---
title: satire — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «satire» in the school dictionary: Satire is a way of writing, drawing or performing that uses humour, exaggeration or mockery to show that people, especially powerful people, are silly or wrong. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# satire

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Satire, way, that, people, cartoon, Animal Farm · **What happens:** be, draw, perform, use, show, do · **To what, where:** way, humour, story, this, satire, funny satire · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Satire is a way of writing, drawing or performing that uses humour, exaggeration or mockery to show that people, especially powerful people, are silly or wrong.

<!-- fold The tree, 26 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:satire:m1:1
# text = Satire is a way of writing, drawing or performing that uses humour, exaggeration or mockery to show that people, especially powerful people, are silly or wrong.
1	Satire	satire	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	writing	writing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
8	drawing	draw	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	4	acl	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	performing	perform	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	8	conj	_	_
11	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	12	nsubj	_	_
12	uses	use	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	parataxis	_	_
13	humour	humour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
15	exaggeration	exaggeration	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	conj	_	_
16	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
17	mockery	mockery	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	conj	_	_
18	to	to	PART	TO	_	19	mark	_	_
19	show	show	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	advcl	_	_
20	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	28	mark	_	_
21	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	28	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	25	punct	_	_
23	especially	especially	ADV	RB	_	25	advmod	_	_
24	powerful	powerful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	25	amod	_	_
25	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	21	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
27	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	28	cop	_	_
28	silly	silly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	19	ccomp	_	_
29	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	30	cc	_	_
30	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	28	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
31	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Satire | a way |  |  |  | of writing | tree rules |
| 2 | **draw** | gerund | a way *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **perform** | gerund | a way *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn performance-26.7 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **use** | present | that | humour and exaggeration or mockery |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent humour=Patient |
| 5 | **show** | to-infinitive | that *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 6 | **is** | present | people and powerful people |  |  |  |  | silly *property* | tree rules |
| 7 | **be** |  | people and powerful people *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | 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}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A satire is a story, play or cartoon that does this.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:satire:m2:1
# text = A satire is a story, play or cartoon that does this.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	satire	satire	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	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
7	play	play	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	cartoon	cartoon	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
10	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	11	nsubj	_	_
11	does	do	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	acl:relcl	_	_
12	this	this	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	11	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a satire | a story and play or cartoon |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **do** | present | cartoon | this |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent this=Eventuality |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The cartoon is a satire of the government.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:satire:x1:1
# text = The cartoon is a satire of the government.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	cartoon	cartoon	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	satire	satire	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	government	government	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the cartoon | a satire |  |  |  | of the government | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Animal Farm is a satire about power.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:satire:x2:1
# text = Animal Farm is a satire about power.
1	Animal	animal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	Farm	farm	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	satire	satire	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	about	about	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	power	power	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Animal Farm | a satire |  |  |  | about power | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Some news websites are satire, so the stories are not real.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:satire:x3:1
# text = Some news websites are satire, so the stories are not real.
1	Some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	3	det	_	_
2	news	news	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	websites	website	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
4	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	satire	satire	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
7	so	so	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	stories	story	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	nsubj	_	_
10	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
11	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	12	advmod	_	_
12	real	real	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | some news websites | satire |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **is** | present | the stories |  |  |  |  | real *property* | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Satire uses humour to show something is wrong.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:satire:x4:1
# text = Satire uses humour to show something is wrong.
1	Satire	satire	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	uses	use	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	humour	humour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	show	show	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
6	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	8	nsubj	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
8	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | present | Satire | humour |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent humour=Patient |
| 2 | **show** | to-infinitive | Satire *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **is** | present | something |  |  |  |  | wrong *property* | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The play was a funny satire of school life.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:satire:x5:1
# text = The play was a funny satire of school life.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	play	play	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	funny	funny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	satire	satire	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	life	life	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | the play | a funny satire |  |  |  | of school life | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Check if a story is satire before you share it.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:satire:x6:1
# text = Check if a story is satire before you share it.
1	Check	check	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
6	satire	satire	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	ccomp	_	_
7	before	before	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
8	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	share	share	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	advcl	_	_
10	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **check** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn assessment-34.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is a** *a condition, not said to happen* | present | a story | satire |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **share** | present | you | story |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The defendant replied with satire as keen, while the audience laughed, and gave their verdict.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:satire:x7:1
# text = The defendant replied with satire as keen, while the audience laughed, and gave their verdict.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	defendant	defendant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
3	replied	reply	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	satire	satire	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
6	as	as	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	keen	keen	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
9	while	while	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	audience	audience	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
12	laughed	laugh	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
14	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
15	gave	give	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	12	conj	_	_
16	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	17	nmod:poss	_	_
17	verdict	verdict	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	12	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **reply** *speech: assert* | participle |  | the defendant *not said here* |  |  |  | with satire; as keen | vn respond-113 «NP V PP.predicate»: agent=Agent with satire=Eventuality |
| 2 | **laugh** | past | the defendant |  |  |  |  |  | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **give** | past | the defendant *not said here* | their verdict |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent verdict=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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