---
title: tempt — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «tempt» in the school dictionary: To make someone want to do or have something, especially something they should not. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# tempt

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** you, someone, smell, cookies, witch, strangers · **What happens:** make, want, do, have, try, get · **To what, where:** someone, something, me, kitchen, I, children · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«tempt» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 9 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: [tempt in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/tempt.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To make someone want to do or have something, especially something they should not.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tempt:m1:1
# text = To make someone want to do or have something, especially something they should not.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	advcl	_	_
3	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	want	want	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	have	have	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
9	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
11	especially	especially	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
12	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	9	appos	_	_
13	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
14	should	should	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	12	acl:relcl	_	_
15	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	14	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* | someone |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset someone=Product |
| 2 | **want** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot clause=Theme |
| 3 | **do** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **have** | infinitive | you *not said here* | something |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=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 -->
To try to get someone to do something by offering something nice.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tempt:m2:1
# text = To try to get someone to do something by offering something nice.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	try	try	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	get	get	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
5	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	4	obj	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
8	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	7	obj	_	_
9	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
10	offering	offer	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	7	advcl	_	_
11	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	10	obj	_	_
12	nice	nice	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **try** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn try-61.1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **get** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  | someone |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **do** | to-infinitive | someone *not said here* | something |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Eventuality |
| 4 | **offer** | gerund | someone *not said here* | something |  |  |  |  | vn future\_having-13.3 «NP V NP.theme (PP)»: agent=Agent something=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The smell of cookies tempted me into the kitchen.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tempt:x1:1
# text = The smell of cookies tempted me into the kitchen.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	smell	smell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	cookies	cookie	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nmod	_	_
5	tempted	tempt	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	5	obj	_	_
7	into	into	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	kitchen	kitchen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tempt** | past | the smell of cookies |  | me | the kitchen |  |  | vn urge-58.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent i=Recipient |
| 2 | **smell** |  | cookies |  |  |  |  |  | nom smell «cognition intransitive»: of=agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I was tempted to peek at my presents.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tempt:x2:1
# text = I was tempted to peek at my presents.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	tempted	tempt	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	peek	peek	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	at	at	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	presents	present	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tempt** | past · passive |  | I |  |  |  |  | vn urge-58.1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: subject=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 2 | **peek** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | at my presents | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent at present=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The witch tempted the children with a house made of sweets.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tempt:x3:1
# text = The witch tempted the children with a house made of sweets.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	witch	witch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	tempted	tempt	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	children	child	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	house	house	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
9	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	acl	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	sweets	sweet	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tempt** | past | the witch |  | the children |  |  | with a house | vn urge-58.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent child=Recipient |
| 2 | **make** | participle |  | a house *not said here* |  |  |  | of sweets | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Don't let strangers tempt you with gifts — say no and tell an adult.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tempt:x4:1
# text = Don't let strangers tempt you with gifts — say no and tell an adult.
1	Do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	let	let	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	strangers	stranger	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	tempt	tempt	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	5	obj	_	_
7	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	gifts	gift	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	_
9	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	10	punct	_	_
10	say	say	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	parataxis	_	_
11	no	no	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Neg	10	discourse	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	tell	tell	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	10	conj	_	_
14	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	adult	adult	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **let** | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* | strangers |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **tempt** | infinitive | strangers *not said here* |  | you |  |  | with gifts | vn urge-58.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent you=Recipient |
| 3 | **say** *speech: assert* | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **tell** *speech: assert* | infinitive |  |  | a adult |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent adult=Recipient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The cake looks so tempting!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tempt:x5:1
# text = The cake looks so tempting!
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	cake	cake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	looks	look	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	so	so	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	tempting	tempting	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** | present | the cake | tempting |  |  |  |  | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Stimulus |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He was tempted to copy his friend's answers, but he didn't.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tempt:x6:1
# text = He was tempted to copy his friend's answers, but he didn't.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	tempted	tempt	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	copy	copy	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	friend	friend	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	's	's	PART	POS	_	7	case	_	_
9	answers	answer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
11	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
12	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
13	did	do	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	13	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tempt** | past · passive |  | He |  |  |  |  | vn urge-58.1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: subject=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 2 | **copy** | to-infinitive |  | his friend's answers |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent answer=Theme |
| 3 | **not** **do** | past | friend |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **answer** |  | his friend |  |  |  |  |  | nom answer «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Can I tempt you with some ice cream?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tempt:x7:1
# text = Can I tempt you with some ice cream?
1	Can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
2	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	tempt	tempt	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	obj	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	8	det	_	_
7	ice	ice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	cream	cream	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 | **tempt** | can | I |  | you |  |  | with some ice cream | vn urge-58.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent you=Recipient |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Don't tempt fate by saying we'll definitely win.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tempt:x8:1
# text = Don't tempt fate by saying we'll definitely win.
1	Do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	tempt	tempt	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	fate	fate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
5	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
6	saying	say	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	advcl	_	_
7	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	'll	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
9	definitely	definitely	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
10	win	win	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **tempt** | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* | fate |  |  |  |  | vn urge-58.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent fate=Recipient |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | gerund | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **win** | future | we |  |  |  |  | definitely *property* | vn succeed-74-2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Why did you let yourself be tempted?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tempt:x9:1
# text = Why did you let yourself be tempted?
1	Why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	4	advmod	_	_
2	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	let	let	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	yourself	yourself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=2|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	4	obj	_	_
6	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	aux:pass	_	_
7	tempted	tempt	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **let** | past · do-support | you | yourself |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **tempt** | infinitive · passive | yourself *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle» |

<!-- 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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