---
title: scold — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «scold» in the school dictionary: To scold someone is to speak to them angrily because they have done something wrong. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# scold

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** they, scolding, scold, woman, Mum, teacher · **What happens:** scold, be, do, nag, complain, leave · **To what, where:** someone, them, something, angry telling off, person, me · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To scold someone is to speak to them angrily because they have done something wrong.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scold:m1:1
# text = To scold someone is to speak to them angrily because they have done something wrong.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	scold	scold	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
3	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	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	speak	speak	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obl	_	_
9	angrily	angrily	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
10	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
11	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
12	have	have	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	aux	_	_
13	done	do	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	6	advcl	_	_
14	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	13	obj	_	_
15	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **scold** | to-infinitive |  | someone |  |  |  |  | vn judgment-33.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent someone=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  | them *= they* |  |  | speak *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **do** | present · perfect | they | something |  |  |  | angrily *property* | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Eventuality |

<!-- .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 scolding is an angry telling-off.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scold:m2:1
# text = A scolding is an angry telling-off.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	scolding	scolding	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
5	angry	angry	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
6	telling	telling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	off	off	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

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

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A scold was a person, especially a woman, who often nagged or complained.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scold:m3:1
# text = A scold was a person, especially a woman, who often nagged or complained.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	scold	scold	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
7	especially	especially	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	woman	woman	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
11	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	13	nsubj	_	_
12	often	often	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
13	nagged	nag	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	9	acl:relcl	_	_
14	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
15	complained	complain	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	13	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | a scold | a person |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **nag** | participle | a woman |  |  |  |  | often *property* | vn bully-59.5 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **complain** *speech: other* | participle | a woman *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn complain-37.8 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mum scolded me for leaving my muddy boots on the carpet.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scold:x1:1
# text = Mum scolded me for leaving my muddy boots on the carpet.
1	Mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	scolded	scold	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	obj	_	_
4	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
5	leaving	leave	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
6	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
7	muddy	muddy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	boots	boot	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	_
9	on	on	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	carpet	carpet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **scold** | past | Mum | me |  |  |  |  | vn judgment-33.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent i=Theme |
| 2 | **leave** | gerund | Mum *not said here* | my muddy boots |  | the carpet |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent boot=Theme on carpet=Location |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The teacher scolded the boys for running in the corridor.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scold:x2:1
# text = The teacher scolded the boys for running in the corridor.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	scolded	scold	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	boys	boy	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
7	running	run	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	advcl	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	corridor	corridor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **scold** | past | the teacher | the boys |  |  |  |  | vn judgment-33.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent boy=Theme |
| 2 | **run** | gerund | the teacher *not said here* |  |  | the corridor |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in corridor=Trajectory |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I got a scolding for being late home.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scold:x3:1
# text = I got a scolding for being late home.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	got	get	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	scolding	scolding	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	8	cop	_	_
7	late	late	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	home	home	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** | past | I | a scolding |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer scolding=Stimulus |
| 2 | **is** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | for late home | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The farmer scolded the dog for chasing the sheep.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scold:x4:1
# text = The farmer scolded the dog for chasing the sheep.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	farmer	farmer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	scolded	scold	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	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
7	chasing	chase	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	advcl	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	sheep	sheep	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **scold** | past | the farmer | the dog |  |  |  |  | vn judgment-33.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent dog=Theme |
| 2 | **chase** | gerund | the farmer *not said here* | the sheep |  |  |  |  | vn chase-51.6 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sheep=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"You should know better!" scolded Grandma.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scold:x5:1
# text = "You should know better!" scolded Grandma.
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	You	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
3	should	should	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	know	know	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	ccomp	_	_
5	better	good	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	4	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
8	scolded	scold	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	Grandma	Grandma	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **know** *in a quote* | should | You |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **scold** | past |  | Grandma |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
(Australia, informal) Dad growled at us — he really scolded us for fighting.

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scold:x6:1
# text = (Australia, informal) Dad growled at us — he really scolded us for fighting.
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Australia	Australia	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
4	informal	informal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	4	punct	_	_
6	Dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	growled	growl	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	at	at	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	7	obl	_	_
10	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	13	punct	_	_
11	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
12	really	really	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
13	scolded	scold	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	_
14	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	13	obj	_	_
15	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	16	mark	_	_
16	fighting	fight	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	13	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **growl** | past | informal Dad | Australia |  |  |  | at us | vn animal\_sounds-38 «NP V PP.stimulus»: agent=Agent at we=Stimulus |
| 2 | **scold** | past | Dad | us |  |  |  |  | vn judgment-33.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent we=Theme |
| 3 | **fight** | gerund | Dad *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn battle-36.4-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The woman scolded the old man.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scold:x7:1
# text = The woman scolded the old man.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	woman	woman	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	scolded	scold	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	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	man	man	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 | **scold** | past | the woman | the old man |  |  |  |  | vn judgment-33.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent man=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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