kowtow Who acts: people, kowtow, Visitors, British ambassador, He, you · What happens: kowtow, be, touch, show, do, try · To what, where: ground, deep respect, them, deep kneeling bow, 1793, teacher · Speech: someone speaks here
«kowtow» in the school dictionary: its 3 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: kowtow in the school dictionary .
Meaning 1 To kowtow is to kneel and touch the ground with your forehead to show deep respect, as people once did before the Emperor of China.
The tree, 25 words mark cop mark conj cc conj det obj case nmod:poss obl mark advcl amod obj punct mark nsubj advmod advcl case det obl case nmod punct root To PART kowtow VERB is AUX to PART kneel VERB and CCONJ touch VERB the DET ground NOUN with ADP your PRON forehead NOUN to PART show VERB deep ADJ respect NOUN , PUNCT as SCONJ people NOUN once ADV did VERB before ADP the DET Emperor PROPN of ADP China PROPN . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 To to PART _ 2 kowtow mark 2 kowtow kowtow VERB Mood=Imp VerbForm=Fin root root 3 is be AUX Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin 5 kneel cop 4 to to PART _ 5 kneel mark 5 kneel kneel VERB Mood=Imp VerbForm=Fin 2 kowtow conj 6 and and CCONJ _ 7 touch cc 7 touch touch VERB Mood=Imp VerbForm=Fin 2 kowtow conj 8 the the DET Definite=Def PronType=Art 9 ground det 9 ground ground NOUN Number=Sing 7 touch obj 10 with with ADP _ 12 forehead case 11 your your PRON Case=Gen Person=2 Poss=Yes PronType=Prs 12 forehead nmod:poss 12 forehead forehead NOUN Number=Sing 7 touch obl 13 to to PART _ 14 show mark 14 show show VERB VerbForm=Inf 7 touch advcl 15 deep deep ADJ Degree=Pos 16 respect amod 16 respect respect NOUN Number=Sing 14 show obj 17 , , PUNCT _ 21 did punct 18 as as SCONJ _ 21 did mark 19 people people NOUN Number=Plur 21 did nsubj 20 once once ADV NumForm=Word NumType=Mult 21 did advmod 21 did do VERB Mood=Ind Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin 14 show advcl 22 before before ADP _ 24 Emperor case 23 the the DET Definite=Def PronType=Art 24 Emperor det 24 Emperor Emperor PROPN Number=Sing 21 did obl 25 of of ADP _ 26 China case 26 China China PROPN Number=Sing 24 Emperor nmod 27 . . PUNCT _ 2 kowtow punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 kowtow to-infinitive tree rules 2 is present kneel property tree rules 3 touch infinitive the ground with your forehead vn touch-20-1 «NP V NP PP.instrument»: agent=Agent ground=Experiencer with forehead=Instrument 4 show to-infinitive deep respect vn transfer_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent respect=Recipient 5 do past people before the Emperor of China once property vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent
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 Usage: informal — kept apart, not parsed.
To kowtow to someone is to obey them too much and try too hard to please them.
The tree, 17 words mark advcl case obl cop mark obj advmod advmod cc conj advmod xcomp mark xcomp obj punct root To PART kowtow VERB to ADP someone PRON is AUX to PART obey VERB them PRON too ADV much ADV and CCONJ try VERB too ADV hard ADJ to PART please VERB them PRON . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 To to PART _ 2 kowtow mark 2 kowtow kowtow VERB VerbForm=Inf 7 obey advcl 3 to to ADP _ 4 someone case 4 someone someone PRON Number=Sing PronType=Ind 2 kowtow obl 5 is be AUX Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin 7 obey cop 6 to to PART _ 7 obey mark 7 obey obey VERB Mood=Imp VerbForm=Fin root root 8 them they PRON Case=Acc Number=Plur Person=3 PronType=Prs 7 obey obj 9 too too ADV _ 10 much advmod 10 much much ADV _ 7 obey advmod 11 and and CCONJ _ 12 try cc 12 try try VERB Mood=Imp VerbForm=Fin 7 obey conj 13 too too ADV _ 14 hard advmod 14 hard hard ADJ Degree=Pos 12 try xcomp 15 to to PART _ 16 please mark 16 please please VERB VerbForm=Inf 14 hard xcomp 17 them they PRON Case=Acc Number=Plur Person=3 PronType=Prs 16 please obj 18 . . PUNCT _ 7 obey punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 kowtow to-infinitive to someone tree rules 2 is present obey property tree rules 3 try infinitive hard property vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer 4 please to-infinitive them = they vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus they=Experiencer
Meaning 3 A kowtow is this deep kneeling bow.
det nsubj cop nsubj amod compound punct root A DET kowtow NOUN is AUX this PRON deep ADJ kneeling NOUN bow NOUN . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 A a DET Definite=Ind PronType=Art 2 kowtow det 2 kowtow kowtow NOUN Number=Sing 7 bow nsubj 3 is be AUX Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin 7 bow cop 4 this this PRON Number=Sing PronType=Dem 7 bow nsubj 5 deep deep ADJ Degree=Pos 7 bow amod 6 kneeling kneeling NOUN Number=Sing 7 bow compound 7 bow bow NOUN Number=Sing root root 8 . . PUNCT _ 7 bow punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 is a present a kowtow deep kneeling bow tree rules
Example 1 Visitors had to kowtow before the emperor.
