---
title: tic — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «tic» in the school dictionary: A tic is a sudden movement or sound that a person makes again and again without meaning to, like blinking, shrugging, sniffing or clearing the throat. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# tic

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** tic, person, someone, He, him, Tics · **What happens:** be, make, mean, blink, shrug, sniff · **To what, where:** sudden movement, throat, habit, tic, him, lot · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«tic» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 6 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: [tic in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/tic.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A tic is a sudden movement or sound that a person makes again and again without meaning to, like blinking, shrugging, sniffing or clearing the throat.

<!-- fold The tree, 26 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tic:m1:1
# text = A tic is a sudden movement or sound that a person makes again and again without meaning to, like blinking, shrugging, sniffing or clearing the throat.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	tic	tic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	sudden	sudden	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	movement	movement	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	sound	sound	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	_
9	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
12	makes	make	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	advcl	_	_
13	again	again	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
14	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
15	again	again	ADV	RB	_	13	conj	_	_
16	without	without	SCONJ	IN	_	17	mark	_	_
17	meaning	mean	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	12	advcl	_	_
18	to	to	ADP	IN	_	17	fixed	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
20	like	like	SCONJ	IN	_	21	mark	_	_
21	blinking	blink	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	17	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	23	punct	_	_
23	shrugging	shrug	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	21	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	25	punct	_	_
25	sniffing	sniff	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	21	conj	_	_
26	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	27	cc	_	_
27	clearing	clear	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	25	conj	_	_
28	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	29	det	_	_
29	throat	throat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	27	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
30	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a tic | a sudden movement or sound |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **make** | present | a person |  |  |  | again |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **mean** | gerund | a person *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **blink** | gerund | a person *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn hiccup-40.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 5 | **shrug** | gerund | a person *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn wink-40.3.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 6 | **sniff** | gerund | a person *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 7 | **clear** | gerund | a person *not said here* | the throat |  |  |  |  | vn clear-10.3-1 «NP V NP.source»: agent=Agent throat=Source |

<!-- .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 -->
A tic can be a habit in how someone talks or acts, like always saying «like» (a verbal tic).

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tic:m2:1
# text = A tic can be a habit in how someone talks or acts, like always saying «like» (a verbal tic).
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	tic	tic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
4	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	habit	habit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	in	in	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
8	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	10	advmod	_	_
9	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	10	nsubj	_	_
10	talks	talk	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	acl:relcl	_	_
11	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	acts	act	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
14	like	like	SCONJ	IN	_	16	mark	_	_
15	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	16	advmod	_	_
16	saying	say	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	12	advcl	_	_
17	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	like	like	INTJ	UH	_	16	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	18	punct	_	_
20	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	23	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	23	det	_	_
22	verbal	verbal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	23	amod	_	_
23	tic	tic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	23	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | can | a tic | a habit |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **talk** | present | someone |  |  |  |  |  | vn talk-37.5 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **act** | present | someone *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **say** *speech: assert* | gerund | someone *not said here* |  |  |  |  | always *property* | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He has a tic that makes him blink a lot.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tic:x1:1
# text = He has a tic that makes him blink a lot.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	tic	tic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	6	nsubj	_	_
6	makes	make	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	acl:relcl	_	_
7	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	blink	blink	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	xcomp	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	lot	lot	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | He | a tic |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent tic=Patient |
| 2 | **make** | present | a tic | him *= he* |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **blink** | infinitive | him *= he* *not said here* | a lot |  |  |  |  | vn light\_emission-43.1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent lot=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Tics are not something you can just stop.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tic:x2:1
# text = Tics are not something you can just stop.
1	Tics	tic	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	0	root	_	_
5	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
6	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
7	just	just	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	stop	stop	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **is a** | present | Tics | something |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **stop** | can | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My friend with Tourette's has vocal tics.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tic:x3:1
# text = My friend with Tourette's has vocal tics.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	friend	friend	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	with	with	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	Tourette	Tourette	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	's	's	PART	POS	_	4	case	_	_
6	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	vocal	vocal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	tics	tic	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | My friend | vocal tics |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent tic=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Her verbal tic is saying «basically» all the time.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tic:x4:1
# text = Her verbal tic is saying «basically» all the time.
1	Her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	verbal	verbal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	tic	tic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	saying	say	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
6	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	basically	basically	ADV	RB	_	5	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	7	punct	_	_
9	all	all	DET	PDT	PronType=Tot	11	det:predet	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present · progressive | Her verbal tic |  |  |  | time |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The tic gets worse when he is tired or stressed.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tic:x5:1
# text = The tic gets worse when he is tired or stressed.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	tic	tic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	gets	get	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	worse	bad	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	3	xcomp	_	_
5	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	8	mark	_	_
6	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
8	tired	tired	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	advcl	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	stressed	stress	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** | present | the tic |  |  |  |  | bad *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **is** | present | tic |  |  |  |  | tired *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **stress** | participle | tic *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn marvel-31.3 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We never laugh at someone's tic.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tic:x6:1
# text = We never laugh at someone's tic.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	laugh	laugh	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	at	at	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	7	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	's	's	PART	POS	_	5	case	_	_
7	tic	tic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **laugh** | present | We |  |  | someone's tic |  |  | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

<!-- 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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