---
title: prop — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «prop» in the school dictionary: An object used by actors in a play or film, like a sword, a crown or a cup. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# prop

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** it, We, you, Dad, She, he · **What happens:** use, hold up, support, not fall, lean, prop · **To what, where:** object, play, other thing, something, it, door · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«prop» in the school dictionary: its 5 meanings for a pupil and its 7 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: [prop in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/prop.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An object used by actors in a play or film, like a sword, a crown or a cup.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:prop:m1:1
# text = An object used by actors in a play or film, like a sword, a crown or a cup.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	object	object	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	by	by	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	actors	actor	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	play	play	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	film	film	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
12	like	like	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	sword	sword	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	crown	crown	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
18	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	20	cc	_	_
19	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
20	cup	cup	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | participle |  | a object and a sword and a crown or a cup *not said here* |  | a play or film |  | by actors | vn eat-39.1 «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}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A stick, beam or other thing used to hold something up.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:prop:m2:1
# text = A stick, beam or other thing used to hold something up.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	stick	stick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
4	beam	beam	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
6	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	thing	thing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	acl	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	hold	hold	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	advcl	_	_
11	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	10	obj	_	_
12	up	up	ADP	RP	_	10	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | participle |  | other thing *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **hold up** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn support-15.3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Pivot something=Theme |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To support something so it doesn't fall, or to lean it against something: «prop the door open».

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:prop:m3:1
# text = To support something so it doesn't fall, or to lean it against something: «prop the door open».
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	support	support	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	advcl	_	_
3	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	so	so	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
5	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
6	does	do	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	8	advmod	_	_
8	fall	fall	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
11	to	to	PART	TO	_	12	mark	_	_
12	lean	lean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	conj	_	_
13	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	obj	_	_
14	against	against	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	12	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	18	punct	_	_
17	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	prop	prop	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	8	parataxis	_	_
19	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
20	door	door	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	obj	_	_
21	open	open	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **support** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer something=Stimulus |
| 2 | **not** **fall** | present · do-support | it |  |  |  |  |  | vn long-32.2 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Pivot clause=Theme |
| 3 | **lean** | to-infinitive |  | it |  | something |  |  | vn put\_spatial-9.2 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent it=Theme against something=Destination |
| 4 | **prop** *in a quote* | infinitive |  | the door |  |  |  | open *property* | vn put\_spatial-9.2 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent door=Theme |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A player in the front row of the scrum.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:prop:m4:1
# text = A player in the front row of the scrum.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	player	player	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	front	front	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	row	row	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	scrum	scrum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Meaning 5 {#m5}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A propeller.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:prop:m5:1
# text = A propeller.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	propeller	propeller	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We made a paper crown as a prop for the play.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:prop:x1:1
# text = We made a paper crown as a prop for the play.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	paper	paper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	crown	crown	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	as	as	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	prop	prop	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
9	for	for	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	play	play	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past | We | a paper crown |  |  |  | as a prop; for the play | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP PP.beneficiary»: agent=Agent crown=Material for play=Beneficiary |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Prop the bike against the wall.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:prop:x2:1
# text = Prop the bike against the wall.
1	Prop	prop	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	bike	bike	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	against	against	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	wall	wall	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **prop** | imperative | you *not said here* | the bike |  | the wall |  |  | vn put\_spatial-9.2 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent bike=Theme against wall=Destination |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Don't prop open the fire door.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:prop:x3:1
# text = Don't prop open the fire door.
1	Do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	prop	prop	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	open	open	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	fire	fire	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	door	door	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **prop** | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **open** | infinitive | you *not said here* | the fire door |  |  |  |  | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location door=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dad propped up the tomato plant with a stick.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:prop:x4:1
# text = Dad propped up the tomato plant with a stick.
1	Dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	propped	prop	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	up	up	ADP	RP	_	2	compound:prt	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	tomato	tomato	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	plant	plant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
7	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	stick	stick	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 | **prop up** | past | Dad | the tomato plant |  |  |  | with a stick | vn put\_spatial-9.2 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent plant=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She propped her head on her hand.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:prop:x5:1
# text = She propped her head on her hand.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	propped	prop	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	head	head	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	hand	hand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **prop** | past | She | her head |  | her hand |  |  | vn put\_spatial-9.2 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent head=Theme on hand=Destination |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The prop pushed hard in the rugby scrum.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:prop:x6:1
# text = The prop pushed hard in the rugby scrum.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	prop	prop	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	pushed	push	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	hard	hard	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	3	advmod	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	rugby	rugby	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	scrum	scrum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **push** | participle |  | the prop *not said here* |  | the rugby scrum |  | hard *property* | vn funnel-9.3-1-1 «NP V NP PP.trajectory»: agent=Agent in scrum=Trajectory |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
With a willow cane he propped himself up as he staggered along beneath his burden.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:prop:x7:1
# text = With a willow cane he propped himself up as he staggered along beneath his burden.
1	With	with	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	willow	willow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	cane	cane	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
5	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	propped	prop	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	himself	himself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	6	obj	_	_
8	up	up	ADP	RP	_	6	compound:prt	_	_
9	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
10	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
11	staggered	stagger	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	advcl	_	_
12	along	along	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
13	beneath	beneath	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	15	nmod:poss	_	_
15	burden	burden	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **prop up** | past | he | himself *= he* |  |  |  | with a willow cane | vn put\_spatial-9.2 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent himself=Theme |
| 2 | **stagger** | past | he |  |  | his burden |  | along *property* | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme beneath burden=Trajectory |
| 3 | **burden** |  | his *= he* |  |  |  |  |  | nom burden «cognition transitive»: poss=agent |

<!-- 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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