---
title: refute — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «refute» in the school dictionary: To refute an idea or claim is to prove that it is wrong. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# refute

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** claim, something, She, his, scientist, you · **What happens:** refute, be, mean, say, not be, claim · **To what, where:** idea, claim, old idea, argument, rumour, story · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To refute an idea or claim is to prove that it is wrong.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:refute:m1:1
# text = To refute an idea or claim is to prove that it is wrong.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	refute	refute	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	advcl	_	_
3	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	idea	idea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	claim	claim	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	prove	prove	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
10	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
11	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
12	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
13	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **refute** | to-infinitive |  | a idea or claim |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | prove *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **is** | present | claim |  |  |  |  | wrong *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}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To refute can also mean to say firmly that something is not true, even without proof.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:refute:m2:1
# text = To refute can also mean to say firmly that something is not true, even without proof.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	refute	refute	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	csubj	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
4	also	also	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	say	say	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	xcomp	_	_
8	firmly	firmly	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
9	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
10	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	13	nsubj	_	_
11	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
12	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	13	advmod	_	_
13	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
15	even	even	ADV	RB	_	17	advmod	_	_
16	without	without	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
17	proof	proof	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **refute** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **mean** | can |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **say** *speech: assert* *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | firmly *property* | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **not** **is** | present | something |  |  |  |  | true *property* | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She refuted his claim with photos.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:refute:x1:1
# text = She refuted his claim with photos.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	refuted	refute	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	claim	claim	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	photos	photo	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **refute** | past | She | his claim |  |  |  | with photos | tree rules |
| 2 | **claim** |  | his *= he* |  |  |  |  |  | nom claim «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The scientist refuted the old idea.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:refute:x2:1
# text = The scientist refuted the old idea.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	scientist	scientist	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	refuted	refute	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	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	idea	idea	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 | **refute** | past | the scientist | the old idea |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Can you refute this argument?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:refute:x3:1
# text = Can you refute this argument?
1	Can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
2	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	refute	refute	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	5	det	_	_
5	argument	argument	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **refute** | can | you | this argument |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The evidence refuted the rumour.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:refute:x4:1
# text = The evidence refuted the rumour.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	evidence	evidence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	refuted	refute	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	rumour	rumour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **refute** | past | the evidence | the rumour |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He refuted the story, saying it was false.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:refute:x5:1
# text = He refuted the story, saying it was false.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	refuted	refute	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
6	saying	say	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
8	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
9	false	false	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **refute** | past | He | the story |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | gerund | He *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **is** | past | story |  |  |  |  | false *property* | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Use evidence to refute a false claim.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:refute:x6:1
# text = Use evidence to refute a false claim.
1	Use	use	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	evidence	evidence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	refute	refute	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	advcl	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	false	false	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	claim	claim	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | imperative | you *not said here* | evidence |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent evidence=Patient |
| 2 | **refute** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* | a false claim |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

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**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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