---
title: terrorist — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «terrorist» in the school dictionary: A terrorist is a person who uses violence or threats against ordinary people, often by bombing or attacking, to frighten people and force a government or society to do what they want, usually for political or religious aims. Every meaning for a pupil with its de
---

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# terrorist

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** terrorist, person, government, police, he, terrorist attack · **What happens:** be, use, threat, bomb, attack, frighten · **To what, where:** person, violence, people, government, terrorist, innocent people · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A terrorist is a person who uses violence or threats against ordinary people, often by bombing or attacking, to frighten people and force a government or society to do what they want, usually for political or religious aims.

<!-- fold The tree, 38 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:terrorist:m1:1
# text = A terrorist is a person who uses violence or threats against ordinary people, often by bombing or attacking, to frighten people and force a government or society to do what they want, usually for political or religious aims.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	terrorist	terrorist	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	uses	use	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	violence	violence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	threats	threat	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	_
11	against	against	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	ordinary	ordinary	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
15	often	often	ADV	RB	_	17	advmod	_	_
16	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	17	mark	_	_
17	bombing	bomb	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	10	advcl	_	_
18	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
19	attacking	attack	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	17	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	22	punct	_	_
21	to	to	PART	TO	_	22	mark	_	_
22	frighten	frighten	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	19	advcl	_	_
23	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	22	obj	_	_
24	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	25	cc	_	_
25	force	force	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	22	conj	_	_
26	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	27	det	_	_
27	government	government	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	25	obj	_	_
28	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	29	cc	_	_
29	society	society	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	27	conj	_	_
30	to	to	PART	TO	_	31	mark	_	_
31	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	25	xcomp	_	_
32	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	31	obj	_	_
33	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	34	nsubj	_	_
34	want	want	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	32	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
35	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	41	punct	_	_
36	usually	usually	ADV	RB	_	41	advmod	_	_
37	for	for	ADP	IN	_	41	case	_	_
38	political	political	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	41	amod	_	_
39	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	40	cc	_	_
40	religious	religious	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	38	conj	_	_
41	aims	aim	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	17	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
42	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a terrorist | a person |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **use** | present | a person | violence |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent violence=Patient |
| 3 | **threat** | present | a person *not said here* |  |  |  |  | against ordinary people | tree rules |
| 4 | **bomb** | gerund | a person *not said here* |  |  |  |  | for political aims; often *property* | vn attack-60.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 5 | **attack** | gerund | a person *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn attack-60.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 6 | **frighten** | to-infinitive | a person *not said here* | people |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus people=Experiencer |
| 7 | **force** | infinitive | a person *not said here* | a government or society |  |  |  |  | vn urge-58.1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent government=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 8 | **do** | to-infinitive | a government or society *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent what=Eventuality |
| 9 | **want** | present | government |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot |

<!-- .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.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The police arrested a terrorist before he could attack.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:terrorist:x1:1
# text = The police arrested a terrorist before he could attack.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	police	police	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	arrested	arrest	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	terrorist	terrorist	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	before	before	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
7	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
8	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
9	attack	attack	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **arrest** | past | the police | a terrorist |  |  |  |  | vn prosecute-33.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent terrorist=Patient |
| 2 | **attack** | could | he |  |  |  |  |  | vn attack-60.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A terrorist attack hurts innocent people.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:terrorist:x2:1
# text = A terrorist attack hurts innocent people.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	terrorist	terrorist	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	attack	attack	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	hurts	hurt	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	innocent	innocent	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hurt** | present | a terrorist attack | innocent people |  |  |  |  | vn hurt-40.8.3-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer people=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Airport checks help stop terrorists.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:terrorist:x3:1
# text = Airport checks help stop terrorists.
1	Airport	airport	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	checks	check	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	help	help	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	stop	stop	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
5	terrorists	terrorist	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **help** | present | Airport checks |  |  |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 2 | **stop** | infinitive | Airport checks *not said here* | terrorists |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V NP.eventuality»: agent=Subeventuality terrorist=Eventuality |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The news said the group was listed as terrorist by several countries.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:terrorist:x4:1
# text = The news said the group was listed as terrorist by several countries.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	news	news	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	said	say	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	group	group	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj:pass	_	_
6	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux:pass	_	_
7	listed	list	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	ccomp	_	_
8	as	as	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	terrorist	terrorist	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
10	by	by	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	several	several	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	countries	country	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | the news |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **list** | past · passive | several countries | the group |  |  |  | as terrorist | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Terrorists want people to feel afraid.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:terrorist:x5:1
# text = Terrorists want people to feel afraid.
1	Terrorists	terrorist	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	want	want	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	feel	feel	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
6	afraid	afraid	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **want** | present | Terrorists | people |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **feel** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | people *not said here* |  |  |  |  | afraid *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Remember: run, hide, tell.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:terrorist:x6:1
# text = Remember: run, hide, tell.
1	Remember	remember	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	3	punct	_	_
3	run	run	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	1	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
5	hide	hide	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
7	tell	tell	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **remember** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **run** | infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **hide** | infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn concealment-16-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **tell** *speech: assert* | infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
If the news about terrorists worries you, talk to an adult.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:terrorist:x7:1
# text = If the news about terrorists worries you, talk to an adult.
1	If	if	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	news	news	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	about	about	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	terrorists	terrorist	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nmod	_	_
6	worries	worry	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	advcl	_	_
7	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
9	talk	talk	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
10	to	to	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	adult	adult	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **worry** *a condition, not said to happen* | present | the news about terrorists | you |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus you=Experiencer |
| 2 | **talk** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | to a adult | vn talk-37.5 «NP V PP.co-agent»: agent=Agent to adult=Co-Agent |

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**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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