---
title: tricky — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «tricky» in the school dictionary: Tricky means difficult and needing care or skill («a tricky question»). Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# tricky

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Tricky, tricky person, maths problem, Said, Parking, you · **What happens:** mean, need, be, trick, deceive, read · **To what, where:** difficult care, others, problem, tricky word, puppy, tricky situation

<!-- .vabout -->
«tricky» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 9 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: [tricky in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/tricky.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Tricky means difficult and needing care or skill («a tricky question»).

<!-- fold The tree, 11 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tricky:m1:1
# text = Tricky means difficult and needing care or skill («a tricky question»).
1	Tricky	tricky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	difficult	difficult	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	needing	need	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	conj	_	_
6	care	care	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	skill	skill	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	_
9	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	tricky	tricky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	question	question	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Tricky | difficult care or skill |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent care=Topic |
| 2 | **need** | gerund | Tricky *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | 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.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A tricky person is clever at tricking or deceiving others.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tricky:m2:1
# text = A tricky person is clever at tricking or deceiving others.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	tricky	tricky	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	clever	clever	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
6	at	at	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
7	tricking	trick	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	5	advcl	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	deceiving	deceive	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	7	conj	_	_
10	others	other	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | a tricky person |  |  |  |  | clever *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **trick** | gerund | a tricky person *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn trick-59.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **deceive** | gerund | a tricky person *not said here* | others |  |  |  |  | vn trick-59.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent other=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
This maths problem is tricky; read it carefully.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tricky:x1:1
# text = This maths problem is tricky; read it carefully.
1	This	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	2	det	_	_
2	maths	math	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	compound	_	_
3	problem	problem	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	tricky	tricky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
7	read	read	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	5	parataxis	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
9	carefully	carefully	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | maths problem |  |  |  |  | tricky *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **read** | infinitive |  | problem |  |  |  | carefully *property* | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Topic |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Said» is a tricky word to spell.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tricky:x2:1
# text = «Said» is a tricky word to spell.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Said	Said	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	tricky	tricky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	spell	spell	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Said | a tricky word |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **spell** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn pronounce-29.3.1 «NP V NP ADVP»: agent=Agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Parking in that narrow street is tricky.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tricky:x3:1
# text = Parking in that narrow street is tricky.
1	Parking	parking	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
2	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
3	that	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	5	det	_	_
4	narrow	narrow	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	street	street	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nmod	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	tricky	tricky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Parking in that narrow street |  |  |  |  | tricky *property* | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Watch out for tricky people who ask for help finding a puppy.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tricky:x4:1
# text = Watch out for tricky people who ask for help finding a puppy.
1	Watch	watch	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	out	out	ADP	RP	_	1	compound:prt	_	_
3	for	for	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	tricky	tricky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obl	_	_
6	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	ask	ask	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	help	help	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
10	finding	find	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	9	acl	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	puppy	puppy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **watch out** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | for tricky people | vn search-35.2 «NP V PP.theme NP.location»: agent=Agent for people=Theme |
| 2 | **ask** *speech: ask* | present | tricky people |  |  |  |  | for help | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **find** | gerund | help *not said here* | a puppy |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent puppy=Topic |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The final level of the game is really tricky.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tricky:x5:1
# text = The final level of the game is really tricky.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	final	final	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	level	level	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	game	game	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
8	really	really	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	tricky	tricky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | the final level of the game |  |  |  |  | tricky *property* | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It was a tricky situation, so I asked my teacher.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tricky:x6:1
# text = It was a tricky situation, so I asked my teacher.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	tricky	tricky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	situation	situation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
7	so	so	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
8	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	asked	ask	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
10	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	11	nmod:poss	_	_
11	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | It | a tricky situation |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **ask** *speech: ask* | past | I | a tricky situation *not said here* | my teacher |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent teacher=Recipient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The fox in the story is very tricky.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tricky:x7:1
# text = The fox in the story is very tricky.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	fox	fox	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
7	very	very	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	tricky	tricky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | the fox in the story |  |  |  |  | tricky *property* | tree rules |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Knots can be tricky to undo.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tricky:x8:1
# text = Knots can be tricky to undo.
1	Knots	knot	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	cop	_	_
4	tricky	tricky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	undo	undo	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | can | Knots |  |  |  |  | tricky *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **undo** | to-infinitive | Knots *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn destroy-44 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Now, though the jackal was dead, he had left two sons behind him, every whit as cunning and tricky as their father.

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tricky:x9:1
# text = Now, though the jackal was dead, he had left two sons behind him, every whit as cunning and tricky as their father.
1	Now	now	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	7	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
3	though	though	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	jackal	jackal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
6	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	dead	dead	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
9	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
10	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
11	left	leave	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	7	conj	_	_
12	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	13	nummod	_	_
13	sons	son	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	obj	_	_
14	behind	behind	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
17	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	18	det	_	_
18	whit	whit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	conj	_	_
19	as	as	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
20	cunning	cunning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	nmod	_	_
21	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	22	cc	_	_
22	tricky	tricky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	conj	_	_
23	as	as	ADP	IN	_	25	case	_	_
24	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	25	nmod:poss	_	_
25	father	father	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the jackal |  |  |  | now | dead *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **leave** | past · perfect | jackal | two sons and every whit as cunning |  |  |  | behind him *= he* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent son=Theme behind he=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 -->

<!-- pn -->
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