent	portent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	storm	storm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	_
11	to	to	PART	TO	_	12	mark	_	_
12	come	come	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **roll in** | past | Dark clouds |  |  |  |  | like a portent of the storm | vn run-51.3.2-2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **come** | to-infinitive | Dark clouds *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **portend** |  |  | the storm |  |  |  |  | nom portent «event transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the story, a raven on the roof was taken as a portent.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:portent:x3:1
# text = In the story, a raven on the roof was taken as a portent.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	raven	raven	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj:pass	_	_
7	on	on	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	roof	roof	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
10	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux:pass	_	_
11	taken	take	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
12	as	as	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	portent	portent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **take** | past · passive |  | a raven on the roof |  | the story |  | as a portent | vn characterize-29.2 «NP V NP S\_ING»: subject=Theme as portent=Attribute |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The first falling leaves are a portent of autumn.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:portent:x4:1
# text = The first falling leaves are a portent of autumn.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
2	first	first	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	4	amod	_	_
3	falling	falling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	leaves	leaf	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
5	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	portent	portent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	autumn	autumn	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the first falling leaves | a portent |  |  | autumn |  | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ancient kings asked wise men to read the portents in the sky.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:portent:x5:1
# text = Ancient kings asked wise men to read the portents in the sky.
1	Ancient	ancient	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	kings	king	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	asked	ask	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	wise	wise	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	men	man	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	read	read	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	portents	portent	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	sky	sky	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ask** *speech: ask* | past | Ancient kings |  | wise men |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V NP whether S\_INF»: agent=Agent man=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 2 | **read** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | Ancient kings *not said here* | the portents |  | the sky |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent portent=Topic |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Scientists explain eclipses; they are not portents of anything.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:portent:x6:1
# text = Scientists explain eclipses; they are not portents of anything.
1	Scientists	scientist	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	explain	explain	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	eclipses	eclipse	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	8	punct	_	_
5	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
6	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
7	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	8	advmod	_	_
8	portents	portent	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	anything	anything	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **explain** *speech: assert* | present | Scientists | eclipses |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent eclipse=Topic |
| 2 | **not** **is a** | present | Scientists *= scientist* | portents |  |  |  | of anything | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The empty classroom felt like a portent of trouble.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:portent:x7:1
# text = The empty classroom felt like a portent of trouble.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	empty	empty	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	classroom	classroom	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	felt	feel	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	like	like	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	portent	portent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	trouble	trouble	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 | **feel** | past | the empty classroom |  |  |  |  | like a portent of trouble | vn conjecture-29.5-2 «NP V S»: agent=Agent like portent=Theme |
| 2 | **portend** |  |  | trouble |  |  |  |  | nom portent «event transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Finnian loomed on him as a portent and a terror; but he had no fear of Time.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:portent:x8:1
# text = Finnian loomed on him as a portent and a terror; but he had no fear of Time.
1	Finnian	Finnian	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	loomed	loom	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	on	on	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	obl	_	_
5	as	as	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	portent	portent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	terror	terror	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	14	punct	_	_
12	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
13	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
14	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
15	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	16	det	_	_
16	fear	fear	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obj	_	_
17	of	of	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
18	Time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **loom** | past | Finnian |  |  |  |  | on him *= he*; as a portent and a terror | vn exist-47.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme on he=Location |
| 2 | **have** | past | Finnian | no fear of Time |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent fear=Patient |
| 3 | **fear** |  |  | Time |  |  |  |  | nom fear «feeling transitive»: of=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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