---
title: retaliate — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «retaliate» in the school dictionary: To do something bad back to someone who has hurt or attacked you; to hit back. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# retaliate

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** someone, you, He, it · **What happens:** do back, hurt, attack, hit back, push, not retaliate · **To what, where:** something, you, teacher, sand, army, She · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To do something bad back to someone who has hurt or attacked you; to hit back.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:retaliate:m1:1
# text = To do something bad back to someone who has hurt or attacked you; to hit back.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	16	advcl	_	_
3	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
5	back	back	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
6	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obl	_	_
8	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	10	nsubj	_	_
9	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
10	hurt	hurt	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	7	acl:relcl	_	_
11	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	attacked	attack	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	10	conj	_	_
13	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	12	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	16	punct	_	_
15	to	to	PART	TO	_	16	mark	_	_
16	hit	hit	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
17	back	back	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	16	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do back** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  | to someone | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Eventuality |
| 2 | **hurt** | present · perfect |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |
| 3 | **attack** | participle |  | you |  |  |  |  | vn attack-60.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent you=Patient |
| 4 | **hit back** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn contiguous\_location-47.8-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- .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.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
If someone pushes you, don't retaliate; tell a teacher.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:retaliate:x1:1
# text = If someone pushes you, don't retaliate; tell a teacher.
1	If	if	SCONJ	IN	_	3	mark	_	_
2	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	3	nsubj	_	_
3	pushes	push	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	advcl	_	_
4	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
6	do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	8	advmod	_	_
8	retaliate	retaliate	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
10	tell	tell	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	8	conj	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **push** *a condition, not said to happen* | present | someone | you |  |  |  |  | vn carry-11.4-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent you=Theme |
| 2 | **not** **retaliate** | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn rebel-71.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **tell** *speech: assert* | infinitive | you *not said here* |  | a teacher |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent teacher=Recipient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He retaliated by throwing sand.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:retaliate:x2:1
# text = He retaliated by throwing sand.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	retaliated	retaliate	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
3	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	4	mark	_	_
4	throwing	throw	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
5	sand	sand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **retaliate** | participle | He |  |  |  |  |  | vn rebel-71.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **throw** | gerund | He *not said here* | sand |  |  |  |  | vn throw-17.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sand=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The army retaliated after the attack.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:retaliate:x3:1
# text = The army retaliated after the attack.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	army	army	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	retaliated	retaliate	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	after	after	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	attack	attack	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **retaliate** | participle |  | the army *not said here* |  |  | after the attack |  | vn rebel-71.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She was sent off for retaliating.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:retaliate:x4:1
# text = She was sent off for retaliating.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	sent	send	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	off	off	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	_
5	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
6	retaliating	retaliate	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **send off** | past · passive |  | She |  |  |  |  | vn confine-92-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |
| 2 | **retaliate** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn rebel-71.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The cat retaliated with a scratch.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:retaliate:x5:1
# text = The cat retaliated with a scratch.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	cat	cat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	retaliated	retaliate	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	scratch	scratch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **retaliate** | participle |  | the cat *not said here* |  |  |  | with a scratch | vn respond-113 «NP V PP.predicate»: agent=Agent with scratch=Eventuality |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Don't retaliate, it only makes things worse.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:retaliate:x6:1
# text = Don't retaliate, it only makes things worse.
1	Do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	retaliate	retaliate	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
5	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
6	only	only	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	makes	make	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	ccomp	_	_
8	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	_
9	worse	bad	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	7	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **retaliate** | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **make** | present | it | things |  |  |  | bad *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.material V NP»: agent=Material thing=Product |

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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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