---
title: robbery — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «robbery» in the school dictionary: The crime of stealing from a person or place, especially using force or threats. 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/robbery/)

<!-- 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/) / robbery

# robbery

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** crime, price, robbery, bank robbery, That, detective · **What happens:** steal, use, be, jail, solve, look · **To what, where:** force, daylight robbery, corner shop, news, thieves, train robbery

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The crime of stealing from a person or place, especially using force or threats.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:robbery:m1:1
# text = The crime of stealing from a person or place, especially using force or threats.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	crime	crime	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	4	mark	_	_
4	stealing	steal	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	from	from	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	place	place	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
11	especially	especially	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
12	using	use	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	conj	_	_
13	force	force	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	_
14	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
15	threats	threat	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **steal** | gerund | the crime |  |  |  |  | from a person or place | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **use** | gerund | the crime *not said here* | force or threats |  |  |  | especially *property* | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent force=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: informal — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A price that is far too high: $10 for a drink is daylight robbery!

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:robbery:m2:1
# text = A price that is far too high: $10 for a drink is daylight robbery!
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	price	price	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	nsubj	_	_
3	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
5	far	far	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	7	advmod	_	_
6	too	too	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	high	high	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	9	punct	_	_
9	$	$	SYM	$	_	7	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	10	10	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	9	nummod	_	_
11	for	for	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	drink	drink	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
14	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	16	cop	_	_
15	daylight	daylight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	compound	_	_
16	robbery	robbery	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	16	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | a price |  |  |  |  | for a drink; far, high *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **is a** | present | a price | daylight robbery |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
There was a robbery at the corner shop last night.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:robbery:x1:1
# text = There was a robbery at the corner shop last night.
1	There	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	2	expl	_	_
2	was	be	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	robbery	robbery	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
5	at	at	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	corner	corner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	shop	shop	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
9	last	last	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	night	night	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **be** | past | a robbery |  |  | the corner shop; there | night |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme at shop=Location |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The bank robbery was on the news.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:robbery:x2:1
# text = The bank robbery was on the news.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	bank	bank	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	robbery	robbery	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	news	news	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the bank robbery |  |  | the news |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The thieves were jailed for armed robbery.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:robbery:x3:1
# text = The thieves were jailed for armed robbery.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	thieves	thief	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	jailed	jail	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	armed	armed	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	robbery	robbery	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **jail** | past · passive |  | the thieves |  |  |  | for armed robbery | vn confine-92 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Five pounds for a bottle of water? That's daylight robbery!

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Five pounds for a bottle of water?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:robbery:x4:1
# text = Five pounds for a bottle of water?
1	Five	five	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	2	nummod	_	_
2	pounds	pound	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
3	for	for	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	bottle	bottle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* That's daylight robbery!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:robbery:x4:2
# text = That's daylight robbery!
1	That	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	daylight	daylight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	robbery	robbery	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | That | daylight robbery |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The detective solved the train robbery.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:robbery:x5:1
# text = The detective solved the train robbery.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	detective	detective	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	solved	solve	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	train	train	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	robbery	robbery	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 | **solve** | past | the detective | the train robbery |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent robbery=Topic |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Police are looking for witnesses to the robbery.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:robbery:x6:1
# text = Police are looking for witnesses to the robbery.
1	Police	police	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	looking	look	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	for	for	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	witnesses	witness	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
6	to	to	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	robbery	robbery	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** | present · progressive | Police |  |  |  |  | for witnesses; to the robbery | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent to robbery=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In desperation, he ran to the city and went straight to the courthouse to report the robbery to the magistrate.

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:robbery:x7:1
# text = In desperation, he ran to the city and went straight to the courthouse to report the robbery to the magistrate.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	desperation	desperation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
5	ran	run	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	to	to	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	city	city	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
11	straight	straight	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	_
12	to	to	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	courthouse	courthouse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	_
15	to	to	PART	TO	_	16	mark	_	_
16	report	report	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	14	acl	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	robbery	robbery	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obj	_	_
19	to	to	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
20	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
21	magistrate	magistrate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **run** | past | he |  |  | desperation |  | to the city *result* | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V PP.result»: agent=Theme to city=Result |
| 2 | **go** | past | he *not said here* |  |  | the courthouse |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme to courthouse=Initial\_Location |
| 3 | **report** | to-infinitive | he *not said here* | the robbery | the magistrate |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: agent=Agent robbery=Topic to magistrate=Recipient |

<!-- 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: [robber](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/robber/)
- next →: [robe](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/robe/)
- ↑ back to [R in school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/)