---
title: vouchsafe — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «vouchsafe» in the school dictionary: To give or tell something kindly, as a favour, or as if from a high position: he vouchsafed no answer. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# vouchsafe

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** he, Caterpillar, Vouchsafe, She, her, king · **What happens:** give, tell, vouchsafe, grant, keep, not vouchsafe · **To what, where:** favour, something, answer, Vouchsafe, us, reply · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To give or tell something kindly, as a favour, or as if from a high position: he vouchsafed no answer.

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:vouchsafe:m1:1
# text = To give or tell something kindly, as a favour, or as if from a high position: he vouchsafed no answer.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	give	give	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	21	advcl	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	tell	tell	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	conj	_	_
5	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	4	obj	_	_
6	kindly	kindly	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
8	as	as	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	favour	favour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
13	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	18	mark	_	_
14	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	18	mark	_	_
15	from	from	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
17	high	high	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
18	position	position	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	21	punct	_	_
20	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	21	nsubj	_	_
21	vouchsafed	vouchsafe	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
22	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	23	det	_	_
23	answer	answer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	21	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | to-infinitive | he *not said here* | a favour or a high position |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent favour=Theme |
| 2 | **tell** *speech: assert* | infinitive | he *not said here* | something |  |  |  | kindly *property* | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent something=Recipient |
| 3 | **vouchsafe** | past | he | no answer |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- .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}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: church, old prayers — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To grant: «Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin.».

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:vouchsafe:m2:1
# text = To grant: «Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin.».
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	grant	grant	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	5	punct	_	_
4	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	Vouchsafe	Vouchsafe	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
7	O	O	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	Lord	Lord	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	keep	keep	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
12	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	11	obj	_	_
13	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	14	det	_	_
14	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl:unmarked	_	_
15	without	without	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
16	sin	sin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **grant** | to-infinitive |  | Vouchsafe and O Lord |  |  |  |  | vn future\_having-13.3 «NP V NP.theme (PP)»: agent=Agent vouchsafe=Theme |
| 2 | **keep** *in a quote* | to-infinitive |  | us |  |  | day | without sin | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent we=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Caterpillar vouchsafed no reply.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:vouchsafe:x1:1
# text = The Caterpillar vouchsafed no reply.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	Caterpillar	Caterpillar	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	vouchsafed	vouchsafe	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	5	det	_	_
5	reply	reply	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **vouchsafe** | past | the Caterpillar | no reply |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He vouchsafed only a nod.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:vouchsafe:x2:1
# text = He vouchsafed only a nod.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	vouchsafed	vouchsafe	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	only	only	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	nod	nod	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **vouchsafe** | past | He | a nod |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin.»

<!-- fold The tree, 10 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:vouchsafe:x3:1
# text = «Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin.»
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Vouchsafe	Vouchsafe	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
4	O	O	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	Lord	Lord	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	keep	keep	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
9	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	_
10	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	11	det	_	_
11	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl:unmarked	_	_
12	without	without	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	sin	sin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **keep** *in a quote* | to-infinitive | Vouchsafe and O Lord | us |  |  | day | without sin | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent we=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She did not vouchsafe a single word about her trip.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:vouchsafe:x4:1
# text = She did not vouchsafe a single word about her trip.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	vouchsafe	vouchsafe	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	single	single	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
8	about	about	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
10	trip	trip	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **vouchsafe** | past · do-support | She | a single word |  |  |  | about her trip | tree rules |
| 2 | **trip** |  | her *= she* |  |  |  |  |  | nom trip «act transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The king vouchsafed his blessing.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:vouchsafe:x5:1
# text = The king vouchsafed his blessing.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	king	king	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	vouchsafed	vouchsafe	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	blessing	blessing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **vouchsafe** | past | the king | king's blessing |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **bless** |  | king |  |  |  |  |  | nom blessing «act transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The cat vouchsafed us one glance and walked away.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:vouchsafe:x6:1
# text = The cat vouchsafed us one glance and walked away.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	cat	cat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	vouchsafed	vouchsafe	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	obj	_	_
5	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	6	nummod	_	_
6	glance	glance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	walked	walk	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
9	away	away	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **vouchsafe** | past | the cat | us |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **walk away** | past | the cat *not said here* |  |  |  |  | away *property* | vn resign-10.11-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Sometimes they wrote letters to the Princess, but no answer was vouchsafed to them.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:vouchsafe:x7:1
# text = Sometimes they wrote letters to the Princess, but no answer was vouchsafed to them.
1	Sometimes	sometimes	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	3	advmod	_	_
2	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	wrote	write	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	letters	letter	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	Princess	princess	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
9	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
10	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	11	det	_	_
11	answer	answer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nsubj:pass	_	_
12	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	13	aux:pass	_	_
13	vouchsafed	vouchsafe	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	conj	_	_
14	to	to	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write** | past | they | letters | the Princess |  |  | sometimes *property* | vn say-37.7-1 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: agent=Agent letter=Topic to princess=Recipient |
| 2 | **vouchsafe** | past · passive |  | no answer | letters *= letter* |  |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- 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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