---
title: precedence — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «precedence» in the school dictionary: Precedence is being more important than something else, so it comes first. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# precedence

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Precedence, Order, people, Safety, 3 multiplication, answer · **What happens:** be, come, go, order, take, sit · **To what, where:** order, precedence, speed, 11, video games, everything

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Precedence is being more important than something else, so it comes first.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:precedence:m1:1
# text = Precedence is being more important than something else, so it comes first.
1	Precedence	precedence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	5	cop	_	_
4	more	more	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	5	advmod	_	_
5	important	important	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
6	than	than	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	5	obl	_	_
8	else	else	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
10	so	so	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
11	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
12	comes	come	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	parataxis	_	_
13	first	first	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	12	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Precedence |  |  |  |  | than something; important *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **come** | present | Precedence |  |  |  |  | first *property* | vn escape-51.1-1 «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: formal — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Order of precedence is the order in which people or things must go, by rank or importance.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:precedence:m2:1
# text = Order of precedence is the order in which people or things must go, by rank or importance.
1	Order	order	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
2	of	of	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	precedence	precedence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nmod	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	order	order	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	13	obl	_	_
9	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	nsubj	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	conj	_	_
12	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	13	aux	_	_
13	go	go	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
15	by	by	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
16	rank	rank	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	_
17	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
18	importance	importance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Order of precedence | the order |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **go** | must | people or things |  |  | the order |  | by rank or importance | vn occur-48.3-2 «NP V PP»: agent=Theme in which=Location |
| 3 | **order** |  |  | precedence |  |  |  |  | nom order «communication transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Safety takes precedence over speed.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:precedence:x1:1
# text = Safety takes precedence over speed.
1	Safety	safety	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	takes	take	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	precedence	precedence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	over	over	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	speed	speed	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **take** | present | Safety | precedence |  | speed |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent precedence=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In 3 + 4 × 2, multiplication takes precedence, so the answer is 11.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:precedence:x2:1
# text = In 3 + 4 × 2, multiplication takes precedence, so the answer is 11.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	3	3	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	8	nummod	_	_
3	+	+	SYM	SYM	_	4	cc	_	_
4	4	4	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	2	conj	_	_
5	×	×	SYM	SYM	_	6	case	_	_
6	2	2	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	2	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
8	multiplication	multiplication	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
9	takes	take	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
10	precedence	precedence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
12	so	so	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	answer	answer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	nsubj	_	_
15	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	16	cop	_	_
16	11	11	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **take** | present | 3 multiplication | precedence |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent precedence=Theme |
| 2 | **is a** | present | the answer | 11 |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Homework takes precedence over video games.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:precedence:x3:1
# text = Homework takes precedence over video games.
1	Homework	homework	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	takes	take	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	precedence	precedence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	over	over	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	video	video	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	games	game	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **take** | present | Homework | precedence |  | video games |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent precedence=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Brackets take precedence over everything else.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:precedence:x4:1
# text = Brackets take precedence over everything else.
1	Brackets	bracket	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	take	take	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	precedence	precedence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	over	over	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	everything	everything	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	2	obl	_	_
6	else	else	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **take** | present | Brackets | precedence |  | everything |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent precedence=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The guests sat in order of precedence.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:precedence:x5:1
# text = The guests sat in order of precedence.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	guests	guest	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	sat	sit	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	order	order	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	precedence	precedence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sit** | past | the guests |  |  | order of precedence |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent in order=Location |
| 2 | **order** |  |  | precedence |  |  |  |  | nom order «communication transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Emergency vehicles take precedence on the road.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:precedence:x6:1
# text = Emergency vehicles take precedence on the road.
1	Emergency	emergency	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	vehicles	vehicle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	take	take	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	precedence	precedence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	road	road	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 | **take** | present | Emergency vehicles | precedence |  | the road |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent precedence=Theme on road=Destination |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Health takes precedence over winning.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:precedence:x7:1
# text = Health takes precedence over winning.
1	Health	health	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	takes	take	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	precedence	precedence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	over	over	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
5	winning	win	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **take** | present | Health | precedence |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent precedence=Theme |
| 2 | **win** | gerund | Health *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The head teacher's rule takes precedence.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:precedence:x8:1
# text = The head teacher's rule takes precedence.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	head	head	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	's	's	PART	POS	_	3	case	_	_
5	rule	rule	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	takes	take	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	precedence	precedence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **take** | present | the head teacher's rule | precedence |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent precedence=Theme |
| 2 | **rule** |  | the head teacher |  |  |  |  |  | nom rule «cognition intransitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She's the oldest of us all, but she takes precedence of the youngest.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:precedence:x9:1
# text = She's the oldest of us all, but she takes precedence of the youngest.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	oldest	old	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	obl	_	_
7	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	6	nmod:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
9	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
10	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
11	takes	take	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
12	precedence	precedence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	_
13	of	of	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	youngest	young	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	12	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | She |  |  |  |  | of us; old *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **take** | present | she | precedence |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent precedence=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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