---
title: universal — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «universal» in the school dictionary: Universal means true for, done by or belonging to everyone or everything, in every place. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# universal

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Universal, Something, universal remote, that, Gravity, Dad · **What happens:** mean, do, belong, work, be, smile · **To what, where:** idea, universal sign, universal force, Music, universal charger, phones · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«universal» in the school dictionary: its 4 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: [universal in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/universal.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Universal means true for, done by or belonging to everyone or everything, in every place.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:universal:m1:1
# text = Universal means true for, done by or belonging to everyone or everything, in every place.
1	Universal	universal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	_
4	for	for	ADP	IN	_	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
6	done	do	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	parataxis	_	_
7	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	belonging	belong	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	6	advcl	_	_
10	to	to	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	everyone	everyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	9	obl	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	everything	everything	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	11	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
15	in	in	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	17	det	_	_
17	place	place	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Universal |  |  |  |  | true *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **do** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **belong** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | to everyone | vn attend-107.4-2 «NP V PP»: agent=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 -->
Something universal works in all cases: a universal remote works with any TV.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:universal:m2:1
# text = Something universal works in all cases: a universal remote works with any TV.
1	Something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	3	nsubj	_	_
2	universal	universal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	amod	_	_
3	works	work	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	6	det	_	_
6	cases	case	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	11	punct	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	universal	universal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	remote	remote	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
11	works	work	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	parataxis	_	_
12	with	with	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	14	det	_	_
14	TV	TV	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **work** | present | Something |  |  |  |  | in all cases | vn employment-95.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent in case=Theme |
| 2 | **work** | present | a universal remote |  |  |  |  | with any TV | vn cooperate-73.1-3 «NP V PP.co-agent PP.theme»: agent=Agent with tv=Co-Agent |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Belonging to the whole universe: universal laws of nature.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:universal:m3:1
# text = Belonging to the whole universe: universal laws of nature.
1	Belonging	belong	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
2	to	to	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	whole	whole	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	universe	universe	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	8	punct	_	_
7	universal	universal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	laws	law	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	conj	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	nature	nature	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **belong** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | to the whole universe and universal laws of nature | vn attend-107.4-2 «NP V PP»: agent=Theme |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A universal is an idea or quality that is the same everywhere.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:universal:m4:1
# text = A universal is an idea or quality that is the same everywhere.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	universal	universal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	idea	idea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	quality	quality	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	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	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	same	same	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	parataxis	_	_
12	everywhere	everywhere	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	11	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a universal | a idea or quality |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present | that |  |  |  |  | everywhere, same *property* | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Smiling is a universal sign of being happy.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:universal:x1:1
# text = Smiling is a universal sign of being happy.
1	Smiling	smile	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	universal	universal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	sign	sign	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	8	cop	_	_
8	happy	happy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **smile** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is a** | present |  | a universal sign |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **is** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | happy *property* | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Gravity is a universal force: it pulls on everything with mass.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:universal:x2:1
# text = Gravity is a universal force: it pulls on everything with mass.
1	Gravity	gravity	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	universal	universal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	force	force	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	8	punct	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	pulls	pull	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	parataxis	_	_
9	on	on	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	everything	everything	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	8	obl	_	_
11	with	with	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	mass	mass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Gravity | a universal force |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **pull** | present | Gravity |  |  |  |  | on everything | vn push-12-1 «NP V PP-Conative»: agent=Agent on everything=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Music is sometimes called a universal language.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:universal:x3:1
# text = Music is sometimes called a universal language.
1	Music	music	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
3	sometimes	sometimes	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	4	advmod	_	_
4	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	universal	universal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	language	language	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** | present · passive |  | Music |  |  |  | sometimes *property* | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: subject=Recipient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dad bought a universal charger that fits all our phones.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:universal:x4:1
# text = Dad bought a universal charger that fits all our phones.
1	Dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	bought	buy	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	universal	universal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	charger	charger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	fits	fit	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	all	all	DET	PDT	PronType=Tot	10	det:predet	_	_
9	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
10	phones	phone	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **buy** | past | Dad | a universal charger |  |  |  |  | vn accept-77.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent charger=Theme |
| 2 | **fit** | present | a universal charger | our phones |  |  |  |  | vn adjust-26.9 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent phone=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Every child has the universal right to an education.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:universal:x5:1
# text = Every child has the universal right to an education.
1	Every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	2	det	_	_
2	child	child	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	universal	universal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	right	right	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	education	education	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | every child | the universal right |  |  |  | to a education | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent right=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Chocolate ice cream is a universal favourite in our class.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:universal:x6:1
# text = Chocolate ice cream is a universal favourite in our class.
1	Chocolate	chocolate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	ice	ice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	cream	cream	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
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	universal	universal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	favourite	favourite	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
10	class	class	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | ice cream | a universal favourite |  | our class |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Universal Credit is money from the government that helps some families in the UK.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:universal:x7:1
# text = Universal Credit is money from the government that helps some families in the UK.
1	Universal	universal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	Credit	credit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	money	money	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	from	from	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	government	government	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
8	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	9	nsubj	_	_
9	helps	help	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	parataxis	_	_
10	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	11	det	_	_
11	families	family	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obj	_	_
12	in	in	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	UK	UK	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Universal Credit | money |  | the government |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **help** | present | that | some families |  | the UK |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent family=Beneficiary |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Having vastly delighted the assembly, he sat down amidst universal applause.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:universal:x8:1
# text = Having vastly delighted the assembly, he sat down amidst universal applause.
1	Having	have	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	3	csubj	_	_
2	vastly	vastly	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	_
3	delighted	delight	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	assembly	assembly	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
7	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	sat	sit	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
9	down	down	ADP	RP	_	8	compound:prt	_	_
10	amidst	amidst	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	universal	universal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	applause	applause	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | vastly *property* | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **delight** | past | Having | the assembly |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus assembly=Experiencer |
| 3 | **sit down** | past | he |  |  |  |  | amidst universal applause | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

<!-- 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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