---
title: superficial — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «superficial» in the school dictionary: A superficial wound or damage is only on the surface and not deep or serious: a superficial cut. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# superficial

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** superficial wound, Superficial, superficial person, superficial likeness, It, car · **What happens:** be, mean, look, not think, read, care · **To what, where:** surface, text, one, same, superficial cut, superficial damage

<!-- .vabout -->
«superficial» in the school dictionary: its 4 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: [superficial in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/superficial.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A superficial wound or damage is only on the surface and not deep or serious: a superficial cut.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:superficial:m1:1
# text = A superficial wound or damage is only on the surface and not deep or serious: a superficial cut.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	superficial	superficial	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	wound	wound	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	damage	damage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
7	only	only	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
8	on	on	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	surface	surface	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
12	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	13	advmod	_	_
13	deep	deep	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
14	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
15	serious	serious	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	19	punct	_	_
17	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
18	superficial	superficial	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	19	amod	_	_
19	cut	cut	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | a superficial wound or damage |  |  | the surface |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- .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 -->
Superficial means only looking at the outside or the obvious parts, not thinking deeply: a superficial reading of the text.

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:superficial:m2:1
# text = Superficial means only looking at the outside or the obvious parts, not thinking deeply: a superficial reading of the text.
1	Superficial	superficial	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	only	only	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	looking	look	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	xcomp	_	_
5	at	at	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	outside	outside	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	obvious	obvious	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	parts	part	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
13	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	14	advmod	_	_
14	thinking	think	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	4	conj	_	_
15	deeply	deeply	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	19	punct	_	_
17	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
18	superficial	superficial	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	19	amod	_	_
19	reading	reading	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	parataxis	_	_
20	of	of	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
21	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
22	text	text	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Superficial |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **look** *not said to happen* | gerund | Superficial *not said here* |  |  |  |  | at the outside or the obvious parts | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent at outside=Theme |
| 3 | **not** **think** *speech: other* | gerund | Superficial *not said here* |  |  |  |  | deeply *property* | vn focus-87.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **read** |  |  | the text |  |  |  |  | nom reading «cognition transitive»: of=patient |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A superficial person cares mostly about looks and unimportant things, not deep feelings or ideas.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:superficial:m3:1
# text = A superficial person cares mostly about looks and unimportant things, not deep feelings or ideas.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	superficial	superficial	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	cares	care	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	mostly	mostly	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
6	about	about	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	looks	look	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
9	unimportant	unimportant	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
12	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	14	advmod	_	_
13	deep	deep	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	feelings	feeling	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	conj	_	_
15	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
16	ideas	idea	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **care** | present | a superficial person |  |  |  |  | about looks and unimportant things and deep feelings or ideas; mostly *property* | vn care-88.1-1 «NP V PP.stimulus what S»: agent=Experiencer about look=Stimulus |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A superficial likeness is one that seems the same at first but is different underneath.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:superficial:m4:1
# text = A superficial likeness is one that seems the same at first but is different underneath.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	superficial	superficial	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	likeness	likeness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	0	root	_	_
6	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	seems	seem	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	same	same	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	obj	_	_
10	at	at	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	first	first	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	7	obl	_	_
12	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
13	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	cop	_	_
14	different	different	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	parataxis	_	_
15	underneath	underneath	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a superficial likeness | one |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **seem** | present |  | the same |  |  |  |  | vn seem-109-1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme same=Attribute |
| 3 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | different, underneath *property* | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It was only a superficial cut.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:superficial:x1:1
# text = It was only a superficial cut.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
3	only	only	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	superficial	superficial	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	cut	cut	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | It | a superficial cut |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The car had superficial damage to its paint.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:superficial:x2:1
# text = The car had superficial damage to its paint.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	car	car	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	superficial	superficial	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	damage	damage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	to	to	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	paint	paint	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | the car | superficial damage |  |  |  | to car's paint | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent damage=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Your answer is a bit superficial; explain your reasons.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:superficial:x3:1
# text = Your answer is a bit superficial; explain your reasons.
1	Your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	answer	answer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	bit	bit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl:unmarked	_	_
6	superficial	superficial	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	8	punct	_	_
8	explain	explain	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	conj	_	_
9	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
10	reasons	reason	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Your answer |  |  |  |  | a bit *obl:unmarked*; superficial *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **explain** *speech: assert* | infinitive | Your answer *not said here* | your reasons |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent reason=Topic |
| 3 | **answer** |  | Your |  |  |  |  |  | nom answer «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Don't be superficial and judge people by their trainers.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:superficial:x4:1
# text = Don't be superficial and judge people by their trainers.
1	Do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
3	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	cop	_	_
4	superficial	superficial	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	csubj	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	judge	judge	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	conj	_	_
7	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	_
8	by	by	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
10	trainers	trainer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **not** **is** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | superficial *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **judge** | infinitive |  | people |  |  |  | by people's trainers | vn estimate-34.2-1-1 «NP V NP.value»: agent=Agent people=Value |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dolphins and sharks have a superficial likeness.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:superficial:x5:1
# text = Dolphins and sharks have a superficial likeness.
1	Dolphins	dolphin	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
2	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
3	sharks	shark	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	conj	_	_
4	have	have	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	superficial	superficial	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	likeness	likeness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | Dolphins and sharks | a superficial likeness |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent likeness=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The storm caused only superficial damage.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:superficial:x6:1
# text = The storm caused only superficial damage.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	storm	storm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	caused	cause	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	only	only	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
5	superficial	superficial	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	damage	damage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cause** | past | the storm | superficial damage |  |  |  |  | vn engender-27.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Precondition damage=Patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He had a superficial knowledge of football.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:superficial:x7:1
# text = He had a superficial knowledge of football.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	superficial	superficial	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	knowledge	knowledge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	football	football	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | He | a superficial knowledge of football |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent knowledge=Patient |

<!-- 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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