---
title: volatile — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «volatile» in the school dictionary: In science, a volatile liquid turns into a gas (evaporates) very easily, like petrol or nail-polish remover. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# volatile

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** volatile liquid, volatile situation, volatile person, mood, changes, Volatile prices · **What happens:** turn, evaporate, change, become, have, lose · **To what, where:** science, sudden changes, temper, Petrol volatile, volatile liquids, volatile

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In science, a volatile liquid turns into a gas (evaporates) very easily, like petrol or nail-polish remover.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:volatile:m1:1
# text = In science, a volatile liquid turns into a gas (evaporates) very easily, like petrol or nail-polish remover.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	science	science	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	volatile	volatile	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	liquid	liquid	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	turns	turn	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	into	into	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	gas	gas	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
11	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	evaporates	evaporate	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	12	punct	_	_
14	very	very	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
15	easily	easily	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
17	like	like	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
18	petrol	petrol	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	parataxis	_	_
19	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	23	cc	_	_
20	nail	nail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	20	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	polish	polish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	23	compound	_	_
23	remover	remover	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **turn** | present | a volatile liquid |  |  | science |  | into a gas | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP.theme V PP.source PP.trajectory PP.destination»: agent=Theme in science=Source into gas=Trajectory |
| 2 | **evaporate** | present | a volatile liquid *not said here* |  |  |  |  | easily *property* | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=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 -->
A volatile situation can change suddenly and become dangerous or violent.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:volatile:m2:1
# text = A volatile situation can change suddenly and become dangerous or violent.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	volatile	volatile	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	situation	situation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	change	change	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	suddenly	suddenly	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	become	become	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	conj	_	_
9	dangerous	dangerous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	xcomp	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	violent	violent	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **change** | can | a volatile situation |  |  |  |  | suddenly *property* | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **become** | infinitive | a volatile situation *not said here* |  |  |  |  | dangerous *property* | vn become-109.1-1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A volatile person has sudden changes of mood and loses their temper easily.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:volatile:m3:1
# text = A volatile person has sudden changes of mood and loses their temper easily.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	volatile	volatile	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	sudden	sudden	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	changes	change	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	mood	mood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	loses	lose	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
11	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	12	nmod:poss	_	_
12	temper	temper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	_
13	easily	easily	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | a volatile person | sudden changes of mood |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent change=Patient |
| 2 | **lose** | present | a volatile person *not said here* | changes's temper |  |  |  | easily *property* | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent temper=Eventuality |
| 3 | **change** |  | mood |  |  |  |  |  | nom change «event intransitive»: of=agent |
| 4 | **temper** |  | changes *= change* |  |  |  |  |  | nom temper «feeling transitive»: poss=agent |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Volatile prices go up and down quickly and unpredictably.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:volatile:m4:1
# text = Volatile prices go up and down quickly and unpredictably.
1	Volatile	volatile	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	prices	price	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	go	go	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	up	up	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	down	down	ADV	RB	_	4	conj	_	_
7	quickly	quickly	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	unpredictably	unpredictably	ADV	RB	_	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go up** | present | Volatile prices |  |  |  |  | quickly *property* | vn calibratable\_cos-45.6.1-1 «NP.attribute V»: agent=Attribute |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Petrol is volatile, so its smell spreads quickly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:volatile:x1:1
# text = Petrol is volatile, so its smell spreads quickly.
1	Petrol	petrol	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	volatile	volatile	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
5	so	so	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
6	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	smell	smell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
8	spreads	spread	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	quickly	quickly	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present |  | Petrol volatile |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **spread** | present | Petrol volatile |  |  |  |  | quickly *property* | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **smell** |  | volatile |  |  |  |  |  | nom smell «cognition intransitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Keep volatile liquids away from flames.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:volatile:x2:1
# text = Keep volatile liquids away from flames.
1	Keep	keep	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	volatile	volatile	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	liquids	liquid	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obj	_	_
4	away	away	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	_
5	from	from	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	flames	flame	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **keep** | imperative | you *not said here* | volatile liquids |  |  |  | away *property* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent liquid=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The situation at the border is volatile.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:volatile:x3:1
# text = The situation at the border is volatile.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	situation	situation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	at	at	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	border	border	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	volatile	volatile	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the situation at the border | volatile |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The giant in the story had a volatile temper.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:volatile:x4:1
# text = The giant in the story had a volatile temper.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	giant	giant	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	volatile	volatile	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	temper	temper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | the giant story | a volatile temper |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent temper=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Fuel prices have been volatile this year.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:volatile:x5:1
# text = Fuel prices have been volatile this year.
1	Fuel	fuel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	prices	price	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	have	have	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	3	xcomp	_	_
5	volatile	volatile	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	7	det	_	_
7	year	year	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Nail-polish remover is volatile and evaporates fast.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:volatile:x6:1
# text = Nail-polish remover is volatile and evaporates fast.
1	Nail	nail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	1	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	polish	polish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	remover	remover	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
6	volatile	volatile	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	evaporates	evaporate	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	fast	fast	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present |  | remover volatile |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **evaporate** | present | remover volatile |  |  |  |  | fast *property* | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

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