---
title: unselfish — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «unselfish» in the school dictionary: Thinking about other people's needs and happy to share or help, not only thinking of yourself. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# unselfish

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**Who acts:** other people, It, unselfish player, Ratty, He, Volunteers · **What happens:** think, share, help, not think, need, be · **To what, where:** sweets, better place, unselfish choice, sister, unselfish work, others

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Thinking about other people's needs and happy to share or help, not only thinking of yourself.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unselfish:m1:1
# text = Thinking about other people's needs and happy to share or help, not only thinking of yourself.
1	Thinking	think	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
2	about	about	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
3	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	's	's	PART	POS	_	4	case	_	_
6	needs	need	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obl	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	happy	happy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	conj	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	share	share	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	xcomp	_	_
11	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	help	help	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
14	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	16	advmod	_	_
15	only	only	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	_
16	thinking	think	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	12	advcl	_	_
17	of	of	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
18	yourself	yourself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=2|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	16	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **think** *speech: other* | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | about other people's needs | vn focus-87.1-1 «NP V PP.topic»: agent=Agent about need=Topic |
| 2 | **share** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **help** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **not** **think** *speech: other* | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | of yourself | vn focus-87.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 5 | **need** |  | other people |  |  |  |  |  | nom need «state transitive»: poss=agent |

<!-- .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 was unselfish of her to share her sweets.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unselfish:x1:1
# text = It was unselfish of her to share her sweets.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	unselfish	unselfish	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	obl	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	share	share	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
8	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	sweets	sweet	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | It |  |  |  |  | of her *= she*; unselfish *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **share** | to-infinitive |  | her sweets |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An unselfish player passes to a teammate in a better place.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unselfish:x2:1
# text = An unselfish player passes to a teammate in a better place.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	unselfish	unselfish	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	player	player	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	passes	pass	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	teammate	teammate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	better	good	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	11	amod	_	_
11	place	place	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pass** | present | a unselfish player |  |  | a better place |  | to a teammate | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Theme in place=Location |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ratty was unselfish and turned back for Mole.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unselfish:x3:1
# text = Ratty was unselfish and turned back for Mole.
1	Ratty	Ratty	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	unselfish	unselfish	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	turned	turn	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
6	back	back	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
7	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	Mole	Mole	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | Ratty |  |  |  |  | unselfish *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **turn back** | past | Ratty *not said here* |  |  |  |  | for Mole | vn banish-10.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He made an unselfish choice to help his sister.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unselfish:x4:1
# text = He made an unselfish choice to help his sister.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	unselfish	unselfish	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	choice	choice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	help	help	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
8	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	sister	sister	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past | He | a unselfish choice |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent choice=Product |
| 2 | **help** | to-infinitive | He *not said here* |  | his sister |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sister=Beneficiary |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Volunteers do unselfish work.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unselfish:x5:1
# text = Volunteers do unselfish work.
1	Volunteers	volunteer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	do	do	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	unselfish	unselfish	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	work	work	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | present | Volunteers | unselfish work |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent work=Eventuality |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Be unselfish and let others have a turn.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:unselfish:x6:1
# text = Be unselfish and let others have a turn.
1	Be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	cop	_	_
2	unselfish	unselfish	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
3	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	let	let	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	conj	_	_
5	others	other	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
6	have	have	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	turn	turn	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | unselfish *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **let** | infinitive | you *not said here* | others |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **have** | infinitive | others *not said here* | a turn |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent turn=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.

<!-- /div -->

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