---
title: referee — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «referee» in the school dictionary: A referee is the person who makes sure players follow the rules in a game like football, rugby or basketball, and decides what happens when they do not. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/referee/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/) / [school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/) / [R](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/) / referee

# referee

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** referee, person, players, you, teacher, Mum · **What happens:** be, make, follow, decide, happen, not do · **To what, where:** person, rules, game, argument, whistle, red card · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A referee is the person who makes sure players follow the rules in a game like football, rugby or basketball, and decides what happens when they do not.

<!-- fold The tree, 28 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:referee:m1:1
# text = A referee is the person who makes sure players follow the rules in a game like football, rugby or basketball, and decides what happens when they do not.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	referee	referee	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	makes	make	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	sure	sure	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	xcomp	_	_
9	players	player	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	nsubj	_	_
10	follow	follow	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	ccomp	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	rules	rule	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obj	_	_
13	in	in	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	game	game	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	_
16	like	like	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
17	football	football	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
19	rugby	rugby	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	conj	_	_
20	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	21	cc	_	_
21	basketball	basketball	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	24	punct	_	_
23	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	24	cc	_	_
24	decides	decide	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	_
25	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	26	nsubj	_	_
26	happens	happen	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	24	ccomp	_	_
27	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	29	advmod	_	_
28	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	29	nsubj	_	_
29	do	do	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	26	advcl	_	_
30	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	29	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
31	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a referee | the person |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **make** | present | the person |  |  |  |  | sure *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **follow** | present | players | the rules |  | a game like football and rugby or basketball |  |  | vn chase-51.6 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent rule=Theme in game=Trajectory |
| 4 | **decide** | present | the person *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V what S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 5 | **happen** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 6 | **not** **do** | present | players *= player* |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «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 referee is a person who writes about you to say you are good for a job or school place.

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:referee:m2:1
# text = A referee is a person who writes about you to say you are good for a job or school place.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	referee	referee	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	writes	write	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	about	about	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	7	obl	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	say	say	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	advcl	_	_
12	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
13	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	cop	_	_
14	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	ccomp	_	_
15	for	for	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	job	job	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	_
18	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	20	cc	_	_
19	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	compound	_	_
20	place	place	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a referee | a person |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **write** | present | a person |  |  |  |  | about you | vn lecture-37.11-1 «NP V PP.topic»: agent=Agent about you=Topic |
| 3 | **say** *speech: assert* | to-infinitive | a person *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **is** | present | you |  |  |  |  | for a job or school place; good *property* | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To referee is to act as the referee in a game.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:referee:m3:1
# text = To referee is to act as the referee in a game.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	referee	referee	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	advcl	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	act	act	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	as	as	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	referee	referee	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	game	game	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present |  |  |  | a game |  | as the referee; act *property* | tree rules |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To referee an argument is to help people sort it out fairly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:referee:m4:1
# text = To referee an argument is to help people sort it out fairly.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	referee	referee	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	argument	argument	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	help	help	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
8	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	_
9	sort	sort	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	xcomp	_	_
10	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obj	_	_
11	out	out	ADP	RP	_	9	compound:prt	_	_
12	fairly	fairly	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | referee |  |  |  |  | help *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **sort out** | infinitive | referee *not said here* | argument |  |  |  | fairly *property* | vn classify-29.10 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The referee blew the whistle for half-time.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:referee:x1:1
# text = The referee blew the whistle for half-time.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	referee	referee	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	blew	blow	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	whistle	whistle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	half	half	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing|NumForm=Word|NumType=Frac	9	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	time	time	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 | **blow** | past | the referee | the whistle |  |  | time |  | vn split-23.2 «NP V NP apart»: agent=Agent whistle=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The referee showed him a red card.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:referee:x2:1
# text = The referee showed him a red card.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	referee	referee	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	showed	show	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	iobj	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	red	red	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	card	card	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **show** | past | the referee | a red card | him *= he* |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent he=Recipient card=Topic |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Don't argue with the referee.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:referee:x3:1
# text = Don't argue with the referee.
1	Do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	argue	argue	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	referee	referee	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **argue** *speech: disagree* | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | with the referee | vn chit\_chat-37.6-1 «NP V PP.co-agent»: agent=Agent with referee=Co-Agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Our teacher refereed the netball match.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:referee:x4:1
# text = Our teacher refereed the netball match.
1	Our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	refereed	referee	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	netball	netball	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	match	match	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **referee** | past | Our teacher | the netball match |  |  |  |  | vn captain-29.8-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent match=Beneficiary |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The referee gave us a penalty.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:referee:x5:1
# text = The referee gave us a penalty.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	referee	referee	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	gave	give	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	iobj	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	penalty	penalty	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | past | the referee | a penalty | us |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent we=Recipient penalty=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mum had to referee a fight over the TV remote.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:referee:x6:1
# text = Mum had to referee a fight over the TV remote.
1	Mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	referee	referee	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	fight	fight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
7	over	over	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	TV	TV	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	remote	remote	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | Mum | referee |  | the TV remote |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In rugby the referee explains decisions out loud.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:referee:x7:1
# text = In rugby the referee explains decisions out loud.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	rugby	rugby	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	referee	referee	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	explains	explain	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	decisions	decision	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	_
7	out	out	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	loud	loud	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **explain** *speech: assert* | present | the referee | decisions |  | rugby |  | loud *property* | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent decision=Topic |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A good referee is fair to both teams.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:referee:x8:1
# text = A good referee is fair to both teams.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	referee	referee	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	fair	fair	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
6	to	to	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	both	both	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	8	det	_	_
8	teams	team	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | a good referee |  |  |  |  | to both teams; fair *property* | 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 -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [refer](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/refer/)
- next →: [reference](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/reference/)
- ↑ back to [R in school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/)