---
title: stern — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «stern» in the school dictionary: Stern means serious and strict, not smiling, like a teacher who wants you to behave. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/stern/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/) / [school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/) / [S](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/) / stern

# stern

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Stern, teacher, you, headteacher, voice, We · **What happens:** mean, not smile, want, behave, be, describe · **To what, where:** you, back part, hard serious test, stern look, us, bed

<!-- .vabout -->
«stern» in the school dictionary: its 3 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: [stern in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/stern.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Stern means serious and strict, not smiling, like a teacher who wants you to behave.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:stern:m1:1
# text = Stern means serious and strict, not smiling, like a teacher who wants you to behave.
1	Stern	stern	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	serious	serious	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	strict	strict	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
7	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	8	advmod	_	_
8	smiling	smile	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
10	like	like	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
13	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	14	nsubj	_	_
14	wants	want	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	acl:relcl	_	_
15	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	14	obj	_	_
16	to	to	PART	TO	_	17	mark	_	_
17	behave	behave	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	14	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Stern |  |  |  |  | serious *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **not** **smile** | gerund | Stern *not said here* |  |  |  |  | like a teacher | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **want** | present | a teacher | you |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **behave** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn masquerade-29.6-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .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 -->
The stern is the back part of a ship or boat.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:stern:m2:1
# text = The stern is the back part of a ship or boat.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	stern	stern	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	back	back	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	part	part	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	ship	ship	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	boat	boat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the stern | the back part |  |  |  | of a ship or boat | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Stern can also describe a hard, serious test or warning: a stern warning.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:stern:m3:1
# text = Stern can also describe a hard, serious test or warning: a stern warning.
1	Stern	stern	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	also	also	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	describe	describe	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
6	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
8	serious	serious	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	test	test	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	warning	warning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	15	punct	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
14	stern	stern	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	warning	warning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **describe** | can | Stern | a hard serious test or warning |  |  |  | a stern warning *obl* | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent test=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The headteacher gave us a stern look.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:stern:x1:1
# text = The headteacher gave us a stern look.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	headteacher	headteacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	gave	give	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	iobj	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	stern	stern	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	look	look	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | past | the headteacher | a stern look | us |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent we=Recipient look=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grandpa's voice was stern: «Go to bed now.»

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:stern:x2:1
# text = Grandpa's voice was stern: «Go to bed now.»
1	Grandpa	Grandpa	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	's	PART	POS	_	1	case	_	_
3	voice	voice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	stern	stern	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	8	punct	_	_
7	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	Go	go	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	conj	_	_
9	to	to	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	bed	bed	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
11	now	now	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | Grandpa's voice |  |  |  |  | stern *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **go** *in a quote* | infinitive | Grandpa's voice *not said here* |  |  | bed | now |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme to bed=Initial\_Location |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We got a stern warning about running in the corridor.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:stern:x3:1
# text = We got a stern warning about running in the corridor.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	got	get	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	stern	stern	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	warning	warning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	about	about	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
7	running	run	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	acl	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	corridor	corridor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** | past | We | a stern warning |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer warning=Stimulus |
| 2 | **run** | gerund | a stern warning *not said here* |  |  | the corridor |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in corridor=Trajectory |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We sat at the stern of the boat.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:stern:x4:1
# text = We sat at the stern of the boat.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	sat	sit	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	at	at	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	stern	stern	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	boat	boat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sit** | past | We |  |  | the stern of the boat |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent at stern=Location |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The captain stood at the stern and steered.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:stern:x5:1
# text = The captain stood at the stern and steered.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	captain	captain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	stood	stand	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	at	at	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	stern	stern	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	steered	steer	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stand** | past | the captain |  |  | the stern |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent at stern=Location |
| 2 | **steer** | past | the captain *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn accompany-51.7 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She is stern but fair.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:stern:x6:1
# text = She is stern but fair.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	stern	stern	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	fair	fair	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The ship was cleaned from stem to stern.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:stern:x7:1
# text = The ship was cleaned from stem to stern.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	ship	ship	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	cleaned	clean	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	from	from	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	stem	stem	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	stern	stern	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **clean** | past · passive |  | the ship |  | stem |  |  | vn clear-10.3 «NP V NP PP.source»: subject=Theme from stem=Source |
| 2 | **stern** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Now, Minos was a stern and pitiless king.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:stern:x8:1
# text = Now, Minos was a stern and pitiless king.
1	Now	now	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	9	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	Minos	Minos	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
6	stern	stern	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	pitiless	pitiless	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	conj	_	_
9	king	king	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | Minos | a stern king |  |  | now |  | 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 -->
- ← previous: [sterling](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sterling/)
- next →: [sternly](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sternly/)
- ↑ back to [S in school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/)