---
title: unicorn — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «unicorn» in the school dictionary: A unicorn is a magical animal from stories and legends that looks like a white horse with one long, straight, twisted horn on its forehead. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# unicorn

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** unicorn, magical animal, new company, sister, Unicorns, traders · **What happens:** be, look, find, become, gallop, enchant · **To what, where:** magical animal, stories, something, new company, enchanted forest, unicorn pyjamas

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A unicorn is a magical animal from stories and legends that looks like a white horse with one long, straight, twisted horn on its forehead.

<!-- fold The tree, 25 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unicorn:m1:1
# text = A unicorn is a magical animal from stories and legends that looks like a white horse with one long, straight, twisted horn on its forehead.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	unicorn	unicorn	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	magical	magical	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	animal	animal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	from	from	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	stories	story	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	legends	legend	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	conj	_	_
11	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	12	nsubj	_	_
12	looks	look	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	acl:relcl	_	_
13	like	like	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
15	white	white	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	horse	horse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	_
17	with	with	ADP	IN	_	24	case	_	_
18	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	24	nsubj	_	_
19	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	24	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
21	straight	straight	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	24	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
23	twisted	twisted	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	24	amod	_	_
24	horn	horn	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	_
25	on	on	ADP	IN	_	27	case	_	_
26	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	27	nmod:poss	_	_
27	forehead	forehead	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	24	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a unicorn | a magical animal |  | stories and legends |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **look** | present | a magical animal |  |  |  |  | like a white horse; with long straight twisted horn on unicorn's forehead | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Stimulus |

<!-- .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: informal — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A unicorn is something rare and wonderful that is very hard to find.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unicorn:m2:1
# text = A unicorn is something rare and wonderful that is very hard to find.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	unicorn	unicorn	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	0	root	_	_
5	rare	rare	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	wonderful	wonderful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	conj	_	_
8	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	11	nsubj	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
10	very	very	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
11	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	acl:relcl	_	_
12	to	to	PART	TO	_	13	mark	_	_
13	find	find	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a unicorn | something |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | hard *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **find** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn declare-29.4-1-1 «NP V what S\_INF»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A unicorn is a new company that has become worth over a billion dollars.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unicorn:m3:1
# text = A unicorn is a new company that has become worth over a billion dollars.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	unicorn	unicorn	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	company	company	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	9	nsubj	_	_
8	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
9	become	become	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	6	acl:relcl	_	_
10	worth	worth	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	xcomp	_	_
11	over	over	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	billion	billion	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	14	nummod	_	_
14	dollars	dollar	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a unicorn | a new company |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **become** | present · perfect | a new company |  |  |  |  | worth *property* | vn become-109.1-1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The unicorn galloped through the enchanted forest.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unicorn:x1:1
# text = The unicorn galloped through the enchanted forest.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	unicorn	unicorn	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	galloped	gallop	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	through	through	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	enchanted	enchant	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	amod	_	_
7	forest	forest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **gallop** | past | the unicorn |  |  | the enchanted forest |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme through forest=Trajectory |
| 2 | **enchant** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My sister has unicorn pyjamas.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unicorn:x2:1
# text = My sister has unicorn pyjamas.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	sister	sister	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	unicorn	unicorn	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	pyjamas	pyjama	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | My sister | unicorn pyjamas |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent pyjama=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The unicorn is the national animal of Scotland.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unicorn:x3:1
# text = The unicorn is the national animal of Scotland.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	unicorn	unicorn	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	national	national	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	animal	animal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	Scotland	Scotland	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the unicorn | the national animal |  |  |  | of Scotland | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Unicorns are made-up animals; they are not real.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unicorn:x4:1
# text = Unicorns are made-up animals; they are not real.
1	Unicorns	unicorn	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	up	up	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	_
6	animals	animal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
8	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
9	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
10	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	11	advmod	_	_
11	real	real	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make up** | present · passive |  | Unicorns |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **is** | present | Unicorns *= unicorn* |  |  |  |  | real *property* | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Long ago, traders sold narwhal tusks as unicorn horns.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unicorn:x5:1
# text = Long ago, traders sold narwhal tusks as unicorn horns.
1	Long	long	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	2	advmod	_	_
2	ago	ago	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	traders	trader	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
5	sold	sell	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	narwhal	narwhal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	tusks	tusk	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	_
8	as	as	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	unicorn	unicorn	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	horns	horn	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sell** | past | traders | narwhal tusks |  |  |  | as unicorn horns; ago *property* | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent tusk=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A friend who always shares their sweets is a unicorn! (informal)

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* A friend who always shares their sweets is a unicorn!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unicorn:x6:1
# text = A friend who always shares their sweets is a unicorn!
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	friend	friend	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
3	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	5	nsubj	_	_
4	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	5	advmod	_	_
5	shares	share	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	acl:relcl	_	_
6	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	sweets	sweet	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	unicorn	unicorn	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 | **share** | present | a friend | their sweets |  |  |  | always *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **is a** | present | a friend | a unicorn |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* (informal)

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unicorn:x6:2
# text = (informal)
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	informal	informal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The lion and the unicorn are on the royal coat of arms.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unicorn:x7:1
# text = The lion and the unicorn are on the royal coat of arms.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	lion	lion	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
3	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	unicorn	unicorn	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
6	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
7	on	on	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	royal	royal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	coat	coat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
11	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	arms	arm	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | the lion and the unicorn |  |  | the royal coat |  | of arms | tree rules |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the forest there lives a unicorn that commits great damage, you must first catch him."

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unicorn:x8:1
# text = In the forest there lives a unicorn that commits great damage, you must first catch him."
1	In	in	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	forest	forest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	there	there	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	5	advmod	_	_
5	lives	live	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	16	advcl	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	unicorn	unicorn	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	9	nsubj	_	_
9	commits	commit	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	acl:relcl	_	_
10	great	great	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	damage	damage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
13	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	16	nsubj	_	_
14	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	16	aux	_	_
15	first	first	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	16	advmod	_	_
16	catch	catch	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
17	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	16	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **live** | present | the forest | a unicorn |  | there |  |  | vn lodge-46 «NP V ADV»: agent=Theme unicorn=Location |
| 2 | **commit** | present | a unicorn | great damage |  |  |  |  | vn confine-92-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent damage=Theme |
| 3 | **catch** | must | you | unicorn |  |  |  | first *property* | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent he=Theme |

<!-- 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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