---
title: varnish — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «varnish» in the school dictionary: Varnish is a clear liquid painted onto wood or other surfaces that dries to make a hard, shiny, protective layer. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# varnish

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Varnish, other surfaces, US, looks, person, Dad · **What happens:** be, paint, dry, make, varnish, mean · **To what, where:** clear liquid, wood, hard protective layer, something, coloured paint, polished outward show

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Varnish is a clear liquid painted onto wood or other surfaces that dries to make a hard, shiny, protective layer.

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:varnish:m1:1
# text = Varnish is a clear liquid painted onto wood or other surfaces that dries to make a hard, shiny, protective layer.
1	Varnish	varnish	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	clear	clear	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	liquid	liquid	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	painted	paint	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	acl	_	_
7	onto	onto	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	wood	wood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
10	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	surfaces	surface	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	conj	_	_
12	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	13	nsubj	_	_
13	dries	dry	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	acl:relcl	_	_
14	to	to	PART	TO	_	15	mark	_	_
15	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	13	xcomp	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
17	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	22	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
19	shiny	shiny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
21	protective	protective	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	22	amod	_	_
22	layer	layer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Varnish | a clear liquid |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **paint** | participle |  | a clear liquid *not said here* |  | wood or other surfaces |  |  | vn image\_impression-25.1 «NP V NP.theme PP.destination»: agent=Agent onto wood=Destination |
| 3 | **dry** | present | other surfaces |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **make** | to-infinitive | other surfaces *not said here* | a hard protective layer |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset layer=Product |

<!-- .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 -->
To varnish something is to paint it with varnish.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:varnish:m2:1
# text = To varnish something is to paint it with varnish.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	varnish	varnish	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
3	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	paint	paint	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	varnish	varnish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **varnish** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn butter-9.9 «NP V NP.destination»: agent=Agent something=Destination |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | with varnish; paint *property* | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Nail varnish (UK, Australia; US: nail polish) is coloured paint for fingernails and toenails.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:varnish:m3:1
# text = Nail varnish (UK, Australia; US: nail polish) is coloured paint for fingernails and toenails.
1	Nail	nail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	varnish	varnish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	UK	UK	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
6	Australia	Australia	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	15	punct	_	_
8	US	US	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	15	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	11	punct	_	_
10	nail	nail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	compound	_	_
11	polish	polish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	11	punct	_	_
13	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	15	cop	_	_
14	coloured	coloured	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	paint	paint	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
16	for	for	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
17	fingernails	fingernail	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	15	nmod	_	_
18	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
19	toenails	toenail	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	17	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | US | coloured paint |  |  |  | for fingernails and toenails | tree rules |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Varnish can also mean the polished outward show of good manners or looks that makes a person seem fine.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:varnish:m4:1
# text = Varnish can also mean the polished outward show of good manners or looks that makes a person seem fine.
1	Varnish	varnish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	also	also	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
6	polished	polish	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	amod	_	_
7	outward	outward	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	show	show	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	manners	manners	NOUN	NNS	Number=Ptan	8	nmod	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	looks	look	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	conj	_	_
14	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	15	nsubj	_	_
15	makes	make	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	acl:relcl	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obj	_	_
18	seem	seem	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	15	xcomp	_	_
19	fine	fine	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | can | Varnish | the polished outward show of good manners or looks |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent show=Topic |
| 2 | **polish** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn butter-9.9 «NP V NP.destination»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **make** | present | looks | a person |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **seem** | infinitive | a person *not said here* |  |  |  |  | fine *property* | vn seem-109-1-1-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Theme |
| 5 | **show** |  |  | good manners or looks |  |  |  |  | nom show «act transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dad put a coat of varnish on the table.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:varnish:x1:1
# text = Dad put a coat of varnish on the table.
1	Dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	put	put	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	coat	coat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	varnish	varnish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
7	on	on	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	table	table	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **put** | past | Dad | a coat of varnish |  | the table |  |  | vn put-9.1-2 «NP V PP.destination NP»: agent=Agent coat=Theme on table=Destination |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We varnished our wooden boxes in DT.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:varnish:x2:1
# text = We varnished our wooden boxes in DT.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	varnished	varnish	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
4	wooden	wooden	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	boxes	box	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	DT	DT	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **varnish** | past | We | our wooden boxes |  | DT |  |  | vn butter-9.9 «NP V NP.destination»: agent=Agent box=Destination |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Let the varnish dry before touching it.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:varnish:x3:1
# text = Let the varnish dry before touching it.
1	Let	let	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	varnish	varnish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	dry	dry	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
5	before	before	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
6	touching	touch	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	1	advcl	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **let** | imperative | you *not said here* | the varnish dry |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent dry=Theme |
| 2 | **touch** | gerund | you *not said here* | dry |  |  |  |  | vn contiguous\_location-47.8-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme it=Co-Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My sister painted her nails with red nail varnish.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:varnish:x4:1
# text = My sister painted her nails with red nail varnish.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	sister	sister	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	painted	paint	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	nails	nail	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	red	red	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
8	nail	nail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	varnish	varnish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **paint** | past | My sister | sister's nails |  |  |  | with red nail varnish | vn image\_impression-25.1 «NP V NP.destination PP.theme»: agent=Agent nail=Destination with varnish=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Varnish protects the wood from water.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:varnish:x5:1
# text = Varnish protects the wood from water.
1	Varnish	varnish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	protects	protect	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	wood	wood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	from	from	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **protect** | present | Varnish | the wood |  |  |  | from water | vn defend-72.3 «NP V NP PP.theme»: agent=Agent wood=Beneficiary from water=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Open a window when you use varnish.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:varnish:x6:1
# text = Open a window when you use varnish.
1	Open	open	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	window	window	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	6	mark	_	_
5	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	use	use	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	advcl	_	_
7	varnish	varnish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **open** | imperative | you *not said here* | a window |  |  |  |  | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location window=Theme |
| 2 | **use** | present | you | varnish |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent varnish=Patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The old varnish was cracked and peeling.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:varnish:x7:1
# text = The old varnish was cracked and peeling.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	varnish	varnish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	cracked	crack	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	peeling	peel	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **crack** | past · passive |  | the old varnish |  |  |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «PP.location V NP»: subject=Theme |
| 2 | **peel** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn pit-10.7 «NP V NP»: 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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