---
title: vague — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «vague» in the school dictionary: Vague means not clear or exact: a vague answer, vague directions. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# vague

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Vague, vague shape, vague person, answer, Your, I · **What happens:** mean, be, see, remember, not explain, give · **To what, where:** things, example, vague memory, vague directions, us, we · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«vague» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 7 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: [vague in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/vague.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Vague means not clear or exact: a vague answer, vague directions.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:vague:m1:1
# text = Vague means not clear or exact: a vague answer, vague directions.
1	Vague	vague	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	clear	clear	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	exact	exact	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	10	punct	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	vague	vague	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	answer	answer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
12	vague	vague	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	directions	direction	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Vague |  |  |  |  | clear *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=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.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A vague shape or memory is hard to see or remember clearly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:vague:m2:1
# text = A vague shape or memory is hard to see or remember clearly.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	vague	vague	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	shape	shape	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	memory	memory	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	see	see	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	xcomp	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	remember	remember	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	conj	_	_
12	clearly	clearly	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | a vague shape or memory |  |  |  |  | hard *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **see** | to-infinitive | a vague shape or memory *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 3 | **remember** | infinitive | a vague shape or memory *not said here* |  |  |  |  | clearly *property* | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A vague person is absent-minded and does not explain things clearly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:vague:m3:1
# text = A vague person is absent-minded and does not explain things clearly.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	vague	vague	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
5	absent	absent	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	minded	minded	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
9	does	do	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
10	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	11	advmod	_	_
11	explain	explain	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	conj	_	_
12	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	obj	_	_
13	clearly	clearly	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | a vague person |  |  |  |  | minded *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **explain** *speech: assert* | present · do-support | a vague person *not said here* | things |  |  |  | clearly *property* | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent thing=Topic |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Your answer is too vague: please give an example.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:vague:x1:1
# text = Your answer is too vague: please give an example.
1	Your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	answer	answer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	too	too	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	vague	vague	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	8	punct	_	_
7	please	please	INTJ	UH	_	8	discourse	_	_
8	give	give	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	parataxis	_	_
9	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	example	example	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Your answer |  |  |  |  | vague *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **give** | infinitive |  | a example |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent example=Theme |
| 3 | **answer** |  | Your |  |  |  |  |  | nom answer «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I have a vague memory of the trip.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:vague:x2:1
# text = I have a vague memory of the trip.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	have	have	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	vague	vague	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	memory	memory	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	trip	trip	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | I | a vague memory of the trip |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent memory=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He gave us vague directions, so we got lost.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:vague:x3:1
# text = He gave us vague directions, so we got lost.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	gave	give	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	iobj	_	_
4	vague	vague	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	directions	direction	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
7	so	so	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
8	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
9	got	get	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux:pass	_	_
10	lost	lose	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | past | He | vague directions | us |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent we=Recipient direction=Theme |
| 2 | **lose** | past · passive |  | we |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Eventuality |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We saw a vague shape in the mist.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:vague:x4:1
# text = We saw a vague shape in the mist.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	saw	see	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	vague	vague	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	shape	shape	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	mist	mist	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **see** | past | We | a vague shape |  | the mist |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer shape=Stimulus |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I vaguely remember meeting her.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:vague:x5:1
# text = I vaguely remember meeting her.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	vaguely	vaguely	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	remember	remember	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	meeting	meet	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	3	xcomp	_	_
5	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **remember** | present | I |  |  |  |  | vaguely *property* | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 2 | **meet** | gerund | I *not said here* | her *= she* |  |  |  |  | vn meet-36.3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent she=Co-Agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grandpa can be a bit vague in the mornings.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:vague:x6:1
# text = Grandpa can be a bit vague in the mornings.
1	Grandpa	grandpa	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
3	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	bit	bit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl:unmarked	_	_
6	vague	vague	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	mornings	morning	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | can | Grandpa |  |  |  | morning | a bit *obl:unmarked*; vague *property* | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Jurgen gave such a vague answer that it was not easy to make out what he meant--the old man brought Else to him, and she said:

<!-- fold The tree, 27 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:vague:x7:1
# text = Jurgen gave such a vague answer that it was not easy to make out what he meant--the old man brought Else to him, and she said:
1	Jurgen	Jurgen	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	gave	give	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	such	such	DET	PDT	PronType=Ind	6	det:predet	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	vague	vague	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	answer	answer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
7	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	expl	_	_
9	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
10	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	11	advmod	_	_
11	easy	easy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	advcl	_	_
12	to	to	PART	TO	_	13	mark	_	_
13	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	csubj	_	_
14	out	out	ADP	RP	_	13	compound:prt	_	_
15	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	17	obj	_	_
16	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	17	nsubj	_	_
17	meant	mean	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	13	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	--	--	PUNCT	,	_	22	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
20	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	21	amod	_	_
21	man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	nsubj	_	_
22	brought	bring	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
23	Else	else	ADV	RB	_	22	advmod	_	_
24	to	to	ADP	IN	_	25	case	_	_
25	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	22	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	29	punct	_	_
27	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	29	cc	_	_
28	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	29	nsubj	_	_
29	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
30	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	29	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | past | Jurgen | such vague answer |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent answer=Theme |
| 2 | **not** **is** | past | Jurgen *not said here* |  |  |  |  | easy *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **make out** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn sight-30.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer |
| 4 | **mean** | past | Jurgen |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent what=Topic |
| 5 | **bring** | past | the old man |  | Jurgen |  |  | else *property* | vn bring-11.3-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent to he=Destination |
| 6 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | she |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: 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 -->

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