---
title: witness — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «witness» in the school dictionary: A witness is a person who sees something happen, especially an accident or a crime. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# witness

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** witness, person, something, they, someone, we · **What happens:** be, see, happen, tell, know, watch · **To what, where:** person, something, court, someone, important paper, paper · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«witness» in the school dictionary: its 4 meanings for a pupil and its 8 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: [witness in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/witness.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A witness is a person who sees something happen, especially an accident or a crime.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:witness:m1:1
# text = A witness is a person who sees something happen, especially an accident or a crime.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	witness	witness	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	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	sees	see	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	7	obj	_	_
9	happen	happen	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
11	especially	especially	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
12	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	accident	accident	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
14	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	crime	crime	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a witness | a person and a accident or a crime |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **see** | present | a person and a accident or a crime | something |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **happen** | infinitive | something *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- .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 witness is a person who tells a court what they know or saw.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:witness:m2:1
# text = A witness is a person who tells a court what they know or saw.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	witness	witness	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	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	tells	tell	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	court	court	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	iobj	_	_
10	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	12	obj	_	_
11	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
12	know	know	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	ccomp	_	_
13	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	saw	see	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	12	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a witness | a person |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **tell** *speech: assert* | present | a person |  | a court |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP what S»: agent=Agent court=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 3 | **know** | present | they |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Experiencer what=Stimulus |
| 4 | **see** | past | they *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A witness is a person who watches someone sign an important paper and then signs it too.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:witness:m3:1
# text = A witness is a person who watches someone sign an important paper and then signs it too.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	witness	witness	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	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	watches	watch	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	7	obj	_	_
9	sign	sign	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	xcomp	_	_
10	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	important	important	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	paper	paper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
13	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
14	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	15	advmod	_	_
15	signs	sign	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	_
16	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	obj	_	_
17	too	too	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	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 witness | a person |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **watch** | present | a person | someone |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **sign** | infinitive | someone *not said here* | a important paper |  |  |  |  | vn image\_impression-25.1 «NP V NP.destination»: agent=Agent paper=Destination |
| 4 | **sign** | present | a person *not said here* | paper |  |  | then |  | vn image\_impression-25.1 «NP V NP.destination»: agent=Agent it=Destination |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To witness something means to see it happen.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:witness:m4:1
# text = To witness something means to see it happen.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	witness	witness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	4	nsubj	_	_
4	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	see	see	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	happen	happen	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | something |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **see** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | something *not said here* | it |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **happen** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- .note -->
The example in this meaning, parsed on its own:

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"we witnessed a rainbow over the sea".

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:witness:m4e:1
# text = "we witnessed a rainbow over the sea".
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	witnessed	witness	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	rainbow	rainbow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	over	over	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	sea	sea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **witness** *in a quote* | past | we | a rainbow |  | the sea |  |  | vn captain-29.8-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent rainbow=Beneficiary |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A witness saw the car go through the red light.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:witness:x1:1
# text = A witness saw the car go through the red light.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	witness	witness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	saw	see	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	car	car	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	go	go	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	ccomp	_	_
7	through	through	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	red	red	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	light	light	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **see** | past | a witness |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer clause=Stimulus |
| 2 | **go** | present | the car |  |  | the red light |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme through light=Initial\_Location |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The detective spoke to three witnesses.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:witness:x2:1
# text = The detective spoke to three witnesses.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	detective	detective	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	spoke	speak	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	three	three	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	6	nummod	_	_
6	witnesses	witness	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **speak** *speech: other* | past | the detective |  |  |  |  | to three witnesses | vn talk-37.5 «NP V PP.co-agent»: agent=Agent to witness=Co-Agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She was called as a witness in court.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:witness:x3:1
# text = She was called as a witness in court.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	as	as	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	witness	witness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	court	court	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** | past · passive |  | She |  |  |  | as a witness in court | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: subject=Recipient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We witnessed an amazing sunset.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:witness:x4:1
# text = We witnessed an amazing sunset.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	witnessed	witness	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	amazing	amazing	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	sunset	sunset	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 | **witness** | past | We |  |  |  | sunset |  | vn captain-29.8-1 «NP V PP.beneficiary»: agent=Agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My aunt signed as a witness to the will.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:witness:x5:1
# text = My aunt signed as a witness to the will.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	aunt	aunt	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	signed	sign	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	as	as	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	witness	witness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sign** | participle | My aunt |  |  |  |  | as a witness | vn image\_impression-25.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Did anyone witness the accident?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:witness:x6:1
# text = Did anyone witness the accident?
1	Did	do	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	anyone	anyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	3	compound	_	_
3	witness	witness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	accident	accident	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | past |  | anyone witness |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Five people saw it, so there were 5 witnesses.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:witness:x7:1
# text = Five people saw it, so there were 5 witnesses.
1	Five	five	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	2	nummod	_	_
2	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	saw	see	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
6	so	so	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
7	there	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	8	expl	_	_
8	were	be	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
9	5	5	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	10	nummod	_	_
10	witnesses	witness	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **see** | past | Five people | it |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer it=Stimulus |
| 2 | **be** | past | 5 witnesses |  |  | there |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It was a terrible sight for a little girl to witness.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:witness:x8:1
# text = It was a terrible sight for a little girl to witness.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	terrible	terrible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	sight	sight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	girl	girl	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	witness	witness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | It | a terrible sight |  |  |  | for a little girl | 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 -->

<!-- pn -->
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