preface

Who acts: preface, writer, M. ben, you, tales, She · What happens: be, explain, write, start, preface, fetch · To what, where: short introduction, start, book, something, Source, preface · Speech: someone speaks here

«preface» in the Judaism dictionary: its 2 meanings 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: preface in the Judaism dictionary.

Meaning 1

A preface is a short introduction at the start of a book, where the writer explains why the book was written.

The tree, 21 words

The words, one row each (CoNLL-U)

#	word	lemma	UPOS	features	head	relation
1	A	a	DET	Definite=Ind PronType=Art	2 preface	det
2	preface	preface	NOUN	Number=Sing	6 introduction	nsubj
3	is	be	AUX	Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin	6 introduction	cop
4	a	a	DET	Definite=Ind PronType=Art	6 introduction	det
5	short	short	ADJ	Degree=Pos	6 introduction	amod
6	introduction	introduction	NOUN	Number=Sing	root	root
7	at	at	ADP	_	9 start	case
8	the	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	9 start	det
9	start	start	NOUN	Number=Sing	6 introduction	nmod
10	of	of	ADP	_	12 book	case
11	a	a	DET	Definite=Ind PronType=Art	12 book	det
12	book	book	NOUN	Number=Sing	9 start	nmod
13	,	,	PUNCT	_	17 explains	punct
14	where	where	ADV	PronType=Rel	17 explains	advmod
15	the	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	16 writer	det
16	writer	writer	NOUN	Number=Sing	17 explains	nsubj
17	explains	explain	VERB	Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin	6 introduction	parataxis
18	why	why	ADV	PronType=Int	22 written	advmod
19	the	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	20 book	det
20	book	book	NOUN	Number=Sing	22 written	nsubj:pass
21	was	be	AUX	Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin	22 written	aux:pass
22	written	write	VERB	Tense=Past VerbForm=Part Voice=Pass	17 explains	ccomp
23	.	.	PUNCT	_	6 introduction	punct

#	verb	tense, mood	who	what, whom	where	roles by
1	is a	present	a preface	a short introduction	the start of a book	tree rules
2	explain speech: assert	present	the writer			vn transfer_mesg-37.1.1 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic
3	write	past · passive		the book		vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme
4	start			a book		nom start «event transitive»: of=patient

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

To preface something is to say or write something first, before the main part.

The tree, 14 words

The words, one row each (CoNLL-U)

#	word	lemma	UPOS	features	head	relation
1	To	to	PART	_	2 preface	mark
2	preface	preface	VERB	VerbForm=Inf	6 say	advcl
3	something	something	PRON	Number=Sing PronType=Ind	2 preface	obj
4	is	be	AUX	Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin	6 say	cop
5	to	to	PART	_	6 say	mark
6	say	say	VERB	Mood=Imp VerbForm=Fin	root	root
7	or	or	CCONJ	_	8 write	cc
8	write	write	VERB	Mood=Imp VerbForm=Fin	6 say	conj
9	something	something	PRON	Number=Sing PronType=Ind	8 write	obj
10	first	first	ADV	NumForm=Word NumType=Ord	8 write	advmod
11	,	,	PUNCT	_	15 part	punct
12	before	before	ADP	_	15 part	case
13	the	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	15 part	det
14	main	main	ADJ	Degree=Pos	15 part	amod
15	part	part	NOUN	Number=Sing	8 write	advcl
16	.	.	PUNCT	_	6 say	punct

#	verb	tense, mood	what, whom	other	roles by
1	preface	to-infinitive	something		tree rules
2	is	present		say property	tree rules
3	write	infinitive	something	first property	vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Theme

Example 1

With English Translation, Preface, Explanatory Notes and Glossary, (Sefer Yetzirah, Kalisch 1877)

The tree, 12 words

The words, one row each (CoNLL-U)

