---
title: sherlock — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «sherlock» in the school dictionary: Sherlock Holmes is a famous fictional detective in stories by Arthur Conan Doyle, who solves crimes by careful noticing and logical thinking. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# sherlock

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Sherlock, famous fictional detective, person, ruder version, It, sister · **What happens:** be, solve, notice, find out, say, state · **To what, where:** famous fictional detective, stories, crimes, things, someone, something · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Sherlock Holmes is a famous fictional detective in stories by Arthur Conan Doyle, who solves crimes by careful noticing and logical thinking.

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sherlock:m1:1
# text = Sherlock Holmes is a famous fictional detective in stories by Arthur Conan Doyle, who solves crimes by careful noticing and logical thinking.
1	Sherlock	Sherlock	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
2	Holmes	Holmes	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	1	flat	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
5	famous	famous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
6	fictional	fictional	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	detective	detective	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	stories	story	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nmod	_	_
10	by	by	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	Arthur	Arthur	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	_
12	Conan	Conan	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	11	flat	_	_
13	Doyle	Doyle	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	11	flat	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
15	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	16	nsubj	_	_
16	solves	solve	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	parataxis	_	_
17	crimes	crime	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	obj	_	_
18	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	20	mark	_	_
19	careful	careful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	20	amod	_	_
20	noticing	notice	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	16	advcl	_	_
21	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	23	cc	_	_
22	logical	logical	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	23	amod	_	_
23	thinking	thinking	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Sherlock | a famous fictional detective |  | stories |  | by Arthur | tree rules |
| 2 | **solve** | present | a famous fictional detective | crimes |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent crime=Topic |
| 3 | **notice** | gerund | a famous fictional detective *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn see-30.1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A person who is good at finding things out.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sherlock:m2:1
# text = A person who is good at finding things out.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	5	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
6	at	at	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
7	finding	find	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	5	advcl	_	_
8	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	_
9	out	out	ADP	RP	_	7	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | a person |  |  |  |  | good *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **find out** | gerund | a person *not said here* | things |  |  |  |  | vn learn-14-2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent thing=Topic |

<!-- .note -->
The example in this meaning, parsed on its own:

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"Well done, Sherlock!"

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sherlock:m2e:1
# text = "Well done, Sherlock!"
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Well	well	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	3	advmod	_	_
3	done	do	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
5	Sherlock	Sherlock	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** *in a quote* | participle |  | Sherlock |  |  |  | well *property* | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Said to someone who has just stated something obvious.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sherlock:m3:1
# text = Said to someone who has just stated something obvious.
1	Said	say	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
2	to	to	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	1	obl	_	_
4	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj:pass	_	_
5	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
6	just	just	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	stated	state	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	acl:relcl	_	_
8	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	7	obj	_	_
9	obvious	obvious	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | participle |  |  | someone |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V PP.recipient S-Quote»: agent=Agent to someone=Recipient |
| 2 | **state** *speech: other* | present · perfect · passive |  | something |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- .note -->
The example in this meaning, parsed on its own:

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"No kidding, Sherlock!" (a ruder version uses a swear word).

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* "No kidding, Sherlock!"

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sherlock:m3e:1
# text = "No kidding, Sherlock!"
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	No	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	3	det	_	_
3	kidding	kidding	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
5	Sherlock	Sherlock	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
```

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

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* (a ruder version uses a swear word).

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sherlock:m3e:2
# text = (a ruder version uses a swear word).
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	ruder	rude	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	4	amod	_	_
4	version	version	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	uses	use	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	swear	swear	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | present | a ruder version | a swear word |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent word=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Sherlock Holmes lived at 221B Baker Street.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sherlock:x1:1
# text = Sherlock Holmes lived at 221B Baker Street.
1	Sherlock	Sherlock	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	Holmes	Holmes	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	1	flat	_	_
3	lived	live	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	at	at	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	221B	221b	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing|NumForm=Combi|NumType=Ord	3	obl	_	_
6	Baker	Baker	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	Street	Street	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **live** | past | Sherlock |  |  | 221B |  |  | vn lodge-46 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme at 221b=Location |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"It's raining." "Well spotted, Sherlock!"

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* "It's raining." "

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sherlock:x2:1
# text = "It's raining." "
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	raining	rain	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
7	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **rain** *in a quote* | present · progressive | It |  |  |  |  |  | vn weather-57 «It V PP.theme» |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* Well spotted, Sherlock!"

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sherlock:x2:2
# text = Well spotted, Sherlock!"
1	Well	well	INTJ	UH	_	2	discourse	_	_
2	spotted	spot	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
4	Sherlock	Sherlock	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **spot** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn weather-57 «It V PP.theme» |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My sister played Sherlock and found my hidden chocolate.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sherlock:x3:1
# text = My sister played Sherlock and found my hidden chocolate.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	sister	sister	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	played	play	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	Sherlock	Sherlock	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	found	find	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
7	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
8	hidden	hidden	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	chocolate	chocolate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **play** | past | My sister | Sherlock |  |  |  |  | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sherlock=Theme |
| 2 | **find** | past | My sister *not said here* | my hidden chocolate |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent chocolate=Topic |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Sherlock solves crimes by noticing small clues.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sherlock:x4:1
# text = Sherlock solves crimes by noticing small clues.
1	Sherlock	sherlock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	solves	solve	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	crimes	crime	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
4	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
5	noticing	notice	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
6	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	clues	clue	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **solve** | present | Sherlock | crimes |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent crime=Topic |
| 2 | **notice** | gerund | Sherlock *not said here* | small clues |  |  |  |  | vn see-30.1-1 «NP V S»: agent=Experiencer clue=Stimulus |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dr Watson helps Sherlock on his cases.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sherlock:x5:1
# text = Dr Watson helps Sherlock on his cases.
1	Dr	Dr	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nmod:desc	_	_
2	Watson	Watson	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	helps	help	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	Sherlock	Sherlock	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	cases	case	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **help** | present | Watson  Dr |  | Sherlock | Watson's cases |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sherlock=Beneficiary |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Let's be Sherlocks and work out who took the cake.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sherlock:x6:1
# text = Let's be Sherlocks and work out who took the cake.
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	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	cop	_	_
4	Sherlocks	sherlock	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obj	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	work	work	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	1	conj	_	_
7	out	out	ADP	RP	_	6	compound:prt	_	_
8	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	9	nsubj	_	_
9	took	take	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	ccomp	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	cake	cake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	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 |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent we=Theme |
| 2 | **is a** | infinitive |  | Sherlocks |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **work out** | infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 4 | **take** | past |  | the cake |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent cake=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 -->

<!-- pn -->
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