---
title: timing — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «timing» in the school dictionary: Timing is choosing the right moment to do something. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# timing

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Timing, something, You, dinner, We, candle · **What happens:** choose, do, measure, take, arrive, be · **To what, where:** something, things, music, you, ball, bad timing

<!-- .vabout -->
«timing» in the school dictionary: its 3 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: [timing in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/timing.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Timing is choosing the right moment to do something.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:timing:m1:1
# text = Timing is choosing the right moment to do something.
1	Timing	timing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	choosing	choose	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	right	right	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	moment	moment	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
9	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **choose** | present · progressive | Timing |  |  |  | moment |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **do** | to-infinitive | Timing *not said here* | something |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Eventuality |

<!-- .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 -->
Timing is measuring how long something takes, for example with a stopwatch.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:timing:m2:1
# text = Timing is measuring how long something takes, for example with a stopwatch.
1	Timing	timing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	measuring	measure	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	5	advmod	_	_
5	long	long	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	7	advmod	_	_
6	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	7	nsubj	_	_
7	takes	take	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
9	for	for	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	example	example	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
11	with	with	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	stopwatch	stopwatch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **measure** | present · progressive | Timing |  |  |  |  | for example; with a stopwatch | tree rules |
| 2 | **take** | present | something |  |  |  |  | long *property* | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In music, sport and jokes, timing is doing things exactly on the beat or at the best moment.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:timing:m3:1
# text = In music, sport and jokes, timing is doing things exactly on the beat or at the best moment.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	music	music	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
4	sport	sport	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	jokes	joke	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
8	timing	timing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
10	doing	do	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
11	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obj	_	_
12	exactly	exactly	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
13	on	on	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	beat	beat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	_
16	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	20	cc	_	_
17	at	at	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
19	best	good	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	20	amod	_	_
20	moment	moment	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | present · progressive | timing | things |  | music and sport and jokes |  | on the beat or the best moment | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent thing=Eventuality |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
You arrived just as dinner was ready — perfect timing!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:timing:x1:1
# text = You arrived just as dinner was ready — perfect timing!
1	You	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	arrived	arrive	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	just	just	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
4	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
5	dinner	dinner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
6	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	ready	ready	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	advcl	_	_
8	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	10	punct	_	_
9	perfect	perfect	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	timing	timing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **arrive** | past | You |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | past | dinner |  |  |  |  | ready *property* | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We were timing how long the candle took to burn down.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:timing:x2:1
# text = We were timing how long the candle took to burn down.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	timing	time	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	5	advmod	_	_
5	long	long	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	8	advmod	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	candle	candle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
8	took	take	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	burn	burn	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	xcomp	_	_
11	down	down	ADP	RP	_	10	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **time** | past · progressive | We |  |  |  |  |  | vn register-54.1-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **take** | past | the candle |  |  |  |  | long *property* | vn require-103 «NP V for NP S\_INF»: agent=Theme clause=Precondition |
| 3 | **burn down** | to-infinitive | the candle *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn light\_emission-43.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Good timing helps you catch a ball.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:timing:x3:1
# text = Good timing helps you catch a ball.
1	Good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	timing	timing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	helps	help	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	obj	_	_
5	catch	catch	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	ball	ball	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **help** | present | Good timing | you |  |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent you=Beneficiary clause=Theme |
| 2 | **catch** | infinitive | you *not said here* | a ball |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent ball=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The joke was funny because of his timing.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:timing:x4:1
# text = The joke was funny because of his timing.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	joke	joke	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	funny	funny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	because	because	ADP	IN	ExtPos=ADP	8	case	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	fixed	_	_
7	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	timing	timing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the joke |  |  |  |  | because his timing; funny *property* | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Asking for a puppy during the argument was bad timing.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:timing:x5:1
# text = Asking for a puppy during the argument was bad timing.
1	Asking	ask	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	10	csubj	_	_
2	for	for	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	puppy	puppy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
5	during	during	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	argument	argument	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
8	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
9	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	timing	timing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ask** *speech: ask* | gerund |  |  |  |  | during the argument | for a puppy | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is a** | past | Asking | bad timing |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the race, Mr Lee was timing us with a stopwatch.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:timing:x6:1
# text = In the race, Mr Lee was timing us with a stopwatch.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	race	race	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	Mr	Mr	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
6	Lee	Lee	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	flat	_	_
7	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
8	timing	time	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
9	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	_
10	with	with	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	stopwatch	stopwatch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **time** | past · progressive | Mr | us |  | the race |  | with a stopwatch | vn register-54.1-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent we=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The drummer's timing kept the whole band together.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:timing:x7:1
# text = The drummer's timing kept the whole band together.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	drummer	drummer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	timing	timing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	kept	keep	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	whole	whole	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	band	band	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
9	together	together	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **keep** | past | the drummer's timing | the whole band |  |  |  | together *property* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent band=Theme |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Timing matters when you cross the road at a crossing.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:timing:x8:1
# text = Timing matters when you cross the road at a crossing.
1	Timing	timing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	matters	matter	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	5	advmod	_	_
4	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
5	cross	cross	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	road	road	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	at	at	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	crossing	crossing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **matter** | present | Timing |  |  |  |  |  | vn matter-91 «NP V»: agent=Stimulus |
| 2 | **cross** | present | you | the road |  | a crossing |  |  | vn crane-40.3.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent road=Patient |

<!-- 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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