---
title: prove — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «prove» in the school dictionary: To show with facts or reasons that something is true. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# prove

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** something, you, test, She, muddy paws, dog · **What happens:** show, be, turn out, do, let, rise · **To what, where:** baking, herself, 7, prime number, dog, pool · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«prove» in the school dictionary: its 4 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: [prove in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/prove.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To show with facts or reasons that something is true.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:prove:m1:1
# text = To show with facts or reasons that something is true.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	show	show	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	with	with	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	facts	fact	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	reasons	reason	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	conj	_	_
7	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
8	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	10	nsubj	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
10	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **show** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | with facts or reasons | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | present | something |  |  |  |  | true *property* | tree rules |

<!-- .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 turn out to be.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:prove:m2:1
# text = To turn out to be.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	turn	turn	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	out	out	ADP	RP	_	2	compound:prt	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **turn out** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- .note -->
The example in this meaning, parsed on its own:

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"The test proved easy."

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:prove:m2e:1
# text = "The test proved easy."
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	test	test	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	proved	prove	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	easy	easy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **prove** *in a quote* | past | the test |  |  |  |  | easy *property* | vn declare-29.4-1-1 «NP V what S\_INF»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To show what you can do.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:prove:m3:1
# text = To show what you can do.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	show	show	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	6	obj	_	_
4	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
5	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **show** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **do** | can | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent what=Eventuality |

<!-- .note -->
The example in this meaning, parsed on its own:

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"She proved herself a good captain."

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:prove:m3e:1
# text = "She proved herself a good captain."
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	proved	prove	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	herself	herself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	3	obj	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	captain	captain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **prove** *in a quote* | past | She | herself *= she* |  |  |  |  | vn declare-29.4-1-1 «NP V NP ADJ»: agent=Agent herself=Theme captain=Attribute |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In baking, to let dough rise before cooking.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:prove:m4:1
# text = In baking, to let dough rise before cooking.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	baking	baking	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	let	let	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	dough	dough	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	rise	rise	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	xcomp	_	_
8	before	before	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
9	cooking	cook	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	7	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **let** | to-infinitive |  |  |  | baking |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **rise** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **cook** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn cooking-45.3 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Can you prove that 7 is a prime number?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:prove:x1:1
# text = Can you prove that 7 is a prime number?
1	Can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
2	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	prove	prove	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
5	7	7	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	3	obj	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	prime	prime	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	number	number	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **prove** | can | you | 7 |  |  |  |  | vn deduce-97.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent 7=Theme |
| 2 | **is a** | present | you *not said here* | a prime number |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The muddy paws proved the dog had been outside.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:prove:x2:1
# text = The muddy paws proved the dog had been outside.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	muddy	muddy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	paws	paw	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	proved	prove	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
8	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	9	cop	_	_
9	outside	outside	ADV	RB	_	6	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **prove** | past | the muddy paws | the dog |  |  |  |  | vn deduce-97.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent dog=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | past · perfect | the dog *not said here* |  |  |  |  | outside *property* | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He wanted to prove that he could swim across the pool.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:prove:x3:1
# text = He wanted to prove that he could swim across the pool.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	wanted	want	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	prove	prove	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
5	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
6	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
7	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
8	swim	swim	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	ccomp	_	_
9	across	across	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	pool	pool	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **want** | past | He |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot clause=Theme |
| 2 | **prove** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | He *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn declare-29.4-1-1 «NP V what S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 3 | **swim** | could | he |  |  | the pool |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme across pool=Trajectory |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The map proved very useful on the hike.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:prove:x4:1
# text = The map proved very useful on the hike.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	map	map	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	proved	prove	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	very	very	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	useful	useful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	xcomp	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	hike	hike	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **prove** | past | the map |  |  |  |  | useful *property* | vn declare-29.4-1-1 «NP V what S\_INF»: agent=Agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She proved everyone wrong by winning the race.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:prove:x5:1
# text = She proved everyone wrong by winning the race.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	proved	prove	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	everyone	everyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	2	obj	_	_
4	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	_
5	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
6	winning	win	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	race	race	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **prove** | past | She | everyone |  |  |  | wrong *property* | vn deduce-97.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent everyone=Theme |
| 2 | **win** | gerund | She *not said here* | the race |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent race=Eventuality |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Let the bread dough prove for an hour.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:prove:x6:1
# text = Let the bread dough prove for an hour.
1	Let	let	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	bread	bread	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	dough	dough	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
5	prove	prove	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	xcomp	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	hour	hour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **let** | imperative | you *not said here* | the bread dough |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **prove** | infinitive | the bread dough *not said here* |  |  |  | hour |  | vn declare-29.4-1-1 «NP V what S\_INF»: agent=Agent |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Show your working to prove your answer.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:prove:x7:1
# text = Show your working to prove your answer.
1	Show	show	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
3	working	working	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	prove	prove	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	ccomp	_	_
6	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	answer	answer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **show** | imperative | you *not said here* | your working |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent working=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 2 | **prove** | to-infinitive |  | your answer |  |  |  |  | vn deduce-97.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent answer=Theme |
| 3 | **answer** |  | your |  |  |  |  |  | nom answer «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Then our innocence will be proved.”

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:prove:x8:1
# text = Then our innocence will be proved.”
1	Then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	6	advmod	_	_
2	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
3	innocence	innocence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
5	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	aux:pass	_	_
6	proved	prove	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	”	"	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **prove** | future · passive |  | our innocence |  |  | then |  | vn deduce-97.2 «NP V NP»: subject=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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