---
title: tombstone — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «tombstone» in the school dictionary: A tombstone is a large flat stone over or at the end of a grave, with the name of the person buried there and often words about them. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# tombstone

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** tombstone, person, We, people, you, it · **What happens:** be, bury, use, cover, read, say · **To what, where:** large flat stone, name, tombstones, films, tombstone, names · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A tombstone is a large flat stone over or at the end of a grave, with the name of the person buried there and often words about them.

<!-- fold The tree, 28 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tombstone:m1:1
# text = A tombstone is a large flat stone over or at the end of a grave, with the name of the person buried there and often words about them.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	tombstone	tombstone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
5	large	large	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
6	flat	flat	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	stone	stone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	over	over	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
10	at	at	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	end	end	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	_
13	of	of	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	grave	grave	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
17	with	with	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	name	name	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	_
20	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	23	mark	_	_
21	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
22	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	23	nsubj	_	_
23	buried	bury	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	19	acl	_	_
24	there	there	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	23	advmod	_	_
25	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	27	cc	_	_
26	often	often	ADV	RB	_	27	advmod	_	_
27	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	23	conj	_	_
28	about	about	ADP	IN	_	29	case	_	_
29	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	27	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
30	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a tombstone | a large flat stone or the end of a grave and the name |  |  |  | over *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **bury** | past | the person | the name *not said here* |  | there |  |  | vn put-9.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent name=Theme |

<!-- .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 -->
In films and games, tombstones are often used for spooky graveyard scenes.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tombstone:m2:1
# text = In films and games, tombstones are often used for spooky graveyard scenes.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	films	film	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obl	_	_
3	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	games	game	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
6	tombstones	tombstone	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nsubj:pass	_	_
7	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux:pass	_	_
8	often	often	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
10	for	for	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
11	spooky	spooky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
12	graveyard	graveyard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	compound	_	_
13	scenes	scene	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | present · passive |  | tombstones |  | films and games |  | for spooky graveyard scenes; often *property* | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP PP.predicate»: subject=Theme for scene=Eventuality |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The tombstone was covered in moss.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tombstone:x1:1
# text = The tombstone was covered in moss.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	tombstone	tombstone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	covered	cover	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	moss	moss	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cover** | past · passive |  | the tombstone |  |  |  | in moss | vn fill-9.8-1 «NP V NP PP.theme»: subject=Destination in moss=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We read the names on old tombstones in the churchyard.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tombstone:x2:1
# text = We read the names on old tombstones in the churchyard.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	read	read	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	names	name	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	tombstones	tombstone	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	churchyard	churchyard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **read** | past | We | the names |  | old tombstones in the churchyard |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent name=Topic |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The tombstone said «Beloved mother and grandmother».

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tombstone:x3:1
# text = The tombstone said «Beloved mother and grandmother».
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	tombstone	tombstone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	Beloved	beloved	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	mother	mother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	grandmother	grandmother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | the tombstone | Beloved mother and grandmother |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent mother=Topic |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In history we used tombstones to find out how long people lived.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tombstone:x4:1
# text = In history we used tombstones to find out how long people lived.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	history	history	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
3	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	used	use	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	tombstones	tombstone	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	find	find	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	advcl	_	_
8	out	out	ADP	RP	_	7	compound:prt	_	_
9	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	10	advmod	_	_
10	long	long	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	7	advmod	_	_
11	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	nsubj	_	_
12	lived	live	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | past | we | tombstones |  | history |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent tombstone=Patient |
| 2 | **find out** | to-infinitive | we *not said here* |  |  |  |  | long *property* | vn learn-14-2-1 «NP V PP.topic»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **live** | past | people |  |  |  |  |  | vn exist-47.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Please don't climb on the tombstones; it is disrespectful.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tombstone:x5:1
# text = Please don't climb on the tombstones; it is disrespectful.
1	Please	please	INTJ	UH	_	4	discourse	_	_
2	do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	climb	climb	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	tombstones	tombstone	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	11	punct	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
10	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
11	disrespectful	disrespectful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **climb** | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* |  |  | the tombstones |  |  | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme on tombstone=Trajectory |
| 2 | **is** | present | it |  |  |  |  | disrespectful *property* | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
At Halloween the house had pretend tombstones in the garden.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tombstone:x6:1
# text = At Halloween the house had pretend tombstones in the garden.
1	At	at	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	Halloween	Halloween	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	house	house	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	pretend	pretend	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	tombstones	tombstone	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	garden	garden	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | the house | pretend tombstones |  | Halloween |  | in the garden | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent tombstone=Patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Then she saw on one of the broad tombstones a group of ghouls.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tombstone:x7:1
# text = Then she saw on one of the broad tombstones a group of ghouls.
1	Then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	3	advmod	_	_
2	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	saw	see	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	3	obl	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	broad	broad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	tombstones	tombstone	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	group	group	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	appos	_	_
12	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	ghouls	ghoul	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **see** | past | she |  |  |  | then | on one of the broad tombstones | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |

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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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