---
title: snitch — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «snitch» in the school dictionary: To tell a teacher, parent or other adult that someone has done something wrong (informal and often unkind). Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# snitch

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** someone, person, you, He, Nobody, Telling · **What happens:** tell, do, steal, snitch, eat, like · **To what, where:** teacher, something, others, biscuit, cake, snitch · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To tell a teacher, parent or other adult that someone has done something wrong (informal and often unkind).

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:snitch:m1:1
# text = To tell a teacher, parent or other adult that someone has done something wrong (informal and often unkind).
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	tell	tell	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
6	parent	parent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
8	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	adult	adult	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	_
10	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
11	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	13	nsubj	_	_
12	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	aux	_	_
13	done	do	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	2	ccomp	_	_
14	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	13	obj	_	_
15	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
16	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	17	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	informal	informal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	conj	_	_
18	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	20	cc	_	_
19	often	often	ADV	RB	_	20	advmod	_	_
20	unkind	unkind	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	20	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | to-infinitive |  |  | a teacher and parent or other adult |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent teacher=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 2 | **do** | present · perfect | someone | something |  |  |  |  | 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 person who tells on others.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:snitch:m2:1
# text = A person who tells on others.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	4	nsubj	_	_
4	tells	tell	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	acl:relcl	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	others	other	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | present | a person |  |  | others |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To steal something small.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:snitch:m3:1
# text = To steal something small.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	steal	steal	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **steal** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location something=Theme |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"snitch a biscuit".

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:snitch:m3e:1
# text = "snitch a biscuit".
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	snitch	snitch	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	biscuit	biscuit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **snitch** *speech: other* *in a quote* | imperative | you *not said here* | a biscuit |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent biscuit=Topic |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He snitched on his sister for eating the cake.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:snitch:x1:1
# text = He snitched on his sister for eating the cake.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	snitched	snitch	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	on	on	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	sister	sister	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
7	eating	eat	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	cake	cake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **snitch** *speech: other* | past | He |  |  |  |  | on his sister | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **eat** | gerund | He *not said here* | the cake |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent cake=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Nobody likes being called a snitch.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:snitch:x2:1
# text = Nobody likes being called a snitch.
1	Nobody	nobody	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	2	nsubj	_	_
2	likes	like	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	xcomp	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	snitch	snitch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **like** | present | Nobody |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot clause=Theme |
| 2 | **call** *not said to happen* | gerund · passive | Nobody *not said here* | a snitch |  |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: snitch=Recipient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Telling a teacher about bullying is not snitching.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:snitch:x3:1
# text = Telling a teacher about bullying is not snitching.
1	Telling	tell	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	8	csubj	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	about	about	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	bullying	bullying	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
7	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	8	advmod	_	_
8	snitching	snitch	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | gerund |  |  | a teacher |  |  | about bullying | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent teacher=Recipient about bullying=Topic |
| 2 | **not** **snitch** *speech: other* | present · progressive | Telling |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She snitched a cookie from the jar.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:snitch:x4:1
# text = She snitched a cookie from the jar.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	snitched	snitch	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	cookie	cookie	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	from	from	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	jar	jar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **snitch** *speech: other* | past | She | a cookie |  | the jar |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent cookie=Topic |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In Quidditch, the Seeker tries to catch the Snitch.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:snitch:x5:1
# text = In Quidditch, the Seeker tries to catch the Snitch.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	Quidditch	Quidditch	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	Seeker	Seeker	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	tries	try	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	catch	catch	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	xcomp	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	Snitch	snitch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **try** | present | the Seeker |  |  | Quidditch |  |  | vn try-61.1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **catch** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | the Seeker *not said here* | the Snitch |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent snitch=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Do not snitch about small things, but always tell about danger.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:snitch:x6:1
# text = Do not snitch about small things, but always tell about danger.
1	Do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
2	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	snitch	snitch	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	about	about	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
8	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
9	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	10	advmod	_	_
10	tell	tell	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
11	about	about	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	danger	danger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **snitch** *speech: other* | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | about small things | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **tell** *speech: assert* | infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | about danger; always *property* | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent about danger=Topic |

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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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