---
title: wordplay — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «wordplay» in the school dictionary: Wordplay is a clever or funny use of words, such as puns, rhymes or words with two meanings. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# wordplay

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Wordplay, joke, seven eight nine, Roald, riddle, Crossword clues · **What happens:** be, use, love, invent, depend, write · **To what, where:** clever use, wordplay, new words, poems, everyone

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Wordplay is a clever or funny use of words, such as puns, rhymes or words with two meanings.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wordplay:m1:1
# text = Wordplay is a clever or funny use of words, such as puns, rhymes or words with two meanings.
1	Wordplay	wordplay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
4	clever	clever	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	funny	funny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	_
7	use	use	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
11	such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|ExtPos=ADP	13	case	_	_
12	as	as	ADP	IN	_	11	fixed	_	_
13	puns	pun	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
15	rhymes	rhyme	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	conj	_	_
16	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
17	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	conj	_	_
18	with	with	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
19	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	20	nummod	_	_
20	meanings	meaning	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	17	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Wordplay | a clever use |  |  |  | of words such puns and rhymes or words with two meanings | 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.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The joke «Why was six afraid of seven? Because seven eight nine» uses wordplay.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* The joke «Why was six afraid of seven?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wordplay:x1:1
# text = The joke «Why was six afraid of seven?
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	joke	joke	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	Why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	7	advmod	_	_
5	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	six	six	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	7	nummod	_	_
7	afraid	afraid	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	seven	seven	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** *in a quote* | past | the joke |  |  |  |  | of seven; afraid *property* | tree rules |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* Because seven eight nine» uses wordplay.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wordplay:x1:2
# text = Because seven eight nine» uses wordplay.
1	Because	because	ADP	IN	ExtPos=ADP	4	case	_	_
2	seven	seven	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	4	compound	_	_
3	eight	eight	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	4	compound	_	_
4	nine	nine	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	6	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
6	uses	use	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	wordplay	wordplay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** *in a quote* | present | seven eight nine | wordplay |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent wordplay=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Roald Dahl loved wordplay and invented new words.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wordplay:x2:1
# text = Roald Dahl loved wordplay and invented new words.
1	Roald	Roald	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	Dahl	Dahl	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	1	flat	_	_
3	loved	love	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	wordplay	wordplay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	invented	invent	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
7	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **love** | past | Roald | wordplay |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer wordplay=Stimulus |
| 2 | **invent** | past | Roald *not said here* | new words |  |  |  |  | vn create-26.4-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent word=Result |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The riddle depended on wordplay.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wordplay:x3:1
# text = The riddle depended on wordplay.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	riddle	riddle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	depended	depend	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	wordplay	wordplay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **depend** | past | the riddle |  |  |  |  | on wordplay | vn rely-70 «NP V PP.theme S\_ING»: agent=Agent on wordplay=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Crossword clues often use wordplay.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wordplay:x4:1
# text = Crossword clues often use wordplay.
1	Crossword	crossword	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	clues	clue	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
3	often	often	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	use	use	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	wordplay	wordplay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | present | Crossword clues | wordplay |  |  |  | often *property* | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent wordplay=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Our class wrote poems full of wordplay.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wordplay:x5:1
# text = Our class wrote poems full of wordplay.
1	Our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	class	class	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	wrote	write	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	poems	poem	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	full	full	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	wordplay	wordplay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write** | past | Our class | poems |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent poem=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The comedian's wordplay made everyone groan and laugh.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wordplay:x6:1
# text = The comedian's wordplay made everyone groan and laugh.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	comedian	comedian	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	wordplay	wordplay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	everyone	everyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	5	obj	_	_
7	groan	groan	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	xcomp	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	laugh	laugh	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past | the comedian's wordplay | everyone |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **groan** | infinitive | everyone *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn animal\_sounds-38 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **laugh** | infinitive | everyone *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

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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.

<!-- /div -->

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