---
title: tuff — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «tuff» in the school dictionary: Tuff is a light, rough rock made from volcanic ash that has been pressed and stuck together over time. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# tuff

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Tuff, playful spelling, volcanic ash, rock kit, guide, new trainers · **What happens:** be, make, press, stick together, use, mean · **To what, where:** light, rough rock, volcanic ash, playful spelling, tuff, rock · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Tuff is a light, rough rock made from volcanic ash that has been pressed and stuck together over time.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tuff:m1:1
# text = Tuff is a light, rough rock made from volcanic ash that has been pressed and stuck together over time.
1	Tuff	tuff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	light	light	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
6	rough	rough	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	rock	rock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	_
8	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	acl	_	_
9	from	from	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	volcanic	volcanic	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	ash	ash	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
12	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	15	nsubj:pass	_	_
13	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	15	aux	_	_
14	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	15	aux:pass	_	_
15	pressed	press	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	11	acl:relcl	_	_
16	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
17	stuck	stick	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	15	conj	_	_
18	together	together	ADV	RB	_	17	advmod	_	_
19	over	over	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
20	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Tuff | a light and rough rock |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **make** | participle |  | rough rock *not said here* |  | volcanic ash |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V PP»: agent=Asset from ash=Material |
| 3 | **press** | present · perfect · passive |  | volcanic ash |  |  |  |  | vn push-12-1-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |
| 4 | **stick together** | participle |  |  |  |  | time | together *property* | vn shake-22.3-2 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Patient |

<!-- .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}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Tuff» is a playful spelling of «tough», used online and by young people to mean cool, impressive or hard: «that's tuff».

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tuff:m2:1
# text = «Tuff» is a playful spelling of «tough», used online and by young people to mean cool, impressive or hard: «that's tuff».
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Tuff	tuff	NOUN	NN	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	playful	playful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	spelling	spelling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	tough	tough	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
13	used	use	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	acl:relcl	_	_
14	online	online	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
15	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
16	by	by	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	young	young	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
18	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	conj	_	_
19	to	to	PART	TO	_	20	mark	_	_
20	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	13	advcl	_	_
21	cool	cool	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	20	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	23	punct	_	_
23	impressive	impressive	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	21	conj	_	_
24	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	25	cc	_	_
25	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	21	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	30	punct	_	_
27	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	30	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	that	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	30	det	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	30	cop	_	_
30	tuff	tuff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
31	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	30	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
32	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Tuff | a playful spelling |  |  |  | of tough | tree rules |
| 2 | **use** | past | a playful spelling *not said here* |  |  |  |  | online *property* | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **mean** | to-infinitive | a playful spelling *not said here* |  |  |  |  | cool *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **is a** *in a quote* | present |  | that tuff |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Tuff forms when volcanic ash settles and hardens into rock.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tuff:x1:1
# text = Tuff forms when volcanic ash settles and hardens into rock.
1	Tuff	tuff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	forms	form	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	6	mark	_	_
4	volcanic	volcanic	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	ash	ash	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	settles	settle	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	hardens	harden	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	conj	_	_
9	into	into	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	rock	rock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **form** | present | Tuff |  |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **settle** | present | volcanic ash |  |  |  |  |  | vn correspond-36.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **harden** | present | volcanic ash *not said here* |  |  | rock |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The famous Easter Island statues are carved from tuff.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tuff:x2:1
# text = The famous Easter Island statues are carved from tuff.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
2	famous	famous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
3	Easter	Easter	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	Island	Island	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	statues	statue	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj:pass	_	_
6	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux:pass	_	_
7	carved	carve	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
8	from	from	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	tuff	tuff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **carve** | present · passive |  | the famous Island statues |  | tuff |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V PP»: subject=Product from tuff=Material |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Our rock kit has a piece of pale, crumbly tuff.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tuff:x3:1
# text = Our rock kit has a piece of pale, crumbly tuff.
1	Our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	rock	rock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	kit	kit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	piece	piece	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
8	pale	pale	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
10	crumbly	crumbly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	tuff	tuff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | Our rock kit | a piece of pale crumbly tuff |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent piece=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Some old houses in Italy are built of tuff blocks.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tuff:x4:1
# text = Some old houses in Italy are built of tuff blocks.
1	Some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	3	det	_	_
2	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	houses	house	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	Italy	Italy	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	_
6	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux:pass	_	_
7	built	build	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	tuff	tuff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	blocks	block	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **build** | present · passive |  | some old houses in Italy |  |  |  | of tuff blocks | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: subject=Product |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The guide said the cliff was made of tuff from an eruption long ago.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tuff:x5:1
# text = The guide said the cliff was made of tuff from an eruption long ago.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	guide	guide	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	said	say	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	cliff	cliff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj:pass	_	_
6	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux:pass	_	_
7	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	ccomp	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	tuff	tuff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
10	from	from	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	eruption	eruption	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
13	long	long	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	14	advmod	_	_
14	ago	ago	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | the guide |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **make** | past · passive |  | the cliff |  | a eruption |  | of tuff; ago *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V PP»: subject=Product from eruption=Material |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
(slang) «Your new trainers are tuff!»

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tuff:x6:1
# text = (slang) «Your new trainers are tuff!»
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	slang	slang	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	2	punct	_	_
4	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	Your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
6	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	trainers	trainer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nsubj	_	_
8	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
9	tuff	tuff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** *in a quote* | present | Your new trainers | tuff |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
(slang) «That level was tuff, I nearly gave up.»

<!-- fold The tree, 9 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tuff:x7:1
# text = (slang) «That level was tuff, I nearly gave up.»
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	slang	slang	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	2	punct	_	_
4	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	That	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	6	det	_	_
6	level	level	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
7	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
8	tuff	tuff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
10	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
11	nearly	nearly	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
12	gave	give	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	acl:relcl	_	_
13	up	up	ADP	RP	_	12	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** *in a quote* | past | slang | tuff |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **give up** *in a quote* | past | I | tuff *not said here* |  |  |  | nearly *property* | vn resign-10.11-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent tuff=Source |

<!-- 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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