#	word	lemma	UPOS	features	head	relation
1	With	with	ADP	_	3 Translation	case
2	English	English	PROPN	Number=Sing	3 Translation	compound
3	Translation	translation	NOUN	Number=Sing	root	root
4	,	,	PUNCT	_	5 Preface	punct
5	Preface	preface	NOUN	Number=Sing	3 Translation	conj
6	,	,	PUNCT	_	8 Notes	punct
7	Explanatory	Explanatory	PROPN	Number=Sing	8 Notes	compound
8	Notes	Note	PROPN	Number=Plur	3 Translation	appos
9	and	and	CCONJ	_	10 Glossary	cc
10	Glossary	Glossary	PROPN	Number=Sing	8 Notes	conj
11	,	,	PUNCT	_	13 Sefer	punct
12	(	(	PUNCT	_	13 Sefer	punct
13	Sefer	Sefer	PROPN	Number=Sing	8 Notes	nmod
14	Yetzirah	Yetzirah	PROPN	Number=Sing	13 Sefer	flat
15	,	,	PUNCT	_	16 Kalisch	punct
16	Kalisch	Kalisch	PROPN	Number=Sing	13 Sefer	flat
17	1877	1877	NUM	NumForm=Digit NumType=Card	16 Kalisch	flat
18	)	)	PUNCT	_	16 Kalisch	punct

The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

Example 2

A Version with preface by M. ben J. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893)

The tree, 12 words

The words, one row each (CoNLL-U)

#	word	lemma	UPOS	features	head	relation
1	A	a	DET	Definite=Ind PronType=Art	2 Version	det
2	Version	version	NOUN	Number=Sing	root	root
3	with	with	ADP	_	8 J.	case
4	preface	preface	NOUN	Number=Sing	8 J.	nmod:desc
5	by	by	ADP	_	7 ben	case
6	M.	M.	PROPN	Number=Sing	7 ben	compound
7	ben	ben	NOUN	Number=Sing	4 preface	nmod
8	J.	J.	PROPN	Number=Sing	2 Version	nmod
9	(	(	PUNCT	_	11 Yetzirah	punct
10	Sefer	Sefer	PROPN	Number=Sing	11 Yetzirah	compound
11	Yetzirah	Yetzirah	PROPN	Number=Sing	8 J.	appos
12	,	,	PUNCT	_	14 1893	punct
13	Westcott	Westcott	PROPN	Number=Sing	14 1893	nmod:unmarked
14	1893	1893	NUM	NumForm=Digit NumType=Card	11 Yetzirah	appos
15	)	)	PUNCT	_	11 Yetzirah	punct

#	verb	tense, mood	who	what, whom	to whom	where	when	other	roles by
1	preface		M. ben						nom preface «communication transitive»: by=agent

Example 3

Source: https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/SepherYetzirah (/Preface, /Introduction, /SepherYetzirah), fetched via index.php?action=render on 2026-10-17. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893)

Sentence 1: Source: https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/SepherYetzirah (/Preface, /Introduction, /SepherYetzirah), fetched via index.php?action=render on 2026-10-17.

The tree, 15 words

The words, one row each (CoNLL-U)

#	word	lemma	UPOS	features	head	relation
1	Source	source	NOUN	Number=Sing	root	root
2	:	:	PUNCT	_	3 https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/SepherYetzirah	punct
3	https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/SepherYetzirah	https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/sepheryetzirah	NOUN	Number=Sing	1 Source	appos
4	(	(	PUNCT	_	6 Preface	punct
5	/	/	SYM	_	6 Preface	punct
6	Preface	preface	NOUN	Number=Sing	3 https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/SepherYetzirah	appos
7	,	,	PUNCT	_	9 Introduction	punct
8	/	/	SYM	_	9 Introduction	cc
9	Introduction	introduction	NOUN	Number=Sing	6 Preface	conj
10	,	,	PUNCT	_	12 SepherYetzirah	punct
11	/	/	SYM	_	12 SepherYetzirah	cc
12	SepherYetzirah	SepherYetzirah	PROPN	Number=Sing	6 Preface	nmod
13	)	)	PUNCT	_	6 Preface	punct
14	,	,	PUNCT	_	15 fetched	punct
15	fetched	fetch	VERB	Tense=Past VerbForm=Part Voice=Pass	1 Source	acl
16	via	via	ADP	_	17 index.php	case
17	index.php	index.php	PROPN	_	15 fetched	obl
18	?	?	PUNCT	_	19 action	punct
19	action	action	NOUN	Number=Sing	17 index.php	conj
20	=	=	PUNCT	_	21 render	punct
21	render	render	NOUN	Number=Sing	19 action	appos
22	on	on	ADP	_	23 2026-10-17	case
23	2026-10-17	2026-10-17	NUM	NumForm=Digit NumType=Card	21 render	nmod
24	.	.	PUNCT	_	1 Source	punct

