---
title: vestal — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «vestal» in the school dictionary: A vestal, or Vestal Virgin, was a priestess in ancient Rome who kept the sacred fire of the goddess Vesta burning. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# vestal

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**Who acts:** vestal, priestess, Vesta, maiden, priestesses · **What happens:** be, keep, burn, fire, mean, give · **To what, where:** priestess, ancient Rome, sacred fire, goddess, herself, holy duty · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«vestal» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 2 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: [vestal in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/vestal.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A vestal, or Vestal Virgin, was a priestess in ancient Rome who kept the sacred fire of the goddess Vesta burning.

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:vestal:m1:1
# text = A vestal, or Vestal Virgin, was a priestess in ancient Rome who kept the sacred fire of the goddess Vesta burning.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	vestal	vestal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
5	Vestal	vestal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	Virgin	Virgin	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
8	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	priestess	priestess	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
11	in	in	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	ancient	ancient	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	Rome	Rome	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	_
14	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	15	nsubj	_	_
15	kept	keep	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	acl:relcl	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
17	sacred	sacred	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
18	fire	fire	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obj	_	_
19	of	of	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
20	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
21	goddess	goddess	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	nmod	_	_
22	Vesta	Vesta	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	21	appos	_	_
23	burning	burn	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	22	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | a vestal | a priestess |  | ancient Rome |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **keep** | past | a priestess | the sacred fire of the goddess |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent fire=Theme |
| 3 | **burn** | gerund | Vesta *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn light\_emission-43.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **fire** |  |  | the goddess |  |  |  |  | nom fire «event transitive»: of=patient |

<!-- .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 -->
Vestal means pure, chaste, as of a maiden who has given herself to a holy duty.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:vestal:m2:1
# text = Vestal means pure, chaste, as of a maiden who has given herself to a holy duty.
1	Vestal	vestal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	pure	pure	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
5	chaste	chaste	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
7	as	as	ADP	IN	ExtPos=ADP	10	case	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	fixed	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	maiden	maiden	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	parataxis	_	_
11	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	13	nsubj	_	_
12	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	aux	_	_
13	given	give	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	10	acl:relcl	_	_
14	herself	herself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	13	obj	_	_
15	to	to	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
17	holy	holy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
18	duty	duty	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Vestal |  |  |  |  | pure *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **give** | present · perfect | a maiden | herself *= she* | a holy duty |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: agent=Agent herself=Theme to duty=Recipient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
On her altar burned the never-ceasing fire, which was tended by her priestesses, the Vestal Virgins.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:vestal:x1:1
# text = On her altar burned the never-ceasing fire, which was tended by her priestesses, the Vestal Virgins.
1	On	on	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
3	altar	altar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
4	burned	burn	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
6	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	ceasing	cease	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	9	amod	_	_
9	fire	fire	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
11	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	13	nsubj:pass	_	_
12	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	13	aux:pass	_	_
13	tended	tend	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	9	acl:relcl	_	_
14	by	by	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	16	nmod:poss	_	_
16	priestesses	priestess	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	20	punct	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
19	Vestal	vestal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	20	amod	_	_
20	Virgins	Virgin	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	16	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **burn** | past |  | the ceasing fire |  | her altar |  |  | vn light\_emission-43.1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent fire=Theme |
| 2 | **not** **cease** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |
| 3 | **tend** | past · passive | her priestesses and the Vestal Virgins | the ceasing fire |  |  |  |  | vn caring-75.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent subject=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The priestesses of Vesta, called Vestales or Vestal Virgins, played a conspicuous part in these festivals.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:vestal:x2:1
# text = The priestesses of Vesta, called Vestales or Vestal Virgins, played a conspicuous part in these festivals.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	priestesses	priestess	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	Vesta	Vesta	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
6	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
7	Vestales	Vestales	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	xcomp	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
9	Vestal	vestal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	Virgins	virgin	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
12	played	play	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
14	conspicuous	conspicuous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	part	part	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	_
16	in	in	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	these	this	DET	DT	Number=Plur|PronType=Dem	18	det	_	_
18	festivals	festival	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	12	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** | participle |  | the priestesses of Vesta *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **play** | past | the priestesses of Vesta | a conspicuous part |  | this festivals |  |  | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent part=Theme |

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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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