---
title: rebus — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «rebus» in the school dictionary: A puzzle in which pictures, letters, numbers or symbols stand for words or parts of words: a picture of an eye + a heart + a ewe = «I love you». Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# rebus

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** puzzle, I, coat, family, you, picture · **What happens:** stand, love, be, name, solve, mean · **To what, where:** you, pun, name, rebus, belief, own rebus puzzles · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«rebus» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 6 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: [rebus in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/rebus.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A puzzle in which pictures, letters, numbers or symbols stand for words or parts of words: a picture of an eye + a heart + a ewe = «I love you».

<!-- fold The tree, 31 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rebus:m1:1
# text = A puzzle in which pictures, letters, numbers or symbols stand for words or parts of words: a picture of an eye + a heart + a ewe = «I love you».
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	puzzle	puzzle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	which	which	DET	WDT	PronType=Int	5	det	_	_
5	pictures	picture	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
7	letters	letter	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
9	numbers	number	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	conj	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	symbols	symbol	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	conj	_	_
12	stand	stand	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
13	for	for	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	obl	_	_
15	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
16	parts	part	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	conj	_	_
17	of	of	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
18	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	21	punct	_	_
20	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
21	picture	picture	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	parataxis	_	_
22	of	of	ADP	IN	_	24	case	_	_
23	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	24	det	_	_
24	eye	eye	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	nmod	_	_
25	+	+	SYM	SYM	_	27	cc	_	_
26	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	27	det	_	_
27	heart	heart	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	conj	_	_
28	+	+	SYM	SYM	_	30	cc	_	_
29	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	30	det	_	_
30	ewe	ewe	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	conj	_	_
31	=	=	SYM	SYM	_	34	punct	_	_
32	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	34	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
33	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	34	nsubj	_	_
34	love	love	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	30	parataxis	_	_
35	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	34	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
36	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	34	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
37	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	12	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stand** | present | a puzzle in which pictures and letters and numbers or symbols |  |  |  |  | for words or parts of words | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Experiencer for word=Attribute |
| 2 | **love** *in a quote* | present | I | you |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer you=Stimulus |

<!-- .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 coat of arms or design whose picture is a pun on a family's name.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rebus:m2:1
# text = A coat of arms or design whose picture is a pun on a family's name.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	coat	coat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	arms	arm	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nmod	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	design	design	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	_
7	whose	whose	PRON	WP$	Poss=Yes|PronType=Rel	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	picture	picture	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	pun	pun	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
12	on	on	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	family	family	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	's	's	PART	POS	_	14	case	_	_
16	name	name	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a coat of arms or design | a pun |  | a family's name |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **name** |  | a family |  |  |  |  |  | nom name «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Can you solve this rebus: a picture of a bee and a leaf means «belief»?

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rebus:x1:1
# text = Can you solve this rebus: a picture of a bee and a leaf means «belief»?
1	Can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
2	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	solve	solve	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	5	det	_	_
5	rebus	rebus	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	15	punct	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	picture	picture	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nsubj	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	bee	bee	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	leaf	leaf	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	conj	_	_
15	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	parataxis	_	_
16	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	17	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	belief	belief	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	17	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **solve** | can | you | this rebus |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent rebus=Topic |
| 2 | **mean** | present | a picture of a bee and a leaf | belief |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent belief=Topic |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We made our own rebus puzzles in class.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rebus:x2:1
# text = We made our own rebus puzzles in class.
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	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
4	own	own	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
5	rebus	rebus	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	puzzles	puzzle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	class	class	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 | **make** | past | We | our own rebus puzzles |  | class |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent puzzle=Product |
| 2 | **puzzle** |  | our |  |  |  |  |  | nom puzzle «communication intransitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«I C U» is a simple rebus.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rebus:x3:1
# text = «I C U» is a simple rebus.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	C	C	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
4	U	U	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	flat	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
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	simple	simple	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	rebus	rebus	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | C | a simple rebus |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The family's coat of arms was a rebus on their name.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rebus:x4:1
# text = The family's coat of arms was a rebus on their name.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	family	family	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	coat	coat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	arms	arm	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	_
7	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	rebus	rebus	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
10	on	on	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	12	nmod:poss	_	_
12	name	name	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | the family's coat of arms | a rebus |  | arms's name |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **name** |  | arms *= arm* |  |  |  |  |  | nom name «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Early writing used the rebus idea to spell sounds.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rebus:x5:1
# text = Early writing used the rebus idea to spell sounds.
1	Early	early	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	writing	writing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	used	use	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	rebus	rebus	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	idea	idea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	spell	spell	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
9	sounds	sound	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | past | Early writing | the rebus idea |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent idea=Patient |
| 2 | **spell** | to-infinitive | Early writing *not said here* | sounds |  |  |  |  | vn pronounce-29.3.1 «NP V NP ADVP»: agent=Agent sound=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The rebus puzzle had a picture of a sun and a flower: sunflower.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:rebus:x6:1
# text = The rebus puzzle had a picture of a sun and a flower: sunflower.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	rebus	rebus	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	puzzle	puzzle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	picture	picture	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	sun	sun	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	flower	flower	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	14	punct	_	_
14	sunflower	sunflower	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | the rebus puzzle | a picture of a sun and a flower and sunflower |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent picture=Patient |

<!-- 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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