---
title: thrifty — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «thrifty» in the school dictionary: A thrifty person is careful with money and does not waste things: they save, reuse and buy only what they need. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# thrifty

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** thrifty person, things, Grandma, thrifty, us, thrifty brother · **What happens:** be, not waste, save, reuse, buy, need · **To what, where:** things, paper, us, birthday money, thrifty hand books, lights

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A thrifty person is careful with money and does not waste things: they save, reuse and buy only what they need.

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:thrifty:m1:1
# text = A thrifty person is careful with money and does not waste things: they save, reuse and buy only what they need.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	thrifty	thrifty	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	careful	careful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	money	money	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
9	does	do	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
10	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	11	advmod	_	_
11	waste	waste	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	conj	_	_
12	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	15	punct	_	_
14	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	nsubj	_	_
15	save	save	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
17	reuse	reuse	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	15	conj	_	_
18	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
19	buy	buy	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	15	conj	_	_
20	only	only	ADV	RB	_	21	advmod	_	_
21	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	19	obj	_	_
22	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	23	nsubj	_	_
23	need	need	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	21	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | a thrifty person |  |  |  |  | with money; careful *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **waste** | present · do-support | a thrifty person *not said here* | things |  |  |  |  | vn destroy-44 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent thing=Patient |
| 3 | **save** | present | things *= thing* |  |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **reuse** | present | things *= thing* *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn consume-66-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 5 | **buy** | present | things *= thing* *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn accept-77.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent what=Theme |
| 6 | **need** | present | things *= thing* |  |  |  |  |  | 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 -->
Grandma is very thrifty and reuses wrapping paper.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:thrifty:x1:1
# text = Grandma is very thrifty and reuses wrapping paper.
1	Grandma	grandma	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	very	very	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	thrifty	thrifty	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	reuses	reuse	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
7	wrapping	wrap	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	xcomp	_	_
8	paper	paper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Grandma |  |  |  |  | thrifty *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **reuse** | present | Grandma *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn consume-66-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent clause=Goal |
| 3 | **wrap** | gerund | Grandma *not said here* | paper |  |  |  |  | vn spray-9.7-1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent paper=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Being thrifty helped us save for a holiday.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:thrifty:x2:1
# text = Being thrifty helped us save for a holiday.
1	Being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	cop	_	_
2	thrifty	thrifty	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	nsubj	_	_
3	helped	help	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	obj	_	_
5	save	save	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	holiday	holiday	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | thrifty *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **help** | past | thrifty | us |  |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent we=Beneficiary clause=Theme |
| 3 | **save** | infinitive | us *not said here* |  |  |  |  | for a holiday | vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP PP.source»: agent=Agent for holiday=Source |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My thrifty brother saved all his birthday money.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:thrifty:x3:1
# text = My thrifty brother saved all his birthday money.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	thrifty	thrifty	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	brother	brother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	saved	save	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	all	all	DET	PDT	PronType=Tot	8	det:predet	_	_
6	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
7	birthday	birthday	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	money	money	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **save** | past | My thrifty brother | brother's birthday money |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent money=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We bought thrifty second-hand books for school.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:thrifty:x4:1
# text = We bought thrifty second-hand books for school.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	bought	buy	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	thrifty	thrifty	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
4	second	second	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	6	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	hand	hand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	books	book	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
8	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	school	school	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 | **buy** | past | We | thrifty hand books |  |  |  | for school | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP PP.beneficiary»: agent=Agent book=Theme for school=Beneficiary |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Thrifty people turn off lights to save money.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:thrifty:x5:1
# text = Thrifty people turn off lights to save money.
1	Thrifty	thrifty	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	turn	turn	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	off	off	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	_
5	lights	light	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	save	save	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
8	money	money	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **turn off** | present | Thrifty people | lights |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent light=Patient |
| 2 | **save** | to-infinitive | Thrifty people *not said here* | money |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent money=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
During the war, families had to be thrifty.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:thrifty:x6:1
# text = During the war, families had to be thrifty.
1	During	during	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	war	war	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	families	family	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
6	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
8	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	cop	_	_
9	thrifty	thrifty	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | families |  |  |  | during the war |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | to-infinitive | families *not said here* |  |  |  |  | thrifty *property* | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A Widow, thrifty and industrious, had two servants, whom she kept pretty hard at work.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:thrifty:x7:1
# text = A Widow, thrifty and industrious, had two servants, whom she kept pretty hard at work.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	Widow	widow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
4	thrifty	thrifty	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	industrious	industrious	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
8	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
9	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	10	nummod	_	_
10	servants	servant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
12	whom	whom	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	14	obj	_	_
13	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
14	kept	keep	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	acl:relcl	_	_
15	pretty	pretty	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	_
16	hard	hard	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	14	advmod	_	_
17	at	at	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
18	work	work	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past |  | two servants |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent servant=Patient |
| 2 | **keep** | past | Widow | two servants |  | work |  | hard *property* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent whom=Theme at work=Location |

<!-- 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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