---
title: violin — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «violin» in the school dictionary: A violin is a musical instrument made of wood with four strings, which you hold under your chin and play with a bow or by plucking. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# violin

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** violin, four strings, violinist, sister, He, You · **What happens:** be, make, hold, play, pluck, mean · **To what, where:** musical instrument, chin, part, band, first violin, violin · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«violin» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 9 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: [violin in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/violin.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A violin is a musical instrument made of wood with four strings, which you hold under your chin and play with a bow or by plucking.

<!-- fold The tree, 26 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:violin:m1:1
# text = A violin is a musical instrument made of wood with four strings, which you hold under your chin and play with a bow or by plucking.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	violin	violin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	musical	musical	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	instrument	instrument	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	acl	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	wood	wood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
10	with	with	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	four	four	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	12	nummod	_	_
12	strings	string	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
14	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	16	nsubj	_	_
15	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	16	nsubj	_	_
16	hold	hold	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	acl:relcl	_	_
17	under	under	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
18	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	19	nmod:poss	_	_
19	chin	chin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obl	_	_
20	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	21	cc	_	_
21	play	play	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	16	conj	_	_
22	with	with	ADP	IN	_	24	case	_	_
23	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	24	det	_	_
24	bow	bow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	obl	_	_
25	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	27	cc	_	_
26	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	27	mark	_	_
27	plucking	pluck	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	24	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a violin | a musical instrument |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **make** | participle |  | a musical instrument *not said here* |  |  |  | of wood; with four strings | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset |
| 3 | **hold** | present | four strings |  |  | your chin |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme under chin=Location |
| 4 | **play** | infinitive | four strings *not said here* |  |  |  |  | with a bow | vn play-114.2-1 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent with bow=Theme |
| 5 | **pluck** | gerund | four strings *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn wipe\_manner-10.4.1-1 «NP V PP-Conative»: 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 -->
The violin also means the part a violinist plays in a band or orchestra («She plays first violin»).

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:violin:m2:1
# text = The violin also means the part a violinist plays in a band or orchestra («She plays first violin»).
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	violin	violin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	also	also	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	part	part	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	violinist	violinist	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
9	plays	play	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	acl:relcl	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	band	band	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
13	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	orchestra	orchestra	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	conj	_	_
15	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	18	nsubj	_	_
18	plays	play	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
19	first	first	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	20	amod	_	_
20	violin	violin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | the violin | the part |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent part=Topic |
| 2 | **play** | present | a violinist | the part *not said here* |  | a band or orchestra |  |  | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent part=Theme |
| 3 | **play** *in a quote* | present | violinist | first violin |  |  |  |  | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent violin=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My sister plays the violin in the school orchestra.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:violin:x1:1
# text = My sister plays the violin in the school orchestra.
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	plays	play	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	violin	violin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	orchestra	orchestra	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 | **play** | present | My sister | the violin |  | the school orchestra |  |  | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent violin=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He practises the violin for twenty minutes every evening.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:violin:x2:1
# text = He practises the violin for twenty minutes every evening.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	practises	practise	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	violin	violin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	twenty	twenty	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	7	nummod	_	_
7	minutes	minute	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
8	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	9	det	_	_
9	evening	evening	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **practise** | present | He | the violin |  |  | evening; minute |  | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The violin has four strings.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:violin:x3:1
# text = The violin has four strings.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	violin	violin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	four	four	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	strings	string	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | the violin | four strings |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent string=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
You draw the bow across the strings to make a sound.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:violin:x4:1
# text = You draw the bow across the strings to make a sound.
1	You	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	draw	draw	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	bow	bow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	across	across	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	strings	string	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	sound	sound	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **draw** | present | You | the bow |  | the strings |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent bow=Theme |
| 2 | **make** | to-infinitive | You *not said here* | a sound |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset sound=Product |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A violin is smaller than a cello.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:violin:x5:1
# text = A violin is smaller than a cello.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	violin	violin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	smaller	small	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	0	root	_	_
5	than	than	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	cello	cello	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | a violin |  |  |  |  | than a cello; small *property* | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She carried her violin in a black case.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:violin:x6:1
# text = She carried her violin in a black case.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	carried	carry	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	violin	violin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	black	black	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	case	case	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 | **carry** | past | She | her violin |  | a black case |  |  | vn fit-54.3 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent violin=Value in case=Location |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The violin sounded sad and beautiful.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:violin:x7:1
# text = The violin sounded sad and beautiful.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	violin	violin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	sounded	sound	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	sad	sad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	xcomp	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	beautiful	beautiful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sound** | past | the violin |  |  |  |  | sad *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
When you press a string down, the note gets higher.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:violin:x8:1
# text = When you press a string down, the note gets higher.
1	When	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	3	mark	_	_
2	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	press	press	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	advcl	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	string	string	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	down	down	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	note	note	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
10	gets	get	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
11	higher	high	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	10	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **press down** | present | you | a string |  |  |  |  | vn push-12-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent string=Theme |
| 2 | **get** | present | the note |  |  |  |  | high *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
When this was done, she called to a man who was waiting with a violin.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:violin:x9:1
# text = When this was done, she called to a man who was waiting with a violin.
1	When	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	4	advmod	_	_
2	this	this	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	done	do	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	called	call	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	to	to	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
11	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	13	nsubj	_	_
12	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	13	aux	_	_
13	waiting	wait	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	10	acl:relcl	_	_
14	with	with	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	violin	violin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | past · passive |  | this |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Eventuality |
| 2 | **call** | past | she |  | a man |  |  |  | vn animal\_sounds-38 «NP V PP.recipient»: agent=Agent to man=Recipient |
| 3 | **wait** | past · progressive | a man |  |  |  |  | with a violin | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- 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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