---
title: watchdog — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «watchdog» in the school dictionary: A watchdog is a dog kept to guard a house or farm and to bark at strangers. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# watchdog

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**Who acts:** watchdog, job, you, we · **What happens:** be, keep, guard, bark, obey, take · **To what, where:** dog, house, person, rules, place, fierce watchdog

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«watchdog» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 3 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: [watchdog in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/watchdog.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A watchdog is a dog kept to guard a house or farm and to bark at strangers.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:watchdog:m1:1
# text = A watchdog is a dog kept to guard a house or farm and to bark at strangers.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	watchdog	watchdog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	kept	keep	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	acl	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	guard	guard	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	house	house	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
11	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	farm	farm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	conj	_	_
13	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
14	to	to	PART	TO	_	15	mark	_	_
15	bark	bark	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	conj	_	_
16	at	at	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
17	strangers	stranger	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	15	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a watchdog | a dog |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **keep** | participle |  | a dog *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **guard** | to-infinitive |  | a house or farm |  |  |  |  | vn defend-72.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent house=Beneficiary |
| 4 | **bark** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | at strangers | vn animal\_sounds-38 «NP V PP.stimulus»: agent=Agent at stranger=Stimulus |

<!-- .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 watchdog can also be a person or group whose job is to check that rules are obeyed.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:watchdog:m2:1
# text = A watchdog can also be a person or group whose job is to check that rules are obeyed.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	watchdog	watchdog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
4	also	also	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
5	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	cop	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	group	group	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	_
10	whose	whose	PRON	WP$	Poss=Yes|PronType=Rel	11	nmod:poss	_	_
11	job	job	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nsubj	_	_
12	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	cop	_	_
13	to	to	PART	TO	_	14	mark	_	_
14	check	check	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	acl:relcl	_	_
15	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	18	mark	_	_
16	rules	rule	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	18	nsubj:pass	_	_
17	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	18	aux:pass	_	_
18	obeyed	obey	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	14	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | can | a watchdog | a person or group |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present | job |  |  |  |  | check *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **obey** | present · passive |  | rules |  |  |  |  | vn abide\_by-93.2 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Are you taking the place of the watchdog?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:watchdog:x1:1
# text = Are you taking the place of the watchdog?
1	Are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
2	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	taking	take	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	place	place	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	watchdog	watchdog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **take** | present · progressive | you | the place of the watchdog |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent place=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The dog barked like a real watchdog: «Bow, wow, wow!»

<!-- fold The tree, 10 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:watchdog:x2:1
# text = The dog barked like a real watchdog: «Bow, wow, wow!»
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	barked	bark	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	like	like	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	real	real	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	watchdog	watchdog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	10	punct	_	_
9	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	Bow	bow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
12	wow	wow	INTJ	UH	_	10	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
14	wow	wow	INTJ	UH	_	12	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **bark** | participle |  | the dog *not said here* |  |  |  | like a real watchdog | vn animal\_sounds-38 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
If we had only had a fierce watchdog, he would have kept them away.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:watchdog:x3:1
# text = If we had only had a fierce watchdog, he would have kept them away.
1	If	if	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
2	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
3	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
4	only	only	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	had	have	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	13	advcl	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	fierce	fierce	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	watchdog	watchdog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
10	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj:pass	_	_
11	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	13	aux	_	_
12	have	have	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	13	aux	_	_
13	kept	keep	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
14	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	obj	_	_
15	away	away	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	13	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** *a condition, not said to happen* | past · perfect | we | a fierce watchdog |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent watchdog=Patient |
| 2 | **keep away** | would · perfect · passive |  | he |  |  |  | away *property* | vn sustain-55.6-1 «NP V NP ADJ»: subject=Theme they=Attribute |

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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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