---
title: spruce — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «spruce» in the school dictionary: A spruce is a tall evergreen tree with short needles and hanging cones; it often grows in cold places. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# spruce

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** spruce, someone, forest, We, you, 's · **What happens:** be, hang, grow, mean, spruce up, look · **To what, where:** tall evergreen tree, cold places, light wood, something, needles, spruce

<!-- .vabout -->
«spruce» in the school dictionary: its 4 meanings for a pupil and its 8 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: [spruce in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/spruce.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A spruce is a tall evergreen tree with short needles and hanging cones; it often grows in cold places.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:spruce:m1:1
# text = A spruce is a tall evergreen tree with short needles and hanging cones; it often grows in cold places.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	spruce	spruce	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
5	tall	tall	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
6	evergreen	evergreen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	tree	tree	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	short	short	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	needles	needle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nmod	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
12	hanging	hang	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	13	amod	_	_
13	cones	cone	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	17	punct	_	_
15	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	17	nsubj	_	_
16	often	often	ADV	RB	_	17	advmod	_	_
17	grows	grow	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	_
18	in	in	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
19	cold	cold	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	20	amod	_	_
20	places	place	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	17	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a spruce | a tall evergreen tree |  |  |  | with short needles and hanging cones | tree rules |
| 2 | **hang** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **grow** | present | spruce |  |  | cold places |  | often *property* | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in place=Location |

<!-- .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 -->
Spruce is the light wood of this tree.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:spruce:m2:1
# text = Spruce is the light wood of this tree.
1	Spruce	spruce	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	light	light	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	wood	wood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	8	det	_	_
8	tree	tree	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Spruce | the light wood |  |  |  | of this tree | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Spruce means neat, clean and smart in appearance.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:spruce:m3:1
# text = Spruce means neat, clean and smart in appearance.
1	Spruce	spruce	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	neat	neat	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
5	clean	clean	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	conj	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	smart	smart	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	conj	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	appearance	appearance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Spruce |  |  |  |  | neat *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To spruce up something or someone is to make them look neater and smarter.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:spruce:m4:1
# text = To spruce up something or someone is to make them look neater and smarter.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	spruce	spruce	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	up	up	ADP	RP	_	2	compound:prt	_	_
4	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
6	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	9	nsubj	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	conj	_	_
10	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obj	_	_
11	look	look	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	xcomp	_	_
12	neater	neat	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	11	xcomp	_	_
13	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	smarter	smart	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	12	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **spruce up** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Patient |
| 2 | **is** | present | someone |  |  |  |  | make *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **look** | infinitive | someone *not said here* |  |  |  |  | neat *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A spruce keeps its needles all winter.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:spruce:x1:1
# text = A spruce keeps its needles all winter.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	spruce	spruce	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	keeps	keep	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	needles	needle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	7	det	_	_
7	winter	winter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **keep** | present | a spruce | spruce's needles |  |  | winter |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent needle=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The forest was full of tall spruces.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:spruce:x2:1
# text = The forest was full of tall spruces.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	forest	forest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	full	full	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	tall	tall	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	spruces	spruce	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the forest |  |  |  |  | of tall spruces; full *property* | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We bought a spruce for our Christmas tree.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:spruce:x3:1
# text = We bought a spruce for our Christmas tree.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	bought	buy	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	spruce	spruce	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
7	Christmas	Christmas	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	tree	tree	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **buy** | past | We | a spruce |  |  |  | for our Christmas tree | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP PP.beneficiary»: agent=Agent spruce=Theme for tree=Beneficiary |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Let's spruce up the classroom before parents' evening.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:spruce:x4:1
# text = Let's spruce up the classroom before parents' evening.
1	Let	let	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	1	obj	_	_
3	spruce	spruce	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	xcomp	_	_
4	up	up	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	classroom	classroom	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	before	before	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	parents	parent	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	'	's	PART	POS	_	8	case	_	_
10	evening	evening	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **let** | imperative | you *not said here* | 's |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **spruce up** | infinitive | 's *not said here* | the classroom |  |  | evening |  | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent classroom=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dad looked very spruce in his new suit.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:spruce:x5:1
# text = Dad looked very spruce in his new suit.
1	Dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	looked	look	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	very	very	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	spruce	spruce	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
7	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	suit	suit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** | past | Dad |  |  |  |  | spruce *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The violin was made of spruce.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:spruce:x6:1
# text = The violin was made of spruce.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	violin	violin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	spruce	spruce	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past · passive |  | the violin |  |  |  | of spruce | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: subject=Product |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She spruced herself up for the party.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:spruce:x7:1
# text = She spruced herself up for the party.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	spruced	spruce	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	herself	herself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	2	obj	_	_
4	up	up	ADP	RP	_	2	compound:prt	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	party	party	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 | **spruce up** | past | She | herself *= she* |  |  |  | for the party | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent herself=Patient |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
And ‘Quack, quack, quack.’ Drakestail is off again, singing and spruce as before.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* And ‘Quack, quack, quack.’

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:spruce:x8:1
# text = And ‘Quack, quack, quack.’
1	And	and	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
2	‘	'	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	Quack	quack	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
5	quack	quack	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
7	quack	quack	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	’	'	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* Drakestail is off again, singing and spruce as before.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:spruce:x8:2
# text = Drakestail is off again, singing and spruce as before.
1	Drakestail	Drakestail	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
3	off	off	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	again	again	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
6	singing	sing	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	spruce	spruce	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	_
9	as	as	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	before	before	ADV	RB	_	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Drakestail |  |  |  | again | sing *property* | tree rules |

<!-- 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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