---
title: recess — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «recess» in the school dictionary: In the USA, Canada and Australia, the break between lessons when children play outside; in the UK it is called "break" or "playtime". Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# recess

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** children, parliament, We, Recess, It, you · **What happens:** play, call, stop, work, set back, be · **To what, where:** break, USA, UK, small space, wall, tag · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the USA, Canada and Australia, the break between lessons when children play outside; in the UK it is called "break" or "playtime".

<!-- fold The tree, 23 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:recess:m1:1
# text = In the USA, Canada and Australia, the break between lessons when children play outside; in the UK it is called "break" or "playtime".
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	USA	USA	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	15	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
5	Canada	Canada	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	Australia	Australia	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	break	break	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obl	_	_
11	between	between	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	lessons	lesson	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	nmod	_	_
13	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	15	advmod	_	_
14	children	child	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	15	nsubj	_	_
15	play	play	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
16	outside	outside	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	23	punct	_	_
18	in	in	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
19	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
20	UK	UK	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	23	obl	_	_
21	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	23	nsubj:pass	_	_
22	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	23	aux:pass	_	_
23	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	15	parataxis	_	_
24	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	25	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	break	break	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	23	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	25	punct	_	_
27	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	29	cc	_	_
28	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	29	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	playtime	playtime	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	25	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
30	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	25	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
31	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	15	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **play** | present | children | the break between lessons |  | the USA and Canada and Australia |  | outside *property* | vn performance-26.7-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **call** | present · passive |  | UK |  | the UK |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: subject=Recipient |

<!-- .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 time when a parliament, court or other group stops working for a while.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:recess:m2:1
# text = A time when a parliament, court or other group stops working for a while.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl:unmarked	_	_
3	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	11	mark	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	parliament	parliament	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
7	court	court	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
9	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	group	group	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
11	stops	stop	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
12	working	work	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	11	xcomp	_	_
13	for	for	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	while	while	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stop** | present | a parliament and court or other group |  |  |  | time |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Affector clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **work** | gerund | a parliament and court or other group *not said here* |  |  |  | while |  | vn employment-95.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A small space set back into a wall, like an alcove.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:recess:m3:1
# text = A small space set back into a wall, like an alcove.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	space	space	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	set	set	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	acl	_	_
5	back	back	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
6	into	into	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	wall	wall	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
10	like	like	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	alcove	alcove	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **set back** | participle |  | a small space and a alcove *not said here* |  | a wall |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4-1 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We play tag at recess.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:recess:x1:1
# text = We play tag at recess.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	play	play	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	tag	tag	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	at	at	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	recess	recess	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 | **play** | present | We | tag |  | recess |  |  | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent tag=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Recess is twenty minutes long.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:recess:x2:1
# text = Recess is twenty minutes long.
1	Recess	recess	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	twenty	twenty	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	4	nummod	_	_
4	minutes	minute	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl:unmarked	_	_
5	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Recess |  |  |  | minute | long *property* | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It rained, so we had indoor recess.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:recess:x3:1
# text = It rained, so we had indoor recess.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	rained	rain	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
4	so	so	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
5	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	ccomp	_	_
7	indoor	indoor	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	recess	recess	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 | **rain** | past | It |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **have** | past | we | indoor recess |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent recess=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Put your snack in your bag for recess.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:recess:x4:1
# text = Put your snack in your bag for recess.
1	Put	put	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	snack	snack	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	bag	bag	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
7	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	recess	recess	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **put** | imperative | you *not said here* | your snack |  | your bag |  | for recess | vn put-9.1-2 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent snack=Theme in bag=Destination |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The bookshelf fits into the recess by the fireplace.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:recess:x5:1
# text = The bookshelf fits into the recess by the fireplace.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	bookshelf	bookshelf	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	fits	fit	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	into	into	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	recess	recess	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	by	by	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	fireplace	fireplace	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fit** | present | the bookshelf |  |  | the recess |  | by the fireplace | vn funnel-9.3-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent into recess=Destination |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Parliament is in recess for the summer.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:recess:x6:1
# text = Parliament is in recess for the summer.
1	Parliament	Parliament	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	recess	recess	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	summer	summer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Parliament |  |  | recess | summer |  | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Who is on recess duty today?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:recess:x7:1
# text = Who is on recess duty today?
1	Who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	on	on	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	recess	recess	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	duty	duty	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	today	today	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present |  |  |  | recess duty | today |  | tree rules |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
But there was one recess in the wall, no larger than a bird-cage, which was the private apartment of Tinker Bell.

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:recess:x8:1
# text = But there was one recess in the wall, no larger than a bird-cage, which was the private apartment of Tinker Bell.
1	But	but	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
2	there	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	3	expl	_	_
3	was	be	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	recess	recess	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	wall	wall	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
10	no	no	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
11	larger	large	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	8	amod	_	_
12	than	than	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
14	bird	bird	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	cage	cage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	22	punct	_	_
18	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	22	nsubj	_	_
19	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	22	cop	_	_
20	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
21	private	private	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	22	amod	_	_
22	apartment	apartment	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	conj	_	_
23	of	of	ADP	IN	_	25	case	_	_
24	Tinker	Tinker	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	25	compound	_	_
25	Bell	Bell	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	22	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **be** | past | one recess |  |  | the wall; there |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in wall=Location |
| 2 | **is a** | past | a bird cage and the private apartment | the private apartment |  |  |  | of Tinker Bell | tree rules |

<!-- 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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