---
title: showmanship — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «showmanship» in the school dictionary: Skill at entertaining a crowd and getting attention, by doing things in a bold, exciting or dramatic way. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# showmanship

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Skill, showmanship, goal celebration, His, circus ringmaster, Good showmanship · **What happens:** entertain, get, do, have, be, celebrate · **To what, where:** crowd, attention, things, bold, whole hall gasping, pure showmanship · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Skill at entertaining a crowd and getting attention, by doing things in a bold, exciting or dramatic way.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:showmanship:m1:1
# text = Skill at entertaining a crowd and getting attention, by doing things in a bold, exciting or dramatic way.
1	Skill	skill	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
2	at	at	SCONJ	IN	_	3	mark	_	_
3	entertaining	entertain	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	1	acl	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	crowd	crowd	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	getting	get	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	3	conj	_	_
8	attention	attention	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
10	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
11	doing	do	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	3	conj	_	_
12	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	obj	_	_
13	in	in	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	bold	bold	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	20	punct	_	_
17	exciting	exciting	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	20	amod	_	_
18	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
19	dramatic	dramatic	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	conj	_	_
20	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **entertain** | gerund | Skill *not said here* | a crowd |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus crowd=Experiencer |
| 2 | **get** | gerund | Skill *not said here* | attention |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer attention=Stimulus |
| 3 | **do** | gerund | Skill *not said here* | things |  | a bold and exciting way |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent thing=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.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The magician's showmanship had the whole hall gasping.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:showmanship:x1:1
# text = The magician's showmanship had the whole hall gasping.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	magician	magician	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	showmanship	showmanship	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
7	whole	whole	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
8	hall	hall	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	gasping	gasping	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | the magician's showmanship | the whole hall gasping |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent gasping=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
His goal celebration was pure showmanship.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:showmanship:x2:1
# text = His goal celebration was pure showmanship.
1	His	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	goal	goal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	celebration	celebration	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	pure	pure	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	showmanship	showmanship	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | His goal celebration | pure showmanship |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **celebrate** |  | His *= he* |  |  |  |  |  | nom celebration «event transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The circus ringmaster was famous for his showmanship.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:showmanship:x3:1
# text = The circus ringmaster was famous for his showmanship.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	circus	circus	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	ringmaster	ringmaster	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	famous	famous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	showmanship	showmanship	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the circus ringmaster |  |  |  |  | for his showmanship; famous *property* | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Good showmanship can make even a science demo exciting.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:showmanship:x4:1
# text = Good showmanship can make even a science demo exciting.
1	Good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	showmanship	showmanship	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	even	even	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	science	science	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	demo	demo	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
9	exciting	exciting	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | can | Good showmanship | a science demo |  |  |  | exciting *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset demo=Product |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She plays well, but she needs less showmanship and more teamwork.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:showmanship:x5:1
# text = She plays well, but she needs less showmanship and more teamwork.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	plays	play	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	well	well	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	2	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
5	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
6	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	needs	need	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
8	less	less	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	9	amod	_	_
9	showmanship	showmanship	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
11	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	12	amod	_	_
12	teamwork	teamwork	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **play** | present | She |  |  |  |  | well *property* | vn performance-26.7-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **need** | present | she | less showmanship and more teamwork |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Pivot showmanship=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
P. T. Barnum was known for his showmanship and his tall tales.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:showmanship:x6:1
# text = P. T. Barnum was known for his showmanship and his tall tales.
1	P.	P.	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	T.	T.	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	1	flat	_	_
3	Barnum	Barnum	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	1	flat	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	known	know	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	showmanship	showmanship	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
10	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	12	nmod:poss	_	_
11	tall	tall	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	tales	tale	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **know** | past · passive |  | P. |  |  |  | for P.'s showmanship and P.'s tall tales | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: subject=Stimulus |
| 2 | **tell** |  | P. |  |  |  |  |  | nom tale «communication intransitive»: poss=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.

<!-- /div -->

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