---
title: propriety — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «propriety» in the school dictionary: Propriety is behaving in a correct, polite and proper way, following the rules of good manners and morals. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# propriety

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Propriety, good manners, proprieties, fitting, governess, formal newspaper · **What happens:** behave, follow, rule, be, mean, fit · **To what, where:** correct way, rules, something, particular situation, old story, Victorian children

<!-- .vabout -->
«propriety» in the school dictionary: its 3 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: [propriety in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/propriety.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Propriety is behaving in a correct, polite and proper way, following the rules of good manners and morals.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:propriety:m1:1
# text = Propriety is behaving in a correct, polite and proper way, following the rules of good manners and morals.
1	Propriety	propriety	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	behaving	behave	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
6	correct	correct	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
8	polite	polite	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	conj	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	proper	proper	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	conj	_	_
11	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
13	following	follow	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	conj	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	rules	rule	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	obj	_	_
16	of	of	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
18	manners	manners	NOUN	NNS	Number=Ptan	15	nmod	_	_
19	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	20	cc	_	_
20	morals	moral	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	18	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **behave** | present · progressive | Propriety |  |  | a correct way |  |  | vn masquerade-29.6-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **follow** | gerund | Propriety *not said here* | the rules of good manners and morals |  |  |  |  | vn chase-51.6 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent rule=Theme |
| 3 | **rule** |  | good manners and morals |  |  |  |  |  | nom rule «cognition intransitive»: of=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}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The proprieties are the rules of polite behaviour in society.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:propriety:m2:1
# text = The proprieties are the rules of polite behaviour in society.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	proprieties	propriety	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	rules	rule	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	polite	polite	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	behaviour	behaviour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	society	society	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the proprieties | the rules |  |  |  | of polite behaviour in society | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Propriety can also mean how right or fitting something is in a particular situation.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:propriety:m3:1
# text = Propriety can also mean how right or fitting something is in a particular situation.
1	Propriety	propriety	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	also	also	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	6	advmod	_	_
6	right	right	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	fitting	fit	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	14	csubj	_	_
9	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	8	obj	_	_
10	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	cop	_	_
11	in	in	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	particular	particular	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	situation	situation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | can | Propriety |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **fit** | gerund |  | something |  |  |  | right *property* | vn adjust-26.9 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Patient |
| 3 | **is** | present | fitting |  |  | a particular situation |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the old story, the governess was very strict about propriety.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:propriety:x1:1
# text = In the old story, the governess was very strict about propriety.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	governess	governess	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
8	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
9	very	very	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
10	strict	strict	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
11	about	about	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	propriety	propriety	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the governess |  |  | the old story |  | about propriety; strict *property* | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Victorian children were taught propriety at the dinner table.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:propriety:x2:1
# text = Victorian children were taught propriety at the dinner table.
1	Victorian	victorian	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	children	child	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	taught	teach	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	propriety	propriety	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
6	at	at	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	dinner	dinner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	table	table	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **teach** *speech: other* | past · passive |  | Victorian children |  | the dinner table |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: subject=Recipient propriety=Topic |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
(formal) The newspaper questioned the propriety of the mayor giving the job to his son.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:propriety:x3:1
# text = (formal) The newspaper questioned the propriety of the mayor giving the job to his son.
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	formal	formal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	2	punct	_	_
4	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	newspaper	newspaper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	questioned	question	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	propriety	propriety	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	mayor	mayor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	_
12	giving	give	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	11	acl	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	job	job	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	_
15	to	to	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	17	nmod:poss	_	_
17	son	son	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **question** *speech: other* | past | the formal newspaper | the propriety of the mayor |  |  |  |  | vn interrogate-37.1.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent propriety=Recipient |
| 2 | **give** | gerund | the mayor *not said here* | the job | newspaper's son |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: agent=Agent job=Theme to son=Recipient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She behaved with complete propriety at the funeral.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:propriety:x4:1
# text = She behaved with complete propriety at the funeral.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	behaved	behave	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	with	with	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	complete	complete	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	propriety	propriety	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	at	at	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	funeral	funeral	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **behave** | past | She |  |  | the funeral |  | with complete propriety | vn masquerade-29.6-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
(formal) The judge must act with propriety at all times.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:propriety:x5:1
# text = (formal) The judge must act with propriety at all times.
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	formal	formal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	csubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	2	punct	_	_
4	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	judge	judge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
6	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
7	act	act	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	propriety	propriety	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
10	at	at	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	12	det	_	_
12	times	time	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **act** | must | the judge |  |  |  | time | with propriety | vn act-114-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Running around shouting in the museum was not the height of propriety!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:propriety:x6:1
# text = Running around shouting in the museum was not the height of propriety!
1	Running	run	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	10	csubj	_	_
2	around	around	ADP	IN	_	3	mark	_	_
3	shouting	shout	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	1	advcl	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	museum	museum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
8	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	10	advmod	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	height	height	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
11	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	propriety	propriety	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **run around** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **shout** *speech: express* | gerund |  |  |  | the museum |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **not** **is a** | past | Running | the height |  |  |  | of propriety | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Children appreciate the dramatic propriety of this as much as their elders.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:propriety:x7:1
# text = Children appreciate the dramatic propriety of this as much as their elders.
1	Children	child	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	appreciate	appreciate	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	dramatic	dramatic	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	propriety	propriety	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	this	this	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	5	nmod	_	_
8	as	as	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	much	much	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	appos	_	_
10	as	as	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	12	nmod:poss	_	_
12	elders	elder	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **appreciate** | present | Children | the dramatic propriety of this |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer propriety=Stimulus |

<!-- 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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