downplay Who acts: it, Downplaying, you, He, his, she · What happens: downplay, mean, make, seem, be, talk · To what, where: something, it, own success, injury, ankle, nothing · Speech: someone speaks here
«downplay» 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: downplay in the school dictionary .
Meaning 1 To downplay something means to make it seem smaller, less important or less serious than it really is.
The tree, 18 words mark csubj obj mark xcomp obj xcomp xcomp punct advmod conj cc advmod conj mark nsubj advmod advcl punct root To PART downplay VERB something PRON means VERB to PART make VERB it PRON seem VERB smaller ADJ , PUNCT less ADV important ADJ or CCONJ less ADV serious ADJ than SCONJ it PRON really ADV is VERB . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 To to PART _ 2 downplay mark 2 downplay downplay VERB VerbForm=Inf 4 means csubj 3 something something PRON Number=Sing PronType=Ind 2 downplay obj 4 means mean VERB Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin root root 5 to to PART _ 6 make mark 6 make make VERB VerbForm=Inf 4 means xcomp 7 it it PRON Case=Acc Gender=Neut Number=Sing Person=3 PronType=Prs 6 make obj 8 seem seem VERB VerbForm=Inf 6 make xcomp 9 smaller small ADJ Degree=Cmp 8 seem xcomp 10 , , PUNCT _ 12 important punct 11 less less ADV Degree=Cmp 12 important advmod 12 important important ADJ Degree=Pos 9 smaller conj 13 or or CCONJ _ 15 serious cc 14 less less ADV Degree=Cmp 15 serious advmod 15 serious serious ADJ Degree=Pos 12 important conj 16 than than SCONJ _ 19 is mark 17 it it PRON Case=Nom Gender=Neut Number=Sing Person=3 PronType=Prs 19 is nsubj 18 really really ADV _ 19 is advmod 19 is be VERB Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin 15 serious advcl 20 . . PUNCT _ 4 means punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 downplay to-infinitive something tree rules 2 mean present vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic 3 make not said to happen to-infinitive it tree rules 4 seem not said to happen infinitive small property vn seem-109-1-1-1 «NP V S_INF»: agent=Theme 5 be present it vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme
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 Downplaying your own success means talking about it modestly, so you do not seem to show off.
The tree, 17 words csubj nmod:poss amod obj xcomp case obl advmod punct advmod nsubj aux advmod parataxis mark xcomp compound:prt punct root Downplaying VERB your PRON own ADJ success NOUN means VERB talking VERB about ADP it PRON modestly ADV , PUNCT so ADV you PRON do AUX not PART seem VERB to PART show VERB off ADP . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 Downplaying downplay VERB VerbForm=Ger 5 means csubj 2 your your PRON Case=Gen Person=2 Poss=Yes PronType=Prs 4 success nmod:poss 3 own own ADJ Degree=Pos 4 success amod 4 success success NOUN Number=Sing 1 Downplaying obj 5 means mean VERB Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin root root 6 talking talk VERB VerbForm=Ger 5 means xcomp 7 about about ADP _ 8 it case 8 it it PRON Case=Acc Gender=Neut Number=Sing Person=3 PronType=Prs 6 talking obl 9 modestly modestly ADV _ 6 talking advmod 10 , , PUNCT _ 15 seem punct 11 so so ADV _ 15 seem advmod 12 you you PRON Case=Nom Person=2 PronType=Prs 15 seem nsubj 13 do do AUX Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=2 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin 15 seem aux 14 not not PART Polarity=Neg 15 seem advmod 15 seem seem VERB VerbForm=Inf 5 means parataxis 16 to to PART _ 17 show mark 17 show show VERB VerbForm=Inf 15 seem xcomp 18 off off ADP _ 17 show compound:prt 19 . . PUNCT _ 5 means punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 downplay gerund your own success tree rules 2 mean present Downplaying vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic 3 talk not said to happen gerund Downplaying not said here about success; modestly property vn talk-37.5 «NP V PP.topic»: agent=Agent about it=Topic 4 not seem present · do-support you vn seem-109-1-1-1 «NP V S_INF»: agent=Theme clause=Attribute 5 show off to-infinitive you not said here vn transfer_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent
Example 1 He downplayed his injury, but his ankle was badly swollen.