nsubj mark xcomp case det obl punct root Visitors NOUN had VERB to PART kowtow VERB before ADP the DET emperor NOUN . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 Visitors visitor NOUN Number=Plur 2 had nsubj 2 had have VERB Mood=Ind Number=Plur Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin root root 3 to to PART _ 4 kowtow mark 4 kowtow kowtow VERB VerbForm=Inf 2 had xcomp 5 before before ADP _ 7 emperor case 6 the the DET Definite=Def PronType=Art 7 emperor det 7 emperor emperor NOUN Number=Sing 4 kowtow obl 8 . . PUNCT _ 2 had punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 have past Visitors tree rules 2 kowtow to-infinitive Visitors not said here before the emperor tree rules
Example 2 A British ambassador refused to kowtow in 1793.
det amod nsubj mark xcomp case obl punct root A DET British ADJ ambassador NOUN refused VERB to PART kowtow VERB in ADP 1793 NUM . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 A a DET Definite=Ind PronType=Art 3 ambassador det 2 British British ADJ Degree=Pos 3 ambassador amod 3 ambassador ambassador NOUN Number=Sing 4 refused nsubj 4 refused refuse VERB Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin root root 5 to to PART _ 6 kowtow mark 6 kowtow kowtow VERB VerbForm=Inf 4 refused xcomp 7 in in ADP _ 8 1793 case 8 1793 1793 NUM NumForm=Digit NumType=Card 6 kowtow obl 9 . . PUNCT _ 4 refused punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 refuse past a British ambassador vn reject-77.2 «NP V S_ING»: agent=Agent clause=Theme 2 not kowtow to-infinitive a British ambassador not said here 1793 tree rules
Example 3 He kowtows to the team captain all the time.
nsubj case det compound obl det:predet det obl:unmarked punct root He PRON kowtows VERB to ADP the DET team NOUN captain NOUN all DET the DET time NOUN . 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 kowtows nsubj 2 kowtows kowtow VERB Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin root root 3 to to ADP _ 6 captain case 4 the the DET Definite=Def PronType=Art 6 captain det 5 team team NOUN Number=Sing 6 captain compound 6 captain captain NOUN Number=Sing 2 kowtows obl 7 all all DET PronType=Tot 9 time det:predet 8 the the DET Definite=Def PronType=Art 9 time det 9 time time NOUN Number=Sing 2 kowtows obl:unmarked 10 . . PUNCT _ 2 kowtows punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 kowtow present He time to the team captain tree rules
Example 4 Don't kowtow to bullies; tell a teacher.
aux advmod case obl punct conj det obj punct root Do AUX n't PART kowtow VERB to ADP bullies NOUN ; PUNCT tell VERB a DET teacher NOUN . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 Do do AUX Mood=Imp VerbForm=Fin 3 kowtow aux 2 n't not PART Polarity=Neg 3 kowtow advmod 3 kowtow kowtow VERB Mood=Imp VerbForm=Fin root root 4 to to ADP _ 5 bullies case 5 bullies bully NOUN Number=Plur 3 kowtow obl 6 ; ; PUNCT _ 7 tell punct 7 tell tell VERB Mood=Imp VerbForm=Fin 3 kowtow conj 8 a a DET Definite=Ind PronType=Art 9 teacher det 9 teacher teacher NOUN Number=Sing 7 tell obj 10 . . PUNCT _ 3 kowtow punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 not kowtow imperative · do-support you not said here to bullies tree rules 2 tell speech: assert infinitive you not said here a teacher vn transfer_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent teacher=Recipient
Example 5 The servant made a low kowtow.
det nsubj det amod obj punct root The DET servant NOUN made VERB a DET low ADJ kowtow NOUN . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 The the DET Definite=Def PronType=Art 2 servant det 2 servant servant NOUN Number=Sing 3 made nsubj 3 made make VERB Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin root root 4 a a DET Definite=Ind PronType=Art 6 kowtow det 5 low low ADJ Degree=Pos 6 kowtow amod 6 kowtow kowtow NOUN Number=Sing 3 made obj 7 . . PUNCT _ 3 made punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 make past the servant a low kowtow vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset kowtow=Product
Example 6 I won't kowtow just because she is popular.
nsubj aux advmod advmod mark nsubj cop advcl punct root I PRON wo AUX n't PART kowtow VERB just ADV because SCONJ she PRON is AUX popular ADJ . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 I I PRON Case=Nom Number=Sing Person=1 PronType=Prs 4 kowtow nsubj 2 wo will AUX VerbForm=Fin 4 kowtow aux 3 n't not PART Polarity=Neg 4 kowtow advmod 4 kowtow kowtow VERB VerbForm=Inf root root 5 just just ADV _ 9 popular advmod 6 because because SCONJ _ 9 popular mark 7 she she PRON Case=Nom Gender=Fem Number=Sing Person=3 PronType=Prs 9 popular nsubj 8 is be AUX Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin 9 popular cop 9 popular popular ADJ Degree=Pos 4 kowtow advcl 10 . . PUNCT _ 4 kowtow punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 not kowtow future I tree rules 2 is present she popular property tree rules
Example 7 The king expected everyone to kowtow to him.
det nsubj obj mark xcomp case obl punct root The DET king NOUN expected VERB everyone PRON to PART kowtow VERB to ADP him PRON . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 The the DET Definite=Def PronType=Art 2 king det 2 king king NOUN Number=Sing 3 expected nsubj 3 expected expect VERB Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin root root 4 everyone everyone PRON Number=Sing PronType=Tot 3 expected obj 5 to to PART _ 6 kowtow mark 6 kowtow kowtow VERB VerbForm=Inf 3 expected xcomp 7 to to ADP _ 8 him case 8 him he PRON Case=Acc Gender=Masc Number=Sing Person=3 PronType=Prs 6 kowtow obl 9 . . PUNCT _ 3 expected punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 expect past the king everyone tree rules 2 kowtow not said to happen to-infinitive everyone not said here king 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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