---
title: suspender — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «suspender» in the school dictionary: Suspenders are straps that go over the shoulders to hold trousers up; British people call these braces. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# suspender

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Suspenders, straps, British people, suspender, elastic strap, women · **What happens:** be, go, hold up, call, wear, fall down · **To what, where:** straps, shoulders, trousers, braces, elastic strap, stocking · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Suspenders are straps that go over the shoulders to hold trousers up; British people call these braces.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suspender:m1:1
# text = Suspenders are straps that go over the shoulders to hold trousers up; British people call these braces.
1	Suspenders	suspender	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	straps	strap	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
4	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	5	nsubj	_	_
5	go	go	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	acl:relcl	_	_
6	over	over	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	shoulders	shoulder	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	hold	hold	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	advcl	_	_
11	trousers	trousers	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obj	_	_
12	up	up	ADP	RP	_	10	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	16	punct	_	_
14	British	British	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	nsubj	_	_
16	call	call	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	acl:relcl	_	_
17	these	this	DET	DT	Number=Plur|PronType=Dem	18	det	_	_
18	braces	brace	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Suspenders | straps |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **go** | present | straps |  |  | the shoulders |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme over shoulder=Initial\_Location |
| 3 | **hold up** | to-infinitive | straps *not said here* | trousers |  |  |  |  | vn support-15.3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Pivot trousers=Theme |
| 4 | **call** | present | British people | this braces |  |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent brace=Recipient |

<!-- .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: UK, Ireland, Australia — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A suspender is an elastic strap that holds up a stocking or sock; suspender belts were worn by women and sock suspenders by men in the past.

<!-- fold The tree, 27 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suspender:m2:1
# text = A suspender is an elastic strap that holds up a stocking or sock; suspender belts were worn by women and sock suspenders by men in the past.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	suspender	suspender	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	elastic	elastic	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	strap	strap	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	8	nsubj	_	_
8	holds	hold	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	acl:relcl	_	_
9	up	up	ADP	RP	_	8	compound:prt	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	stocking	stocking	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	sock	sock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	18	punct	_	_
15	suspender	suspender	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	compound	_	_
16	belts	belt	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	18	nsubj:pass	_	_
17	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	18	aux:pass	_	_
18	worn	wear	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	acl	_	_
19	by	by	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
20	women	woman	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	18	obl	_	_
21	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	23	cc	_	_
22	sock	sock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	23	compound	_	_
23	suspenders	suspender	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	20	conj	_	_
24	by	by	ADP	IN	_	25	case	_	_
25	men	man	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	18	obl	_	_
26	in	in	ADP	IN	_	28	case	_	_
27	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	28	det	_	_
28	past	past	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a suspender | a elastic strap |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **hold up** | present | a elastic strap | a stocking or sock |  |  |  |  | vn support-15.3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Pivot stocking=Theme |
| 3 | **wear** | past · passive | women and sock suspenders | suspender belts |  | the past |  | by men | vn wipe\_manner-10.4.1-1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent subject=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grandpa wears red suspenders to hold up his jeans.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suspender:x1:1
# text = Grandpa wears red suspenders to hold up his jeans.
1	Grandpa	grandpa	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	wears	wear	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	red	red	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	suspenders	suspender	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	hold	hold	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
7	up	up	ADP	RP	_	6	compound:prt	_	_
8	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	jeans	jeans	NOUN	NNS	Number=Ptan	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wear** | present | Grandpa | red suspenders |  |  |  |  | vn wipe\_manner-10.4.1-1 «NP V NP.source»: agent=Agent suspender=Source |
| 2 | **hold up** | to-infinitive | Grandpa *not said here* | Grandpa's jeans |  |  |  |  | vn support-15.3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Pivot jeans=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In Britain, those straps are called braces, not suspenders.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suspender:x2:1
# text = In Britain, those straps are called braces, not suspenders.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	Britain	Britain	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	those	that	DET	DT	Number=Plur|PronType=Dem	5	det	_	_
5	straps	strap	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj:pass	_	_
6	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux:pass	_	_
7	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
8	braces	brace	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
10	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	11	advmod	_	_
11	suspenders	suspender	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** | present · passive |  | that straps |  | Britain |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: subject=Recipient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The clown's trousers fell down when his suspenders snapped.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suspender:x3:1
# text = The clown's trousers fell down when his suspenders snapped.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	clown	clown	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	trousers	trousers	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
5	fell	fall	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	down	down	ADP	RP	_	5	compound:prt	_	_
7	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	10	advmod	_	_
8	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	suspenders	suspender	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	nsubj	_	_
10	snapped	snap	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fall down** | past | the clown's trousers |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **snap** | past | his suspenders |  |  |  |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Old-fashioned sock suspenders kept socks from slipping.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suspender:x4:1
# text = Old-fashioned sock suspenders kept socks from slipping.
1	Old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	1	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	fashioned	fashioned	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
4	sock	sock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	suspenders	suspender	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
6	kept	keep	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	socks	sock	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	_
8	from	from	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
9	slipping	slip	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	6	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **keep** | past | fashioned sock suspenders | socks |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sock=Theme |
| 2 | **slip** | gerund | fashioned sock suspenders *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn calibratable\_cos-45.6.1-1 «NP.attribute V»: agent=Attribute |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He clipped his suspenders to his trousers.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suspender:x5:1
# text = He clipped his suspenders to his trousers.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	clipped	clip	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	suspenders	suspender	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	trousers	trousers	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **clip** | past | He | his suspenders |  |  |  | to his trousers *result* | vn cut-21.1-1 «NP V NP PP.result»: agent=Agent suspender=Patient to trousers=Result |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Firefighters wear suspenders on their heavy trousers.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suspender:x6:1
# text = Firefighters wear suspenders on their heavy trousers.
1	Firefighters	firefighter	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	wear	wear	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	suspenders	suspender	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
6	heavy	heavy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	trousers	trousers	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wear** | present | Firefighters | suspenders |  | Firefighters's heavy trousers |  |  | vn wipe\_manner-10.4.1-1 «NP V NP.source»: agent=Agent suspender=Source |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
And he knew one thing more: he could embroider suspenders with roses and other flowers, and with arabesques, for he was a tasty, light-fingered fellow.

<!-- fold The tree, 26 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suspender:x7:1
# text = And he knew one thing more: he could embroider suspenders with roses and other flowers, and with arabesques, for he was a tasty, light-fingered fellow.
1	And	and	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
2	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	knew	know	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	thing	thing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	more	more	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	3	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	10	punct	_	_
8	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
9	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
10	embroider	embroider	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	conj	_	_
11	suspenders	suspender	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obj	_	_
12	with	with	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	roses	rose	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obl	_	_
14	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
15	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	flowers	flower	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	20	punct	_	_
18	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	20	cc	_	_
19	with	with	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
20	arabesques	arabesque	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	31	punct	_	_
22	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	31	mark	_	_
23	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	31	nsubj	_	_
24	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	31	cop	_	_
25	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	31	det	_	_
26	tasty	tasty	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	31	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	26	punct	_	_
28	light	light	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	30	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	28	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
30	fingered	finger	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	31	amod	_	_
31	fellow	fellow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
32	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **know** | past | he | one thing |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Experiencer thing=Stimulus |
| 2 | **embroider** | could | he | suspenders |  |  |  | with roses and other flowers | vn image\_impression-25.1 «NP V NP.destination PP.theme»: agent=Agent suspender=Destination with rose=Theme |
| 3 | **finger** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **is a** | past | he | a tasty fingered fellow |  |  |  |  | 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 -->

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