---
title: seesaw — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «seesaw» in the school dictionary: A long board balanced in the middle on which two children sit at opposite ends and go up and down. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# seesaw

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** two children, We, Dad, he, seesaw, score · **What happens:** balance, sit, go up, move up, keep, change · **To what, where:** long board, middle, seesaw, kind, game, mood

<!-- .vabout -->
«seesaw» in the school dictionary: its 2 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: [seesaw in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/seesaw.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A long board balanced in the middle on which two children sit at opposite ends and go up and down.

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:seesaw:m1:1
# text = A long board balanced in the middle on which two children sit at opposite ends and go up and down.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	board	board	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	balanced	balance	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	acl	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	middle	middle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
8	on	on	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	12	obl	_	_
10	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	11	nummod	_	_
11	children	child	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	nsubj	_	_
12	sit	sit	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	acl:relcl	_	_
13	at	at	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	opposite	opposite	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	ends	end	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	obl	_	_
16	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
17	go	go	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	12	conj	_	_
18	up	up	ADV	RB	_	17	advmod	_	_
19	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	20	cc	_	_
20	down	down	ADV	RB	_	18	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **balance** | participle |  | a long board *not said here* |  | the middle |  |  | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in middle=Location |
| 2 | **sit** | present | two children |  |  | the middle | at opposite ends |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent on which=Location |
| 3 | **go up** | infinitive | two children *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn calibratable\_cos-45.6.1-1 «NP.attribute V»: agent=Attribute |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To move up and down or back and forth again and again, or to keep changing between two states.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:seesaw:m2:1
# text = To move up and down or back and forth again and again, or to keep changing between two states.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	move	move	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	up	up	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	down	down	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	back	back	ADV	RB	_	5	conj	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	forth	forth	ADV	RB	_	5	conj	_	_
10	again	again	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	again	again	ADV	RB	_	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
14	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
15	to	to	PART	TO	_	16	mark	_	_
16	keep	keep	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
17	changing	change	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	16	xcomp	_	_
18	between	between	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
19	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	20	nummod	_	_
20	states	state	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	17	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **move up** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  | again | down *property* | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP.theme V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **keep** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **change** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | between two states | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We went up and down on the seesaw at the park.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:seesaw:x1:1
# text = We went up and down on the seesaw at the park.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	up	up	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	down	down	ADV	RB	_	3	conj	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	seesaw	seesaw	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
9	at	at	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	park	park	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go up** | past | We |  |  | the seesaw |  | at the park | vn calibratable\_cos-45.6.1-1 «NP.attribute V»: agent=Attribute |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dad is heavier, so he sat nearer the middle of the seesaw to balance it.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:seesaw:x2:1
# text = Dad is heavier, so he sat nearer the middle of the seesaw to balance it.
1	Dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	heavier	heavy	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
5	so	so	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
6	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	sat	sit	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
8	nearer	near	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	7	xcomp	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	middle	middle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
11	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	seesaw	seesaw	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	_
14	to	to	PART	TO	_	15	mark	_	_
15	balance	balance	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	advcl	_	_
16	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Dad |  |  |  |  | heavy *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **sit** | past | he | the middle of the seesaw |  |  |  | near *property* | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **balance** | to-infinitive | he *not said here* | seesaw |  |  |  |  | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location it=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A seesaw is a kind of lever.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:seesaw:x3:1
# text = A seesaw is a kind of lever.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	seesaw	seesaw	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	kind	kind	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	lever	lever	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 | a seesaw | a kind |  |  |  | of lever | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The score seesawed all game until the last goal.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:seesaw:x4:1
# text = The score seesawed all game until the last goal.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	score	score	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	seesawed	seesaw	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	5	det	_	_
5	game	game	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	until	until	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	last	last	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	goal	goal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **seesaw** | participle | the score *not said here* | all game |  |  | until the last goal |  | vn run-51.3.2 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Initial\_Location game=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My mood seesawed between happy and nervous before the concert.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:seesaw:x5:1
# text = My mood seesawed between happy and nervous before the concert.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	mood	mood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	seesawed	seesaw	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	between	between	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	happy	happy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	obl	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	nervous	nervous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	conj	_	_
8	before	before	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	concert	concert	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **seesaw** | participle |  | My mood *not said here* |  | happy |  |  | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme between happy=Trajectory |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Hold on tight on the seesaw and don't jump off suddenly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:seesaw:x6:1
# text = Hold on tight on the seesaw and don't jump off suddenly.
1	Hold	hold	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	on	on	ADP	RP	_	1	compound:prt	_	_
3	tight	tight	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	seesaw	seesaw	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
8	do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	10	advmod	_	_
10	jump	jump	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	1	conj	_	_
11	off	off	ADP	RP	_	10	compound:prt	_	_
12	suddenly	suddenly	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hold on** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  | the seesaw |  | tight *property* | vn exist-47.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme on seesaw=Location |
| 2 | **not** **jump off** | infinitive · do-support | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | suddenly *property* | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

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**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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