---
title: scapegoat — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «scapegoat» in the school dictionary: A person or group blamed for something bad that is not really their fault, often so others escape blame. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# scapegoat

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** person, that, others, Day, you, your · **What happens:** blame, not be, escape, put, send, make · **To what, where:** something, fault, blame, sins, Old Testament, goat

<!-- .vabout -->
«scapegoat» in the school dictionary: its 3 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: [scapegoat in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/scapegoat.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A person or group blamed for something bad that is not really their fault, often so others escape blame.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scapegoat:m1:1
# text = A person or group blamed for something bad that is not really their fault, often so others escape blame.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	group	group	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
5	blamed	blame	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	5	obj	_	_
8	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
9	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	14	nsubj	_	_
10	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	cop	_	_
11	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	14	advmod	_	_
12	really	really	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	_
13	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	14	nmod:poss	_	_
14	fault	fault	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
16	often	often	ADV	RB	_	19	advmod	_	_
17	so	so	SCONJ	IN	_	19	mark	_	_
18	others	other	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	19	nsubj	_	_
19	escape	escape	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	conj	_	_
20	blame	blame	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **blame** | participle | a person or group *not said here* | something |  |  |  |  | vn judgment-33.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Theme |
| 2 | **not** **is a** | present | that | person's fault |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **escape** | present | others | blame |  |  |  | often *property* | vn escape-51.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme blame=Initial\_Location |

<!-- .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: Bible — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the Old Testament (Leviticus 16), on the Day of Atonement the priest put the people's sins on a goat and sent it into the desert.

<!-- fold The tree, 27 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scapegoat:m2:1
# text = In the Old Testament (Leviticus 16), on the Day of Atonement the priest put the people's sins on a goat and sent it into the desert.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	Old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	Testament	Testament	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	17	obl	_	_
5	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	Leviticus	Leviticus	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	appos	_	_
7	16	16	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	6	flat	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
10	on	on	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	Day	Day	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	17	nsubj	_	_
13	of	of	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	Atonement	Atonement	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	12	nmod	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	priest	priest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	appos	_	_
17	put	put	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	21	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	's	's	PART	POS	_	19	case	_	_
21	sins	sin	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	17	obj	_	_
22	on	on	ADP	IN	_	24	case	_	_
23	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	24	det	_	_
24	goat	goat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obl	_	_
25	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	26	cc	_	_
26	sent	send	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	17	conj	_	_
27	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	26	obj	_	_
28	into	into	ADP	IN	_	30	case	_	_
29	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	30	det	_	_
30	desert	desert	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	26	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
31	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	17	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **put** | past | the Day of Atonement | the people's sins |  | the Old Testament |  | on a goat | vn put-9.1-2 «NP V PP.destination NP»: agent=Agent sin=Theme on goat=Destination |
| 2 | **send** | past | the Day of Atonement *not said here* | goat |  | the desert |  |  | vn confine-92-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Theme |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To unfairly blame someone this way.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scapegoat:m3:1
# text = To unfairly blame someone this way.
1	To	to	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	unfairly	unfairly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	blame	blame	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	6	nsubj	_	_
5	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	6	det	_	_
6	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The new boy was made the scapegoat for the broken window.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scapegoat:x1:1
# text = The new boy was made the scapegoat for the broken window.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	boy	boy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	scapegoat	scapegoat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	for	for	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	broken	break	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	11	amod	_	_
11	window	window	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past · passive |  | the new boy |  |  |  | for the broken window | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP NP PP.asset»: subject=Beneficiary scapegoat=Product for window=Asset |
| 2 | **break** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn hurt-40.8.3-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Don't scapegoat your sister for your mess.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scapegoat:x2:1
# text = Don't scapegoat your sister for your mess.
1	Do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	scapegoat	scapegoat	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	sister	sister	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	mess	mess	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 | **not** **scapegoat** | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* | your sister |  |  |  | for your mess | tree rules |
| 2 | **mess** |  | your |  |  |  |  |  | nom mess «state transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In history, minorities were often used as scapegoats.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scapegoat:x3:1
# text = In history, minorities were often used as scapegoats.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	history	history	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	minorities	minority	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj:pass	_	_
5	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux:pass	_	_
6	often	often	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
8	as	as	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	scapegoats	scapegoat	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | past · passive |  | minorities |  | history |  | as scapegoats; often *property* | vn spend\_time-104 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: subject=Duration as scapegoat=Attribute |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the Bible the scapegoat carried the people's sins into the wilderness.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scapegoat:x4:1
# text = In the Bible the scapegoat carried the people's sins into the wilderness.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	Bible	Bible	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	scapegoat	scapegoat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	carried	carry	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	's	's	PART	POS	_	8	case	_	_
10	sins	sin	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	_
11	into	into	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	wilderness	wilderness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **carry** | past | the scapegoat | the people's sins |  | the Bible |  | into the wilderness | vn fit-54.3 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent sin=Value in bible=Location |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The coach became the scapegoat when the team lost.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scapegoat:x5:1
# text = The coach became the scapegoat when the team lost.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	coach	coach	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	became	become	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	scapegoat	scapegoat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	xcomp	_	_
6	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	9	mark	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	team	team	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
9	lost	lose	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **become** | past | the coach | the scapegoat |  |  |  |  | vn become-109.1-1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **lose** | past | the team |  |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Scapegoating someone is a kind of bullying.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scapegoat:x6:1
# text = Scapegoating someone is a kind of bullying.
1	Scapegoating	scapegoat	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	csubj	_	_
2	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	1	obj	_	_
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	kind	kind	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	bullying	bullying	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 | **scapegoat** | gerund |  | someone |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is a** | present | Scapegoating | a kind |  |  |  | of bullying | tree rules |

<!-- 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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