---
title: prank — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «prank» in the school dictionary: A prank is a trick played on someone to make people laugh. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# prank

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** prank, people, brother, We, you, He · **What happens:** be, play, make, laugh, prank, mean · **To what, where:** trick, someone, people, prank, rubber spider, bed · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«prank» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 9 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: [prank in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/prank.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A prank is a trick played on someone to make people laugh.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:prank:m1:1
# text = A prank is a trick played on someone to make people laugh.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	prank	prank	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	trick	trick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	played	play	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	acl	_	_
7	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	6	obl	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	advcl	_	_
11	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obj	_	_
12	laugh	laugh	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a prank | a trick |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **play** | participle |  | a trick *not said here* |  | someone |  |  | vn performance-26.7-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **make** | to-infinitive | a prank *not said here* | people |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **laugh** | infinitive | people *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «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}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To prank someone means to play such a trick on them.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:prank:m2:1
# text = To prank someone means to play such a trick on them.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	prank	prank	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	csubj	_	_
3	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	play	play	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	ccomp	_	_
7	such	such	DET	PDT	PronType=Ind	9	det:predet	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	trick	trick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
10	on	on	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **prank** | to-infinitive |  | someone |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **play** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  | such trick |  |  |  | on them *= they* | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent trick=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My brother played a prank on me and put a rubber spider in my bed.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:prank:x1:1
# text = My brother played a prank on me and put a rubber spider in my bed.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	brother	brother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	played	play	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	prank	prank	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	obl	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	put	put	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	conj	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	rubber	rubber	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	compound	_	_
12	spider	spider	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
13	in	in	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	15	nmod:poss	_	_
15	bed	bed	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **play** | past | My brother | a prank |  |  |  | on me | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent prank=Theme |
| 2 | **put** | infinitive | My brother *not said here* | a rubber spider |  | my bed |  |  | vn put-9.1-2 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent spider=Theme in bed=Destination |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We laughed at the April Fools' Day prank.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:prank:x2:1
# text = We laughed at the April Fools' Day prank.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	laughed	laugh	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	at	at	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
5	April	April	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	Fools	Fool	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	8	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	'	's	PART	POS	_	6	case	_	_
8	Day	Day	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	prank	prank	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **laugh** | past | We |  |  | the Day prank |  |  | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A prank that hurts someone is not funny.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:prank:x3:1
# text = A prank that hurts someone is not funny.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	prank	prank	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
3	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	4	nsubj	_	_
4	hurts	hurt	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	acl:relcl	_	_
5	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	4	obj	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
7	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	8	advmod	_	_
8	funny	funny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hurt** | present | a prank | someone |  |  |  |  | vn hurt-40.8.3-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer someone=Patient |
| 2 | **not** **is** | present | a prank |  |  |  |  | funny *property* | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Never make prank calls to emergency numbers.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:prank:x4:1
# text = Never make prank calls to emergency numbers.
1	Never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	2	advmod	_	_
2	make	make	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	prank	prank	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	calls	call	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	emergency	emergency	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	numbers	number	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **make** | imperative | you *not said here* | prank calls |  |  |  | to emergency numbers | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset call=Product |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He pranked his dad by hiding his slippers.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:prank:x5:1
# text = He pranked his dad by hiding his slippers.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	pranked	prank	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
6	hiding	hide	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
7	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	slippers	slipper	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **prank** | past | He | his dad |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **hide** | gerund | He *not said here* | his slippers |  |  |  |  | vn concealment-16-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent slipper=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Pulling a chair away as someone sits down is a dangerous prank.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:prank:x6:1
# text = Pulling a chair away as someone sits down is a dangerous prank.
1	Pulling	pull	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	12	csubj	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	chair	chair	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	away	away	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	_
5	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
6	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	7	nsubj	_	_
7	sits	sit	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	advcl	_	_
8	down	down	ADP	RP	_	7	compound:prt	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	dangerous	dangerous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	prank	prank	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	12	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pull away** | gerund |  | a chair |  |  |  | away *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **sit down** | present | someone |  |  |  |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **is a** | present | Pulling | a dangerous prank |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The class clown loved pranks.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:prank:x7:1
# text = The class clown loved pranks.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	class	class	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	clown	clown	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	loved	love	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	pranks	prank	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **love** | past | the class clown | pranks |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer prank=Stimulus |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
If a prank upsets someone, say sorry.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:prank:x8:1
# text = If a prank upsets someone, say sorry.
1	If	if	SCONJ	IN	_	4	mark	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	prank	prank	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	upsets	upset	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	advcl	_	_
5	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
7	say	say	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	sorry	sorry	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **upset** *a condition, not said to happen* | present | a prank | someone |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus someone=Experiencer |
| 2 | **say** *speech: apologize* | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | sorry *property* | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He sent them into the woods and fields, but instead of looking for a nest they only played pranks on him.

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:prank:x9:1
# text = He sent them into the woods and fields, but instead of looking for a nest they only played pranks on him.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	sent	send	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	obj	_	_
4	into	into	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	woods	wood	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	fields	field	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
10	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
11	instead	instead	ADV	RB	ExtPos=SCONJ	13	mark	_	_
12	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	fixed	_	_
13	looking	look	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	19	advcl	_	_
14	for	for	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	nest	nest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	_
17	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	19	nsubj	_	_
18	only	only	ADV	RB	_	19	advmod	_	_
19	played	play	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
20	pranks	prank	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	19	obj	_	_
21	on	on	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
22	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	19	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **send** | past | He | them *= they* |  | the woods and fields |  |  | vn confine-92-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=Theme |
| 2 | **look** | gerund | fields *= field* *not said here* |  |  |  |  | for a nest | vn rummage-35.5 «NP V PP.location PP.theme»: agent=Agent for nest=Theme |
| 3 | **play** | past | fields *= field* | pranks |  |  |  | on him *= he* | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent prank=Theme |

<!-- 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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