---
title: relent — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «relent» in the school dictionary: To finally agree to something after first saying no; to become less strict. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# relent

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Dad, teacher, storm, king, prisoner, heat · **What happens:** agree, say, become, relent, buy, give · **To what, where:** no, ice cream, us, jail, big sister, Eaglet home · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«relent» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 7 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: [relent in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/relent.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To finally agree to something after first saying no; to become less strict.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:relent:m1:1
# text = To finally agree to something after first saying no; to become less strict.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	3	mark	_	_
2	finally	finally	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	agree	agree	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	3	obl	_	_
6	after	after	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
7	first	first	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	8	advmod	_	_
8	saying	say	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	advcl	_	_
9	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
11	to	to	PART	TO	_	12	mark	_	_
12	become	become	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
13	less	less	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	14	advmod	_	_
14	strict	strict	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **agree** *speech: agree* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | to something; finally *property* | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | gerund |  | no |  |  |  | first *property* | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent no=Topic |
| 3 | **become** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | strict *property* | vn become-109.1-1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient |

<!-- .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: of weather, pain or pressure — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To become less strong.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:relent:m2:1
# text = To become less strong.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	become	become	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	less	less	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	4	advmod	_	_
4	strong	strong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **become** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | strong *property* | vn become-109.1-1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dad said no at first, but then he relented and bought the ice cream.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:relent:x1:1
# text = Dad said no at first, but then he relented and bought the ice cream.
1	Dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	2	obj	_	_
4	at	at	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	first	first	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
7	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
8	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	10	advmod	_	_
9	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	relented	relent	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	parataxis	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	bought	buy	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	conj	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
14	ice	ice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	compound	_	_
15	cream	cream	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | Dad | no |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent no=Topic |
| 2 | **relent** | past | Dad |  |  |  | then |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **buy** | past | Dad *not said here* | the ice cream |  |  |  |  | vn accept-77.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent cream=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The teacher relented and gave us five more minutes.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:relent:x2:1
# text = The teacher relented and gave us five more minutes.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	relented	relent	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	gave	give	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
6	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	5	iobj	_	_
7	five	five	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	9	nummod	_	_
8	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	9	amod	_	_
9	minutes	minute	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **relent** | past | the teacher |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **give** | past | the teacher *not said here* |  | us |  | minute |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent we=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The storm did not relent all night.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:relent:x3:1
# text = The storm did not relent all night.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	storm	storm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
4	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	5	advmod	_	_
5	relent	relent	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	7	det	_	_
7	night	night	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **relent** | past · do-support | the storm |  |  |  | night |  | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The king refused to relent and the prisoner stayed in jail.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:relent:x4:1
# text = The king refused to relent and the prisoner stayed in jail.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	king	king	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	refused	refuse	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	relent	relent	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	prisoner	prisoner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
9	stayed	stay	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	jail	jail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **refuse** | past | the king |  |  |  |  |  | vn reject-77.2 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 2 | **not** **relent** | to-infinitive | the king *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **stay** | past | the prisoner |  |  | jail |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in jail=Location |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
When the heat relented, we went outside.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:relent:x5:1
# text = When the heat relented, we went outside.
1	When	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	4	advmod	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	heat	heat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	relented	relent	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	outside	outside	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **relent** | participle | the heat |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **go** | past | we |  |  |  |  | outside *property* | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She begged until her big sister relented.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:relent:x6:1
# text = She begged until her big sister relented.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	begged	beg	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	until	until	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
5	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	sister	sister	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
7	relented	relent	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **beg** *speech: request* | past | She |  |  |  | until her big sister |  | vn beg-58.2-1-1 «NP V PP.Topic»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **relent** | participle |  | her big sister *not said here* |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The King relented, took the Eaglet home with him, and fed it for a year, for two years.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:relent:x7:1
# text = The King relented, took the Eaglet home with him, and fed it for a year, for two years.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	King	King	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	relented	relent	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
5	took	take	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	Eaglet	Eaglet	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	home	home	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
9	with	with	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	fed	feed	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
14	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	obj	_	_
15	for	for	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	year	year	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
19	for	for	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
20	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	21	nummod	_	_
21	years	year	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **relent** | past | the King |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **take** | past | the King *not said here* | the Eaglet home |  |  |  | with King | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent home=Theme |
| 3 | **feed** | past | the King *not said here* | home |  |  | year |  | vn feeding-39.7 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: agent=Agent it=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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