---
title: spotty — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «spotty» in the school dictionary: Spotty means covered with spots or dots, like a spotty dress. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# spotty

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Spotty, She, Chickenpox, puppy, Teenagers, homework · **What happens:** mean, cover, have, not mean, wear, make · **To what, where:** pimples, skin, spotty yellow raincoat, spotty faces, signal, country · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Spotty means covered with spots or dots, like a spotty dress.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:spotty:m1:1
# text = Spotty means covered with spots or dots, like a spotty dress.
1	Spotty	spotty	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	covered	cover	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	ccomp	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	spots	spot	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	dots	dot	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
9	like	like	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	spotty	spotty	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	dress	dress	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Spotty |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **cover** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | with spots or dots and a spotty dress | vn fill-9.8-1 «NP V NP PP.theme»: agent=Agent with spot=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}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Spotty means having pimples on the skin.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:spotty:m2:1
# text = Spotty means having pimples on the skin.
1	Spotty	spotty	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	having	have	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	xcomp	_	_
4	pimples	pimple	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	skin	skin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Spotty |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **have** *not said to happen* | gerund | Spotty *not said here* | pimples |  | the skin |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent pimple=Patient |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Spotty (mainly US) can mean not even or not regular, good in some places and bad in others, like a spotty phone signal.

<!-- fold The tree, 23 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:spotty:m3:1
# text = Spotty (mainly US) can mean not even or not regular, good in some places and bad in others, like a spotty phone signal.
1	Spotty	spotty	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	nsubj	_	_
2	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	mainly	mainly	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	US	US	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	1	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	4	punct	_	_
6	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
7	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
8	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	7	advmod	_	_
9	even	even	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
11	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	12	advmod	_	_
12	regular	regular	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
14	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	parataxis	_	_
15	in	in	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	17	det	_	_
17	places	place	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	obl	_	_
18	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
19	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	conj	_	_
20	in	in	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
21	others	other	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	19	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	27	punct	_	_
23	like	like	ADP	IN	_	27	case	_	_
24	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	27	det	_	_
25	spotty	spotty	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	27	amod	_	_
26	phone	phone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	27	compound	_	_
27	signal	signal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **mean** | can | Spotty |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She wore a spotty yellow raincoat.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:spotty:x1:1
# text = She wore a spotty yellow raincoat.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	wore	wear	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
4	spotty	spotty	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
5	yellow	yellow	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	raincoat	raincoat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wear** | past | She | a spotty yellow raincoat |  |  |  |  | vn wipe\_manner-10.4.1-1 «NP V NP.source»: agent=Agent raincoat=Source |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Chickenpox makes your skin spotty and itchy.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:spotty:x2:1
# text = Chickenpox makes your skin spotty and itchy.
1	Chickenpox	chickenpox	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	makes	make	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	skin	skin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	spotty	spotty	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	itchy	itchy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | present | Chickenpox | your skin |  |  |  | spotty *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset skin=Product |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The puppy is white and spotty.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:spotty:x3:1
# text = The puppy is white and spotty.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	puppy	puppy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	white	white	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	spotty	spotty	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | the puppy |  |  |  |  | white *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **be** |  | the puppy *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Teenagers sometimes get spotty faces.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:spotty:x4:1
# text = Teenagers sometimes get spotty faces.
1	Teenagers	teenager	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	sometimes	sometimes	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	3	advmod	_	_
3	get	get	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	spotty	spotty	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	faces	face	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** | present | Teenagers | spotty faces |  |  |  | sometimes *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer face=Stimulus |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The signal is spotty out in the country.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:spotty:x5:1
# text = The signal is spotty out in the country.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	signal	signal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	spotty	spotty	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	out	out	ADP	RP	_	4	compound:prt	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	country	country	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **spotty out** | present · passive |  | the signal |  | the country |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
His homework was spotty: some answers were great, some were missing.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:spotty:x6:1
# text = His homework was spotty: some answers were great, some were missing.
1	His	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	homework	homework	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	spotty	spotty	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	9	punct	_	_
6	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	7	det	_	_
7	answers	answer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nsubj	_	_
8	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
9	great	great	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
11	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	13	nsubj	_	_
12	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
13	missing	missing	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | His homework |  |  |  |  | spotty *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | past | some answers |  |  |  |  | great *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **is** | past | some |  |  |  |  | missing *property* | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I like your spotty socks!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:spotty:x7:1
# text = I like your spotty socks!
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	like	like	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
4	spotty	spotty	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	socks	sock	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **like** | present | I | your spotty socks |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Pivot sock=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 -->

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