---
title: scoff — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «scoff» in the school dictionary: To scoff at someone or something is to laugh at it or talk about it in a mocking way, as if it were silly. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# scoff

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** way, Everyone, brother, I, you, She · **What happens:** scoff, be, talk, mock, fly, get · **To what, where:** someone, it, mocking way, food, Scoff food, idea · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«scoff» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 8 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: [scoff in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/scoff.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To scoff at someone or something is to laugh at it or talk about it in a mocking way, as if it were silly.

<!-- fold The tree, 24 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scoff:m1:1
# text = To scoff at someone or something is to laugh at it or talk about it in a mocking way, as if it were silly.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	scoff	scoff	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	advcl	_	_
3	at	at	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obl	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	4	conj	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	laugh	laugh	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
10	at	at	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obl	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	talk	talk	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	9	conj	_	_
14	about	about	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	obl	_	_
16	in	in	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
17	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
18	mocking	mock	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	19	amod	_	_
19	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	25	punct	_	_
21	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	25	mark	_	_
22	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	25	mark	_	_
23	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	25	nsubj	_	_
24	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	25	cop	_	_
25	silly	silly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **scoff** | to-infinitive |  |  |  | someone |  |  | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  | it |  | laugh *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **talk** | infinitive |  |  |  | a mocking way |  | about it | vn talk-37.5 «NP V PP.topic»: agent=Agent about it=Topic |
| 4 | **mock** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn judgment-33.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 5 | **is** *a condition, not said to happen* | past | way |  |  |  |  | silly *property* | 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}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: UK, Australia, informal — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To scoff food is to eat it very quickly and greedily.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scoff:m2:1
# text = To scoff food is to eat it very quickly and greedily.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	scoff	scoff	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
3	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	eat	eat	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	very	very	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	quickly	quickly	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	greedily	greedily	ADV	RB	_	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **scoff** | to-infinitive |  | food |  |  |  |  | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent food=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | eat, quickly *property* | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Scoff is food.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scoff:m3:1
# text = Scoff is food.
1	Scoff	scoff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Everyone scoffed at his idea of a flying bike.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scoff:x1:1
# text = Everyone scoffed at his idea of a flying bike.
1	Everyone	everyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	2	nsubj	_	_
2	scoffed	scoff	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	at	at	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	idea	idea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	flying	fly	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	9	amod	_	_
9	bike	bike	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **scoff** | past | Everyone |  |  | his idea of a flying bike |  |  | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **fly** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My brother scoffed all the chips before I got any. (UK, informal)

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* My brother scoffed all the chips before I got any.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scoff:x2:1
# text = My brother scoffed all the chips before I got any.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	brother	brother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	scoffed	scoff	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	all	all	DET	PDT	PronType=Tot	6	det:predet	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	chips	chip	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
7	before	before	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
8	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	got	get	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
10	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **scoff** | past | My brother | all chips |  |  |  |  | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent chip=Theme |
| 2 | **get** | past | I | any |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer any=Stimulus |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* (UK, informal)

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scoff:x2:2
# text = (UK, informal)
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	UK	UK	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
4	informal	informal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	2	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Don't scoff your dinner — eat slowly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scoff:x3:1
# text = Don't scoff your dinner — eat slowly.
1	Do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	scoff	scoff	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	dinner	dinner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	7	punct	_	_
7	eat	eat	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
8	slowly	slowly	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **scoff** | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* | your dinner |  |  |  |  | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent dinner=Theme |
| 2 | **eat** | infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | slowly *property* | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She scoffed when I said I'd seen a ghost.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scoff:x4:1
# text = She scoffed when I said I'd seen a ghost.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	scoffed	scoff	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	5	advmod	_	_
4	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
5	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	_
6	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	'd	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
8	seen	see	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	5	ccomp	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	ghost	ghost	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **scoff** | past | She |  |  |  |  |  | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | I |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **see** | past · perfect | I | a ghost |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer ghost=Stimulus |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The dog scoffed the sausages off the plate.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scoff:x5:1
# text = The dog scoffed the sausages off the plate.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	scoffed	scoff	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	sausages	sausage	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	off	off	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	plate	plate	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 | **scoff** | past | the dog | the sausages |  |  |  | off the plate | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sausage=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
People scoffed, but the Wright brothers did fly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scoff:x6:1
# text = People scoffed, but the Wright brothers did fly.
1	People	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	scoffed	scoff	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
4	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	Wright	Wright	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	brothers	brother	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nsubj	_	_
8	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
9	fly	fly	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **scoff** | past | People |  |  |  |  |  | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **fly** | past · do-support | the Wright brothers |  |  |  |  |  | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Let's get some scoff before the film. (UK slang)

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Let's get some scoff before the film.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scoff:x7:1
# text = Let's get some scoff before the film.
1	Let	let	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	1	obj	_	_
3	get	get	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	xcomp	_	_
4	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	5	det	_	_
5	scoff	scoff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	before	before	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	film	film	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **let** | imperative | you *not said here* | 's |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **get** | infinitive | 's *not said here* | some scoff |  |  | before the film |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer scoff=Stimulus |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* (UK slang)

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scoff:x7:2
# text = (UK slang)
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	UK	UK	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	slang	slang	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	3	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Then the Prince stood on the beach, and in the pride of his strength he scoffed and said:

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scoff:x8:1
# text = Then the Prince stood on the beach, and in the pride of his strength he scoffed and said:
1	Then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	4	advmod	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	Prince	Prince	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	stood	stand	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	beach	beach	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	pride	pride	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obl	_	_
13	of	of	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	15	nmod:poss	_	_
15	strength	strength	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nmod	_	_
16	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	17	nsubj	_	_
17	scoffed	scoff	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	parataxis	_	_
18	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
19	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	17	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stand** | past | the Prince |  |  | the beach | then |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent on beach=Location |
| 2 | **scoff** | past | Prince |  |  |  |  | in the pride of Prince's strength | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent in pride=Theme |
| 3 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | Prince *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **pride** |  |  | Prince's strength |  |  |  |  | nom pride «feeling transitive»: of=patient |

<!-- 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 -->
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