---
title: uphold — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «uphold» in the school dictionary: To uphold a rule, law or tradition is to support it and make sure it is kept. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# uphold

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** decision, earlier decision, Police officers, referee, We, judge · **What happens:** uphold, be, make, keep, judge, say · **To what, where:** rule, tradition, decision, value, law, video · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«uphold» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings 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: [uphold in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/uphold.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To uphold a rule, law or tradition is to support it and make sure it is kept.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:uphold:m1:1
# text = To uphold a rule, law or tradition is to support it and make sure it is kept.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	uphold	uphold	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	advcl	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	rule	rule	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
6	law	law	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	tradition	tradition	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	support	support	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
12	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	obj	_	_
13	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	make	make	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	11	conj	_	_
15	sure	sure	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	xcomp	_	_
16	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	18	nsubj:pass	_	_
17	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	18	aux:pass	_	_
18	kept	keep	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	15	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **uphold** | to-infinitive |  | a rule and law or tradition |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | support *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **make** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | sure *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset |
| 4 | **keep** | present · passive |  | tradition |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: subject=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}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To uphold a decision is for a court or judge to say the earlier decision was correct and keep it.

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:uphold:m2:1
# text = To uphold a decision is for a court or judge to say the earlier decision was correct and keep it.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	uphold	uphold	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	decision	decision	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	court	court	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	ccomp	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	judge	judge	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
11	to	to	PART	TO	_	12	mark	_	_
12	say	say	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	xcomp	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
14	earlier	early	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	15	amod	_	_
15	decision	decision	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	nsubj	_	_
16	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	17	cop	_	_
17	correct	correct	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	ccomp	_	_
18	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
19	keep	keep	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	conj	_	_
20	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	19	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **uphold** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present | a decision |  |  |  |  | for a court | tree rules |
| 3 | **judge** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn estimate-34.2-1-1 «NP V whether/if S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 4 | **say** *speech: assert* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 5 | **is** | past | the earlier decision |  |  |  |  | correct *property* | tree rules |
| 6 | **keep** | infinitive |  | decision |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Theme |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To uphold a value is to defend it and live by it.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:uphold:m3:1
# text = To uphold a value is to defend it and live by it.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	uphold	uphold	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	advcl	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	value	value	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	defend	defend	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	live	live	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	_
11	by	by	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **uphold** | to-infinitive |  | a value |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | defend *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **live** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | by value | vn exist-47.1-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme by it=Location |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Police officers uphold the law.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:uphold:x1:1
# text = Police officers uphold the law.
1	Police	police	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	compound	_	_
2	officers	officer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	uphold	uphold	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	law	law	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **uphold** | present | Police officers | the law |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The referee upheld the decision after watching the video.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:uphold:x2:1
# text = The referee upheld the decision after watching the video.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	referee	referee	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	upheld	uphold	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	decision	decision	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	after	after	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
7	watching	watch	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	advcl	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	video	video	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **uphold** | past | the referee | the decision |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **watch** | gerund | the referee *not said here* | the video |  |  |  |  | vn assessment-34.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent video=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We promise to uphold the school rules.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:uphold:x3:1
# text = We promise to uphold the school rules.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	promise	promise	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	uphold	uphold	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	rules	rule	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **promise** *speech: promise* | present | We |  |  |  |  |  | vn promise-37.13 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **uphold** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | We *not said here* | the school rules |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The judge upheld the ban.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:uphold:x4:1
# text = The judge upheld the ban.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	judge	judge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	upheld	uphold	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	ban	ban	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **uphold** | past | the judge | the ban |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The knights swore to uphold justice.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:uphold:x5:1
# text = The knights swore to uphold justice.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	knights	knight	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	swore	swear	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	uphold	uphold	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	justice	justice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **swear** | past | the knights |  |  |  |  |  | vn conjecture-29.5 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 2 | **uphold** | to-infinitive | the knights *not said here* | justice |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Our family upholds the tradition of Sunday lunch together.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:uphold:x6:1
# text = Our family upholds the tradition of Sunday lunch together.
1	Our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	family	family	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	upholds	uphold	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	tradition	tradition	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	Sunday	Sunday	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	lunch	lunch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
9	together	together	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **uphold** | present | Our family | the tradition of Sunday lunch |  |  |  | together *property* | tree rules |

<!-- 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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