---
title: tar — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «tar» in the school dictionary: Tar is a thick, black, sticky liquid made from coal, wood or oil, which goes hard when it cools. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# tar

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Tar, thick black sticky liquid, cigarette smoke, workers, I, Smoking · **What happens:** be, make, go, cool, use, waterproof · **To what, where:** thick black sticky liquid, coal, Tar, roads, roofs, harmful sticky stuff · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Tar is a thick, black, sticky liquid made from coal, wood or oil, which goes hard when it cools.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tar:m1:1
# text = Tar is a thick, black, sticky liquid made from coal, wood or oil, which goes hard when it cools.
1	Tar	tar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
4	thick	thick	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	black	black	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
8	sticky	sticky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	liquid	liquid	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
10	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	9	acl	_	_
11	from	from	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	coal	coal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
14	wood	wood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	conj	_	_
15	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
16	oil	oil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
18	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	19	nsubj	_	_
19	goes	go	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	conj	_	_
20	hard	hard	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	19	advmod	_	_
21	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	23	mark	_	_
22	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	23	nsubj	_	_
23	cools	cool	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	19	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Tar | a thick black sticky liquid |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **make** | participle |  | a thick black sticky liquid *not said here* |  | coal and wood or oil |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V PP»: agent=Asset from coal=Material |
| 3 | **go** | present | a thick black sticky liquid |  |  |  |  | hard *property* | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **cool** | present | Tar |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

<!-- .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 -->
Tar is used to make roads, to waterproof roofs and boats.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tar:m2:1
# text = Tar is used to make roads, to waterproof roofs and boats.
1	Tar	tar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
6	roads	road	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	waterproof	waterproof	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	conj	_	_
10	roofs	roof	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obj	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	boats	boat	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | present · passive |  | Tar |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |
| 2 | **make** | to-infinitive |  | roads |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset road=Product |
| 3 | **waterproof** | to-infinitive |  | roofs and boats |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Tar is also the harmful sticky stuff in cigarette smoke that damages the lungs.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tar:m3:1
# text = Tar is also the harmful sticky stuff in cigarette smoke that damages the lungs.
1	Tar	tar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
3	also	also	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
5	harmful	harmful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
6	sticky	sticky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	stuff	stuff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	cigarette	cigarette	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	smoke	smoke	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	_
11	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	12	nsubj	_	_
12	damages	damage	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	acl:relcl	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	lungs	lung	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Tar | the harmful sticky stuff |  | cigarette smoke |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **damage** | present | cigarette smoke | the lungs |  |  |  |  | vn destroy-44 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent lung=Patient |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To tar something is to cover it with tar.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tar:m4:1
# text = To tar something is to cover it with tar.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	tar	tar	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
3	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	cover	cover	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	tar	tar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tar** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn butter-9.9 «NP V NP.destination»: agent=Agent something=Destination |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | with tar; cover *property* | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The workers spread hot tar on the road.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tar:x1:1
# text = The workers spread hot tar on the road.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	workers	worker	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	spread	spread	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	hot	hot	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	tar	tar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	road	road	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **spread** | past | the workers | hot tar |  | the road |  |  | vn spray-9.7-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent tar=Theme on road=Destination |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I got tar on my feet at the beach.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tar:x2:1
# text = I got tar on my feet at the beach.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	got	get	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	tar	tar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	feet	foot	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
7	at	at	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	beach	beach	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** | past | I | tar |  | my feet |  | at the beach | vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP PP.source»: agent=Agent tar=Theme on foot=Source |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Smoking puts tar into your lungs.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tar:x3:1
# text = Smoking puts tar into your lungs.
1	Smoking	smoking	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	puts	put	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	tar	tar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	into	into	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	lungs	lung	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **put** | present | Smoking | tar |  | your lungs |  |  | vn invest-13.5.4-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent tar=Goal |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The roof was covered with tar to keep the rain out.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tar:x4:1
# text = The roof was covered with tar to keep the rain out.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	roof	roof	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	covered	cover	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	tar	tar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	keep	keep	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	advcl	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	rain	rain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
11	out	out	ADP	RP	_	8	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cover** | past · passive |  | the roof |  |  |  | with tar | vn fill-9.8-1 «NP V NP PP.theme»: subject=Destination with tar=Theme |
| 2 | **keep out** | to-infinitive |  | the rain |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent rain=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Long ago, sailors were called «Jack Tars» because of the tar on their clothes.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tar:x5:1
# text = Long ago, sailors were called «Jack Tars» because of the tar on their clothes.
1	Long	long	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	2	advmod	_	_
2	ago	ago	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	sailors	sailor	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
5	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux:pass	_	_
6	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
7	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	Jack	Jack	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	Tars	Tar	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	8	flat	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	8	punct	_	_
11	because	because	ADP	IN	ExtPos=ADP	14	case	_	_
12	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	fixed	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	tar	tar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
15	on	on	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	17	nmod:poss	_	_
17	clothes	clothes	NOUN	NNS	Number=Ptan	14	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** | past · passive |  | sailors |  |  |  | because the tar on sailors's clothes; ago *property* | vn dub-29.3.2 «NP V NP NP»: subject=Theme jack=Result |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The road was tarred last summer.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tar:x6:1
# text = The road was tarred last summer.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	road	road	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	tarred	tar	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	last	last	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	summer	summer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tar** | past · passive |  | the road |  |  | summer |  | vn butter-9.9 «NP V NP.destination»: subject=Destination |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Hot tar can burn your skin, so keep away.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tar:x7:1
# text = Hot tar can burn your skin, so keep away.
1	Hot	hot	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	tar	tar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	burn	burn	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	skin	skin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
8	so	so	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	keep	keep	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	conj	_	_
10	away	away	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **burn** | can | Hot tar | your skin |  |  |  |  | vn light\_emission-43.1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent skin=Theme |
| 2 | **keep away** | infinitive | Hot tar *not said here* |  |  |  |  | away *property* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
‘Oh, don’t tar and feather me, please!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tar:x8:1
# text = ‘Oh, don’t tar and feather me, please!
1	‘	'	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Oh	oh	INTJ	UH	_	6	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	n’t	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	6	advmod	_	_
6	tar	tar	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	feather	feather	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
11	please	please	INTJ	UH	_	6	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **tar** | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* | feather  me |  |  |  |  | vn butter-9.9 «NP V NP.destination»: agent=Agent feather=Destination |

<!-- 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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