---
title: whiten — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «whiten» in the school dictionary: To whiten something is to make it whiter or paler. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# whiten

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** face, knuckles, he, Frost, Bleach, sky · **What happens:** whiten, be, mean, hear, hold, touch · **To what, where:** something, toothpaste, teeth, noise, rope, grass · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To whiten something is to make it whiter or paler.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:whiten:m1:1
# text = To whiten something is to make it whiter or paler.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	whiten	whiten	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	csubj	_	_
3	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	whiter	white	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	6	xcomp	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	paler	pale	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **whiten** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent something=Patient |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | make, white *property* | 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}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To whiten is to become white or pale, for example from fear or cold.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:whiten:m2:1
# text = To whiten is to become white or pale, for example from fear or cold.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	whiten	whiten	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	csubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	become	become	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	white	white	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	xcomp	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	pale	pale	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
10	for	for	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	example	example	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
12	from	from	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	fear	fear	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nmod	_	_
14	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
15	cold	cold	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **whiten** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | for example from fear or cold; become, white *property* | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
This toothpaste is meant to whiten teeth.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:whiten:x1:1
# text = This toothpaste is meant to whiten teeth.
1	This	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	2	det	_	_
2	toothpaste	toothpaste	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	meant	mean	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	whiten	whiten	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	teeth	tooth	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present · passive |  | this toothpaste |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **whiten** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  | teeth |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent tooth=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Her face whitened when she heard the noise.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:whiten:x2:1
# text = Her face whitened when she heard the noise.
1	Her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	face	face	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	whitened	whiten	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	6	advmod	_	_
5	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	heard	hear	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	noise	noise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **whiten** | past | Her face |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **hear** | past | face | the noise |  |  |  |  | vn see-30.1-1-1 «NP V S»: agent=Experiencer noise=Stimulus |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
His knuckles whitened as he held the rope.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:whiten:x3:1
# text = His knuckles whitened as he held the rope.
1	His	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	knuckles	knuckle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	whitened	whiten	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
5	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	held	hold	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	rope	rope	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **whiten** | participle | His knuckles |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **hold** | past | he | the rope |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent rope=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Frost whitened the grass.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:whiten:x4:1
# text = Frost whitened the grass.
1	Frost	frost	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	whitened	whiten	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	grass	grass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **whiten** | past | Frost | the grass |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent grass=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Bleach can whiten towels but is dangerous to touch.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:whiten:x5:1
# text = Bleach can whiten towels but is dangerous to touch.
1	Bleach	bleach	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	whiten	whiten	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	towels	towel	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	dangerous	dangerous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	conj	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	touch	touch	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **whiten** | can | Bleach | towels |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent towel=Patient |
| 2 | **is** | present | Bleach *not said here* |  |  |  |  | dangerous *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **touch** | to-infinitive | Bleach *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn contiguous\_location-47.8-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The sky whitened before the snow came.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:whiten:x6:1
# text = The sky whitened before the snow came.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	sky	sky	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	whitened	whiten	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	before	before	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	snow	snow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	came	come	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **whiten** | participle |  | the sky *not said here* |  |  | before the snow |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **come** | past | the sky |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Then every one saw the whitened skull, and they knew the dead man in the bed was a murderer.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:whiten:x7:1
# text = Then every one saw the whitened skull, and they knew the dead man in the bed was a murderer.
1	Then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	4	advmod	_	_
2	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	3	det	_	_
3	one	one	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	saw	see	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	whitened	whiten	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	amod	_	_
7	skull	skull	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
10	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
11	knew	know	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	dead	dead	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	nsubj	_	_
15	in	in	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	bed	bed	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nmod	_	_
18	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	20	cop	_	_
19	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
20	murderer	murderer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **see** | past | every one | the whitened skull |  |  | then |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer skull=Stimulus |
| 2 | **whiten** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 3 | **know** | past | they |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 4 | **is a** | past | the dead man in the bed | a murderer |  |  |  |  | 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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