---
title: sham — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «sham» in the school dictionary: A sham is something fake or pretended, made to look real. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# sham

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**Who acts:** sham, something, prince, toy soldiers, He · **What happens:** be, pretend, make, look, mean, copy · **To what, where:** something, real, sham, sham fight, sleep

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«sham» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 3 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: [sham in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/sham.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A sham is something fake or pretended, made to look real.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sham:m1:1
# text = A sham is something fake or pretended, made to look real.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	sham	sham	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	0	root	_	_
5	fake	fake	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	pretended	pretend	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
9	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	acl:relcl	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	look	look	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	xcomp	_	_
12	real	real	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a sham | something |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **pretend** | participle | a sham *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **make** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **look** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | real *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |

<!-- .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 -->
As an adjective, sham means not real, copied or false: a sham fight.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sham:m2:1
# text = As an adjective, sham means not real, copied or false: a sham fight.
1	As	as	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	adjective	adjective	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	sham	sham	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	8	advmod	_	_
8	real	real	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
10	copied	copy	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	conj	_	_
11	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	false	false	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	16	punct	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
15	sham	sham	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	fight	fight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | sham | real |  |  |  | as a adjective | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Agent as adjective=Attribute |
| 2 | **copy** | participle | sham *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To sham is to pretend, to act as if something is true when it is not.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sham:m3:1
# text = To sham is to pretend, to act as if something is true when it is not.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	sham	sham	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	advcl	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	pretend	pretend	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	act	act	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	5	parataxis	_	_
9	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
10	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
11	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	13	nsubj	_	_
12	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
13	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	parataxis	_	_
14	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	16	advmod	_	_
15	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	nsubj	_	_
16	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
17	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	16	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | pretend *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **act** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **is** *a condition, not said to happen* | present | something |  |  |  |  | true *property* | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The prince was a sham, only a tailor in fine clothes.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sham:x1:1
# text = The prince was a sham, only a tailor in fine clothes.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	prince	prince	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	sham	sham	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
7	only	only	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	tailor	tailor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	appos	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	fine	fine	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	clothes	clothes	NOUN	NNS	Number=Ptan	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | the prince | a sham |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The toy soldiers had a sham fight.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sham:x2:1
# text = The toy soldiers had a sham fight.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	toy	toy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	soldiers	soldier	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	sham	sham	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	fight	fight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | the toy soldiers | a sham fight |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent fight=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He shammed sleep so he would not have to help.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sham:x3:1
# text = He shammed sleep so he would not have to help.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	shammed	sham	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	sleep	sleep	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	so	so	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
5	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
6	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
7	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	8	advmod	_	_
8	have	have	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	help	help	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sham** | past | He | sleep |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **have** | would | he |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **help** | to-infinitive | he *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent |

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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.

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