nsubj nmod:poss obj punct cc nmod:poss nsubj:pass aux:pass advmod conj punct root He PRON downplayed VERB his PRON injury NOUN , PUNCT but CCONJ his PRON ankle NOUN was AUX badly ADV swollen VERB . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 He he PRON Case=Nom Gender=Masc Number=Sing Person=3 PronType=Prs 2 downplayed nsubj 2 downplayed downplay VERB Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin root root 3 his his PRON Case=Gen Gender=Masc Number=Sing Person=3 Poss=Yes PronType=Prs 4 injury nmod:poss 4 injury injury NOUN Number=Sing 2 downplayed obj 5 , , PUNCT _ 11 swollen punct 6 but but CCONJ _ 11 swollen cc 7 his his PRON Case=Gen Gender=Masc Number=Sing Person=3 Poss=Yes PronType=Prs 8 ankle nmod:poss 8 ankle ankle NOUN Number=Sing 11 swollen nsubj:pass 9 was be AUX Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin 11 swollen aux:pass 10 badly badly ADV Degree=Pos 11 swollen advmod 11 swollen swell VERB Tense=Past VerbForm=Part Voice=Pass 2 downplayed conj 12 . . PUNCT _ 2 downplayed punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 downplay past He his injury tree rules 2 swell past · passive his ankle badly property vn calibratable_cos-45.6.1-1 «NP.patient V NP.extent PP.source PP.goal»: subject=Extent 3 injure his = he nom injury «state transitive»: poss=agent
Example 2 «It was nothing,» she said, downplaying her prize.
punct nsubj cop ccomp punct punct nsubj punct advcl nmod:poss obj punct root « PUNCT It PRON was AUX nothing PRON , PUNCT » PUNCT she PRON said VERB , PUNCT downplaying VERB her PRON prize NOUN . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 « « PUNCT _ 4 nothing punct 2 It it PRON Case=Nom Gender=Neut Number=Sing Person=3 PronType=Prs 4 nothing nsubj 3 was be AUX Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin 4 nothing cop 4 nothing nothing PRON Number=Sing PronType=Neg 8 said ccomp 5 , , PUNCT _ 4 nothing punct 6 » » PUNCT _ 4 nothing punct 7 she she PRON Case=Nom Gender=Fem Number=Sing Person=3 PronType=Prs 8 said nsubj 8 said say VERB Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin root root 9 , , PUNCT _ 10 downplaying punct 10 downplaying downplay VERB Tense=Pres VerbForm=Part 8 said advcl 11 her her PRON Case=Gen Gender=Fem Number=Sing Person=3 Poss=Yes PronType=Prs 12 prize nmod:poss 12 prize prize NOUN Number=Sing 10 downplaying obj 13 . . PUNCT _ 8 said punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 is a in a quote past It nothing tree rules 2 say speech: assert past she vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent 3 downplay gerund she not said here her prize tree rules
Example 3 The company tried to downplay the size of the oil spill.
det nsubj mark xcomp det obj case det compound nmod punct root The DET company NOUN tried VERB to PART downplay VERB the DET size NOUN of ADP the DET oil NOUN spill NOUN . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 The the DET Definite=Def PronType=Art 2 company det 2 company company NOUN Number=Sing 3 tried nsubj 3 tried try VERB Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin root root 4 to to PART _ 5 downplay mark 5 downplay downplay VERB VerbForm=Inf 3 tried xcomp 6 the the DET Definite=Def PronType=Art 7 size det 7 size size NOUN Number=Sing 5 downplay obj 8 of of ADP _ 11 spill case 9 the the DET Definite=Def PronType=Art 11 spill det 10 oil oil NOUN Number=Sing 11 spill compound 11 spill spill NOUN Number=Sing 7 size nmod 12 . . PUNCT _ 3 tried punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 try past the company vn try-61.1 «NP V S_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality 2 downplay not said to happen to-infinitive the company not said here the size of the oil spill tree rules
Example 4 Don't downplay a bad headache; tell the nurse.