#	verb	tense, mood	who	what, whom	to whom	where	when	other	roles by
1	fetch	participle		Source not said here				via index.php and action	vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent

Sentence 2: (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893)

The words, one row each (CoNLL-U)

#	word	lemma	UPOS	features	head	relation
1	(	(	PUNCT	_	2 Sefer	punct
2	Sefer	Sefer	PROPN	Number=Sing	root	root
3	Yetzirah	Yetzirah	PROPN	Number=Sing	2 Sefer	flat
4	,	,	PUNCT	_	5 Westcott	punct
5	Westcott	Westcott	PROPN	Number=Sing	2 Sefer	conj
6	1893	1893	NUM	NumForm=Digit NumType=Card	5 Westcott	flat
7	)	)	PUNCT	_	2 Sefer	punct

The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

Example 4

Read the preface before you start the story.

The words, one row each (CoNLL-U)

#	word	lemma	UPOS	features	head	relation
1	Read	read	VERB	Mood=Imp VerbForm=Fin	root	root
2	the	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	3 preface	det
3	preface	preface	NOUN	Number=Sing	1 Read	obj
4	before	before	SCONJ	_	6 start	mark
5	you	you	PRON	Case=Nom Person=2 PronType=Prs	6 start	nsubj
6	start	start	VERB	Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=2 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin	1 Read	advcl
7	the	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	8 story	det
8	story	story	NOUN	Number=Sing	6 start	obj
9	.	.	PUNCT	_	1 Read	punct

#	verb	tense, mood	who	what, whom	to whom	where	when	other	roles by
1	read	imperative	you not said here	the preface					vn transfer_mesg-37.1.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent preface=Topic
2	start	present	you	the story					vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent story=Eventuality

Example 5

The writer's preface explains where the tales came from.

The words, one row each (CoNLL-U)

#	word	lemma	UPOS	features	head	relation
1	The	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	2 writer	det
2	writer	writer	NOUN	Number=Sing	4 preface	nmod:poss
3	's	's	PART	_	2 writer	case
4	preface	preface	NOUN	Number=Sing	5 explains	nsubj
5	explains	explain	VERB	Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin	root	root
6	where	where	ADV	PronType=Rel	9 came	advmod
7	the	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	8 tales	det
8	tales	tale	NOUN	Number=Plur	9 came	nsubj
9	came	come	VERB	Mood=Ind Number=Plur Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin	5 explains	ccomp
10	from	from	ADP	_	9 came	obl
11	.	.	PUNCT	_	5 explains	punct

#	verb	tense, mood	who	roles by
1	explain speech: assert	present	the writer's preface	vn transfer_mesg-37.1.1 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic
2	come	past	the tales	vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme
3	preface		the writer	nom preface «communication transitive»: poss=agent

Example 6

She prefaced her speech with a joke.

The words, one row each (CoNLL-U)

#	word	lemma	UPOS	features	head	relation
1	She	she	PRON	Case=Nom Gender=Fem Number=Sing Person=3 PronType=Prs	2 prefaced	nsubj
2	prefaced	preface	VERB	Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin	root	root
3	her	her	PRON	Case=Gen Gender=Fem Number=Sing Person=3 Poss=Yes PronType=Prs	4 speech	nmod:poss
4	speech	speech	NOUN	Number=Sing	2 prefaced	obj
5	with	with	ADP	_	7 joke	case
6	a	a	DET	Definite=Ind PronType=Art	7 joke	det
7	joke	joke	NOUN	Number=Sing	2 prefaced	obl
8	.	.	PUNCT	_	2 prefaced	punct

#	verb	tense, mood	who	what, whom	to whom	where	when	other	roles by
1	preface	past	She	her speech				with a joke	tree rules
2	speak		her = she						nom speech «communication transitive»: poss=agent

Text: the Judaism 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.

This page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/P/preface/