---
title: unlawful — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «unlawful» in the school dictionary: Not allowed by law; against the law; illegal. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# unlawful

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**Who acts:** It, judge, arrest, Unlawful entry, court, Dumping · **What happens:** not allow, be, sell, say, mean, go · **To what, where:** alcohol, children, building, sacking, rubbish, river · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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«unlawful» in the school dictionary: its meaning for a pupil and its 6 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: [unlawful in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/unlawful.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Not allowed by law; against the law; illegal.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unlawful:m1:1
# text = Not allowed by law; against the law; illegal.
1	Not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	2	advmod	_	_
2	allowed	allow	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
3	by	by	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	law	law	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
6	against	against	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	law	law	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
10	illegal	illegal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **allow** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | by law; against the law | vn allow-64.1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Causer |

<!-- .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.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is unlawful to sell alcohol to children.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unlawful:x1:1
# text = It is unlawful to sell alcohol to children.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	unlawful	unlawful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	sell	sell	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	alcohol	alcohol	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	children	child	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | It |  |  |  |  | unlawful *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **sell** | to-infinitive |  | alcohol | children |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: agent=Agent alcohol=Theme to child=Recipient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The judge said the arrest was unlawful.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unlawful:x2:1
# text = The judge said the arrest was unlawful.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	judge	judge	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	arrest	arrest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
6	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	unlawful	unlawful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | the judge |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | past | the arrest |  |  |  |  | unlawful *property* | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Unlawful entry means going into a building without the right to.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unlawful:x3:1
# text = Unlawful entry means going into a building without the right to.
1	Unlawful	unlawful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	entry	entry	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	going	go	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	xcomp	_	_
5	into	into	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	building	building	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
8	without	without	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	right	right	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
11	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	fixed	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Unlawful entry |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **go** *not said to happen* | gerund | Unlawful entry *not said here* |  |  | a building |  | without the right | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme into building=Initial\_Location |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The court called the sacking unlawful.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unlawful:x4:1
# text = The court called the sacking unlawful.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	court	court	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	sacking	sacking	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	unlawful	unlawful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** | participle | the court *not said here* | the sacking |  |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent sacking=Recipient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dumping rubbish in the river is unlawful.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unlawful:x5:1
# text = Dumping rubbish in the river is unlawful.
1	Dumping	dump	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	csubj	_	_
2	rubbish	rubbish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	river	river	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	unlawful	unlawful	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 | **dump** | gerund |  | rubbish |  | the river |  |  | vn funnel-9.3-1-1 «NP V NP PP.trajectory»: agent=Agent rubbish=Theme in river=Trajectory |
| 2 | **is** | present | Dumping |  |  |  |  | unlawful *property* | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unlawful:x6:1
# text = He was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	charged	charge	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	unlawful	unlawful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	possession	possession	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	weapon	weapon	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 | **charge** | past · passive |  | He |  |  |  | with unlawful possession of a weapon | vn equip-13.4.2 «NP V NP-Fulfilling PP»: subject=Recipient with possession=Theme |
| 2 | **possess** |  |  | a weapon |  |  |  |  | nom possession «act transitive»: of=patient |

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**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.

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