aux advmod det amod obj punct conj det obj punct root Do AUX n't PART downplay VERB a DET bad ADJ headache NOUN ; PUNCT tell VERB the DET nurse NOUN . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 Do do AUX Mood=Imp VerbForm=Fin 3 downplay aux 2 n't not PART Polarity=Neg 3 downplay advmod 3 downplay downplay VERB Mood=Imp VerbForm=Fin root root 4 a a DET Definite=Ind PronType=Art 6 headache det 5 bad bad ADJ Degree=Pos 6 headache amod 6 headache headache NOUN Number=Sing 3 downplay obj 7 ; ; PUNCT _ 8 tell punct 8 tell tell VERB Mood=Imp VerbForm=Fin 3 downplay conj 9 the the DET Definite=Def PronType=Art 10 nurse det 10 nurse nurse NOUN Number=Sing 8 tell obj 11 . . PUNCT _ 3 downplay punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 not downplay imperative · do-support you not said here a bad headache tree rules 2 tell speech: assert infinitive you not said here the nurse vn transfer_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent nurse=Recipient
Example 5 The team captain downplayed her part in the win.
det compound nsubj nmod:poss obj case det obl punct root The DET team NOUN captain NOUN downplayed VERB her PRON part NOUN in ADP the DET win NOUN . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 The the DET Definite=Def PronType=Art 3 captain det 2 team team NOUN Number=Sing 3 captain compound 3 captain captain NOUN Number=Sing 4 downplayed nsubj 4 downplayed downplay VERB Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin root root 5 her her PRON Case=Gen Gender=Fem Number=Sing Person=3 Poss=Yes PronType=Prs 6 part nmod:poss 6 part part NOUN Number=Sing 4 downplayed obj 7 in in ADP _ 9 win case 8 the the DET Definite=Def PronType=Art 9 win det 9 win win NOUN Number=Sing 4 downplayed obl 10 . . PUNCT _ 4 downplayed punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 downplay past the team captain captain's part the win tree rules
Example 6 Understatement is a way of downplaying something on purpose for effect.
nsubj cop det mark acl obj case obl case obl punct root Understatement NOUN is AUX a DET way NOUN of SCONJ downplaying VERB something PRON on ADP purpose NOUN for ADP effect NOUN . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 Understatement understatement NOUN Number=Sing 4 way nsubj 2 is be AUX Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin 4 way cop 3 a a DET Definite=Ind PronType=Art 4 way det 4 way way NOUN Number=Sing root root 5 of of SCONJ _ 6 downplaying mark 6 downplaying downplay VERB VerbForm=Ger 4 way acl 7 something something PRON Number=Sing PronType=Ind 6 downplaying obj 8 on on ADP _ 9 purpose case 9 purpose purpose NOUN Number=Sing 6 downplaying obl 10 for for ADP _ 11 effect case 11 effect effect NOUN Number=Sing 6 downplaying obl 12 . . PUNCT _ 4 way punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 is a present Understatement a way tree rules 2 downplay gerund a way not said here something purpose for effect tree rules
Example 7 The mayor downplayed the flood risk, and many people were not ready.
det nsubj det compound obj punct cc amod nsubj cop advmod conj punct root The DET mayor NOUN downplayed VERB the DET flood NOUN risk NOUN , PUNCT and CCONJ many ADJ people NOUN were AUX not PART ready ADJ . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 The the DET Definite=Def PronType=Art 2 mayor det 2 mayor mayor NOUN Number=Sing 3 downplayed nsubj 3 downplayed downplay VERB Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin root root 4 the the DET Definite=Def PronType=Art 6 risk det 5 flood flood NOUN Number=Sing 6 risk compound 6 risk risk NOUN Number=Sing 3 downplayed obj 7 , , PUNCT _ 13 ready punct 8 and and CCONJ _ 13 ready cc 9 many many ADJ Degree=Pos 10 people amod 10 people people NOUN Number=Plur 13 ready nsubj 11 were be AUX Mood=Ind Number=Plur Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin 13 ready cop 12 not not PART Polarity=Neg 13 ready advmod 13 ready ready ADJ Degree=Pos 3 downplayed conj 14 . . PUNCT _ 3 downplayed punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 downplay past the mayor the flood risk tree rules 2 not is past many people ready property tree rules
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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