---
title: transmute — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «transmute» in the school dictionary: To transmute means to change something completely into something different, in form or nature. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# transmute

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** nuclear reactions, Alchemists, Radioactive uranium, artist, touch, king · **What happens:** transmute, mean, change, turn, lead, try · **To what, where:** something, alchemy, one metal, another, gold, one element · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: formal — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To transmute means to change something completely into something different, in form or nature.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:transmute:m1:1
# text = To transmute means to change something completely into something different, in form or nature.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	transmute	transmute	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	csubj	_	_
3	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	change	change	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	5	obj	_	_
7	completely	completely	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
8	into	into	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	5	obl	_	_
10	different	different	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
12	in	in	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	form	form	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	appos	_	_
14	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
15	nature	nature	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **transmute** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn turn-26.6.1 «NP V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **change** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  | into something *result*; completely *property* | vn turn-26.6.1-1 «NP V NP.patient PP.result»: agent=Agent something=Patient into something=Result |

<!-- .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.

<!-- .note -->
The example in this meaning, parsed on its own:

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"The caterpillar is transmuted into a butterfly."

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:transmute:m1e:1
# text = "The caterpillar is transmuted into a butterfly."
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	caterpillar	caterpillar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	transmuted	transmute	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	into	into	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	butterfly	butterfly	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **transmute** *in a quote* | present · passive |  | the caterpillar |  |  |  | into a butterfly *result* | vn turn-26.6.1 «NP V NP.patient PP.result»: subject=Patient into butterfly=Result |

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: history, science — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In alchemy, to transmute meant to turn one metal into another, especially lead into gold; in modern science, nuclear reactions can really change one element into another (transmutation).

<!-- fold The tree, 28 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:transmute:m2:1
# text = In alchemy, to transmute meant to turn one metal into another, especially lead into gold; in modern science, nuclear reactions can really change one element into another (transmutation).
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	alchemy	alchemy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	transmute	transmute	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	meant	mean	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	advcl	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	turn	turn	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	xcomp	_	_
9	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	10	nummod	_	_
10	metal	metal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
11	into	into	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	another	another	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
14	especially	especially	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
15	lead	lead	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
16	into	into	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
17	gold	gold	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	27	punct	_	_
19	in	in	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
20	modern	modern	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	21	amod	_	_
21	science	science	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	27	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
23	nuclear	nuclear	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	24	amod	_	_
24	reactions	reaction	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	27	nsubj	_	_
25	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	27	aux	_	_
26	really	really	ADV	RB	_	27	advmod	_	_
27	change	change	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	conj	_	_
28	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	29	nummod	_	_
29	element	element	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	27	obj	_	_
30	into	into	ADP	IN	_	31	case	_	_
31	another	another	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	27	obl	_	_
32	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	33	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
33	transmutation	transmutation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	27	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
34	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	33	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
35	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **transmute** | to-infinitive |  |  |  | alchemy |  |  | vn turn-26.6.1 «NP V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **mean** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **turn** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  | one metal |  | another |  |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V NP PP.trajectory»: agent=Agent metal=Theme into another=Trajectory |
| 4 | **lead** | present |  |  |  | gold |  | especially *property* | vn accompany-51.7 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent into gold=Destination |
| 5 | **change** | can | nuclear reactions | one element |  | modern science |  | into another *result*; transmutation *obl* | vn turn-26.6.1-1 «NP V NP.patient PP.result»: agent=Agent element=Patient into another=Result |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Alchemists tried to transmute lead into gold.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:transmute:x1:1
# text = Alchemists tried to transmute lead into gold.
1	Alchemists	alchemist	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	tried	try	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	transmute	transmute	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
5	lead	lead	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
6	into	into	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	gold	gold	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **try** | past | Alchemists |  |  |  |  |  | vn try-61.1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **transmute** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | Alchemists *not said here* | lead |  |  |  | into gold *result* | vn turn-26.6.1 «NP V NP.patient PP.result»: agent=Agent lead=Patient into gold=Result |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Radioactive uranium slowly transmutes into lead.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:transmute:x2:1
# text = Radioactive uranium slowly transmutes into lead.
1	Radioactive	radioactive	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	uranium	uranium	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	slowly	slowly	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	transmutes	transmute	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	into	into	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	lead	lead	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 | **transmute** | present | Radioactive uranium |  |  |  |  | into lead *result*; slowly *property* | vn turn-26.6.1 «NP.patient V PP.result»: agent=Patient into lead=Result |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The artist transmuted her sadness into a beautiful song.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:transmute:x3:1
# text = The artist transmuted her sadness into a beautiful song.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	artist	artist	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	transmuted	transmute	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	sadness	sadness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	into	into	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	beautiful	beautiful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	song	song	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **transmute** | past | the artist | artist's sadness |  |  |  | into a beautiful song *result* | vn turn-26.6.1 «NP V NP.patient PP.result»: agent=Agent sadness=Patient into song=Result |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the myth, the king's touch transmuted everything to gold.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:transmute:x4:1
# text = In the myth, the king's touch transmuted everything to gold.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	myth	myth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	king	king	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	's	's	PART	POS	_	6	case	_	_
8	touch	touch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
9	transmuted	transmute	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
10	everything	everything	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	9	obj	_	_
11	to	to	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	gold	gold	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 | **transmute** | past | the king's touch | everything |  | the myth |  | to gold | vn turn-26.6.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent everything=Patient |
| 2 | **touch** |  | the king |  |  |  |  |  | nom touch «event transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Scientists can transmute one element into another in a nuclear reactor.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:transmute:x5:1
# text = Scientists can transmute one element into another in a nuclear reactor.
1	Scientists	scientist	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	transmute	transmute	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	element	element	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	into	into	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	another	another	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	3	obl	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	nuclear	nuclear	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	reactor	reactor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **transmute** | can | Scientists | one element |  |  |  | into another *result*; in a nuclear reactor | vn turn-26.6.1 «NP V NP.patient PP.result»: agent=Agent element=Patient into another=Result |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Hard work transmuted the empty field into a garden.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:transmute:x6:1
# text = Hard work transmuted the empty field into a garden.
1	Hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	work	work	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	transmuted	transmute	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	empty	empty	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	field	field	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	into	into	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	garden	garden	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **transmute** | past | Hard work | the empty field |  |  |  | into a garden *result* | vn turn-26.6.1 «NP V NP.patient PP.result»: agent=Agent field=Patient into garden=Result |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The witch transmuted the frog into a prince.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:transmute:x7:1
# text = The witch transmuted the frog into a prince.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	witch	witch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	transmuted	transmute	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	frog	frog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	into	into	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	prince	prince	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **transmute** | past | the witch | the frog |  |  |  | into a prince *result* | vn turn-26.6.1 «NP V NP.patient PP.result»: agent=Agent frog=Patient into prince=Result |

<!-- 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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