---
title: sparring — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «sparring» in the school dictionary: In boxing and martial arts, sparring is practice fighting with a partner, using light hits and safety gear, to train, not to hurt. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# sparring

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** sparring, practice, spar, We, You, sparring partner · **What happens:** be, fight, use, hit, train, not hurt · **To what, where:** practice, boxing, light, safety gear, friendly way, quick clever remarks · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«sparring» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 7 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: [sparring in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/sparring.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In boxing and martial arts, sparring is practice fighting with a partner, using light hits and safety gear, to train, not to hurt.

<!-- fold The tree, 23 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sparring:m1:1
# text = In boxing and martial arts, sparring is practice fighting with a partner, using light hits and safety gear, to train, not to hurt.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	boxing	boxing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
3	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
4	martial	martial	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	arts	art	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
7	sparring	sparring	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
9	practice	practice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	nsubj	_	_
10	fighting	fight	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	9	acl	_	_
11	with	with	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	partner	partner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
15	using	use	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	10	conj	_	_
16	light	light	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obj	_	_
17	hits	hit	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
18	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	20	cc	_	_
19	safety	safety	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	compound	_	_
20	gear	gear	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	23	punct	_	_
22	to	to	PART	TO	_	23	mark	_	_
23	train	train	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	17	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	27	punct	_	_
25	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	27	advmod	_	_
26	to	to	PART	TO	_	27	mark	_	_
27	hurt	hurt	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	23	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	17	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | sparring | practice |  | boxing and martial arts |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **fight** | gerund | practice *not said here* |  |  |  |  | with a partner | vn battle-36.4-1 «NP V PP.co-agent»: agent=Agent with partner=Co-Agent |
| 3 | **use** | gerund | practice *not said here* | light |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent light=Patient |
| 4 | **hit** | present | practice | safety gear |  |  |  |  | vn contiguous\_location-47.8-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 5 | **train** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn hire-13.5.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 6 | **not** **hurt** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: 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}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Sparring is also arguing in a friendly or not very serious way, trading quick clever remarks.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sparring:m2:1
# text = Sparring is also arguing in a friendly or not very serious way, trading quick clever remarks.
1	Sparring	sparring	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	also	also	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	arguing	argue	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
7	friendly	friendly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
9	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	11	advmod	_	_
10	very	very	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
11	serious	serious	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	conj	_	_
12	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
14	trading	trade	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	conj	_	_
15	quick	quick	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	amod	_	_
16	clever	clever	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	amod	_	_
17	remarks	remark	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **argue** *speech: disagree* | present · progressive | Sparring |  |  | a friendly way |  |  | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **trade** | gerund | Sparring *not said here* | quick clever remarks |  |  |  |  | vn exchange-13.6.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent remark=Theme |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To spar means to do that practice fighting, or to argue with someone.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sparring:m3:1
# text = To spar means to do that practice fighting, or to argue with someone.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	spar	spar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	ccomp	_	_
6	that	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	7	det	_	_
7	practice	practice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	fighting	fight	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
11	to	to	PART	TO	_	12	mark	_	_
12	argue	argue	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	parataxis	_	_
13	with	with	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	12	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | spar |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **do** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  | that practice |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent practice=Eventuality |
| 3 | **fight** | gerund | that practice *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn battle-36.4-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **argue** *speech: disagree* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | with someone | vn chit\_chat-37.6-1 «NP V PP.co-agent»: agent=Agent with someone=Co-Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We have sparring practice at karate on Fridays.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sparring:x1:1
# text = We have sparring practice at karate on Fridays.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	have	have	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	sparring	spar	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	xcomp	_	_
4	practice	practice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
5	at	at	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	karate	karate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	Fridays	Friday	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | We |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **spar** | gerund | We *not said here* | practice |  | karate on Fridays |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
You must wear a head guard for sparring.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sparring:x2:1
# text = You must wear a head guard for sparring.
1	You	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	wear	wear	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	head	head	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	guard	guard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	sparring	sparring	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wear** | must | You | a head guard |  |  |  | for sparring | vn wipe\_manner-10.4.1-1 «NP V NP.source»: agent=Agent guard=Source |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The boxer's sparring partner helped him get ready.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sparring:x3:1
# text = The boxer's sparring partner helped him get ready.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	boxer	boxer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	sparring	sparring	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	partner	partner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	helped	help	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	get	get	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	xcomp	_	_
9	ready	ready	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **help** | past | the boxer's sparring partner | him *= he* |  |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent he=Beneficiary clause=Theme |
| 2 | **get** | infinitive | him *= he* *not said here* |  |  |  |  | ready *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The two friends enjoy sparring about football.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sparring:x4:1
# text = The two friends enjoy sparring about football.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	3	nummod	_	_
3	friends	friend	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	enjoy	enjoy	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	sparring	spar	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	4	xcomp	_	_
6	about	about	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	football	football	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **enjoy** | present | the two friends |  |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer clause=Stimulus |
| 2 | **spar** | gerund | the two friends *not said here* |  |  |  |  | about football | vn battle-36.4 «NP V PP.theme NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent about football=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The leaders sparred on TV about taxes.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sparring:x5:1
# text = The leaders sparred on TV about taxes.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	leaders	leader	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
3	sparred	spar	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	TV	TV	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
6	about	about	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	taxes	tax	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **spar** | participle |  | the leaders *not said here* |  | TV |  | about taxes | vn battle-36.4 «NP V PP.theme NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent about tax=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In taekwondo sparring, you score points for kicks.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sparring:x6:1
# text = In taekwondo sparring, you score points for kicks.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	taekwondo	taekwondo	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	sparring	sparring	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	score	score	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	points	point	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	_
8	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	kicks	kick	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **score** | present | you | points |  | taekwondo sparring |  | for kicks | vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP PP.source»: agent=Agent point=Theme for kick=Source |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Sparring is not real fighting; we stop when the coach says.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sparring:x7:1
# text = Sparring is not real fighting; we stop when the coach says.
1	Sparring	sparring	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	5	advmod	_	_
4	real	real	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	fighting	fighting	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	8	punct	_	_
7	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	stop	stop	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
9	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	12	mark	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	coach	coach	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
12	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **is a** | present | Sparring | real fighting |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **stop** | present | we |  |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |
| 3 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | the coach |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |

<!-- 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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