---
title: specify — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «specify» in the school dictionary: To say or write something clearly and exactly: specify the date. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# specify

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** you, recipe, She, rules · **What happens:** say, write, specify, state, not specify, give · **To what, where:** something, date, shoe size, much salt, answers, cm · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«specify» in the school dictionary: its 2 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: [specify in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/specify.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To say or write something clearly and exactly: specify the date.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:specify:m1:1
# text = To say or write something clearly and exactly: specify the date.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	say	say	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	write	write	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
5	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	4	obj	_	_
6	clearly	clearly	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	exactly	exactly	ADV	RB	_	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	10	punct	_	_
10	specify	specify	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	date	date	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **write** | infinitive |  | something |  |  |  | clearly *property* | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Theme |
| 3 | **specify** | infinitive |  | the date |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent date=Theme |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To state as a rule or requirement.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:specify:m2:1
# text = To state as a rule or requirement.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	state	state	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	as	as	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	rule	rule	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	requirement	requirement	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **state** *speech: other* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | as a rule or requirement | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Please specify your shoe size.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:specify:x1:1
# text = Please specify your shoe size.
1	Please	please	INTJ	UH	_	2	discourse	_	_
2	specify	specify	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
4	shoe	shoe	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	size	size	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **specify** | imperative | you *not said here* | your shoe size |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent size=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The recipe doesn't specify how much salt.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:specify:x2:1
# text = The recipe doesn't specify how much salt.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	recipe	recipe	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	does	do	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	5	advmod	_	_
5	specify	specify	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	7	advmod	_	_
7	much	much	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	salt	salt	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **specify** | present · do-support | the recipe | much salt |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent salt=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Unless otherwise specified, give answers in cm.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:specify:x3:1
# text = Unless otherwise specified, give answers in cm.
1	Unless	unless	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
2	otherwise	otherwise	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	specified	specify	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	1	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
5	give	give	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	conj	_	_
6	answers	answer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	cm	cm	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **specify** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | otherwise *property* | vn characterize-29.2 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **give** | present |  | answers |  | cm |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent answer=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She specified that she wanted blue.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:specify:x4:1
# text = She specified that she wanted blue.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	specified	specify	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
4	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
5	wanted	want	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	ccomp	_	_
6	blue	blue	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **specify** | past | She |  |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2 «NP V NP to be ADJ»: agent=Agent clause=Attribute |
| 2 | **want** | past | she |  |  |  |  | blue *property* | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP ADJ»: agent=Pivot |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The rules specify a maximum of six players.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:specify:x5:1
# text = The rules specify a maximum of six players.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	rules	rule	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	specify	specify	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	maximum	maximum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	six	six	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	8	nummod	_	_
8	players	player	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **specify** | present | the rules | a maximum of six players |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent maximum=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Can you specify what you mean?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:specify:x6:1
# text = Can you specify what you mean?
1	Can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
2	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	specify	specify	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	6	obj	_	_
5	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	mean	mean	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **specify** | can | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2 «NP V NP to be ADJ»: agent=Agent clause=Attribute |
| 2 | **mean** | present | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent what=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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