literally Who acts: words, people, something, talk, translation, sign · What happens: mean, say, figure, make, sound, not be · To what, where: speech, everyday talk, something, word, horse, hungry · Speech: someone speaks here
«literally» 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: literally in the school dictionary .
Meaning 1 Literally means exactly as the words say, not as a figure of speech.
The tree, 13 words advmod advmod mark det nsubj ccomp punct advmod case det ccomp case nmod punct root Literally ADV means VERB exactly ADV as SCONJ the DET words NOUN say VERB , PUNCT not PART as ADP a DET figure NOUN of ADP speech NOUN . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 Literally literally ADV _ 2 means advmod 2 means mean VERB Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin root root 3 exactly exactly ADV _ 7 say advmod 4 as as SCONJ _ 7 say mark 5 the the DET Definite=Def PronType=Art 6 words det 6 words word NOUN Number=Plur 7 say nsubj 7 say say VERB Mood=Ind Number=Plur Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin 2 means ccomp 8 , , PUNCT _ 12 figure punct 9 not not PART Polarity=Neg 12 figure advmod 10 as as ADP _ 12 figure case 11 a a DET Definite=Ind PronType=Art 12 figure det 12 figure figure NOUN Number=Sing 7 say ccomp 13 of of ADP _ 14 speech case 14 speech speech NOUN Number=Sing 12 figure nmod 15 . . PUNCT _ 2 means punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 mean present literally property vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic 2 say speech: assert present the words exactly property vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent 3 figure speech nom figure «communication 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 In everyday talk, people often say "literally" just to make something sound stronger, even when it is not really true.
The tree, 20 words case amod obl punct nsubj advmod punct advmod punct advmod mark ccomp obj xcomp xcomp punct advmod advmod nsubj cop advmod advmod conj punct root In ADP everyday ADJ talk NOUN , PUNCT people NOUN often ADV say VERB " PUNCT literally ADV " PUNCT just ADV to PART make VERB something PRON sound VERB stronger ADJ , PUNCT even ADV when ADV it PRON is AUX not PART really ADV true ADJ . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 In in ADP _ 3 talk case 2 everyday everyday ADJ Degree=Pos 3 talk amod 3 talk talk NOUN Number=Sing 7 say obl 4 , , PUNCT _ 3 talk punct 5 people people NOUN Number=Plur 7 say nsubj 6 often often ADV _ 7 say advmod 7 say say VERB Mood=Ind Number=Plur Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin root root 8 " " PUNCT _ 13 make punct 9 literally literally ADV _ 13 make advmod 10 " " PUNCT _ 9 literally punct 11 just just ADV _ 13 make advmod 12 to to PART _ 13 make mark 13 make make VERB VerbForm=Inf 7 say ccomp 14 something something PRON Number=Sing PronType=Ind 13 make obj 15 sound sound VERB VerbForm=Inf 13 make xcomp 16 stronger strong ADJ Degree=Cmp 15 sound xcomp 17 , , PUNCT _ 24 true punct 18 even even ADV _ 24 true advmod 19 when when ADV PronType=Int 24 true advmod 20 it it PRON Case=Nom Gender=Neut Number=Sing Person=3 PronType=Prs 24 true nsubj 21 is be AUX Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin 24 true cop 22 not not PART Polarity=Neg 24 true advmod 23 really really ADV _ 24 true advmod 24 true true ADJ Degree=Pos 13 make conj 25 . . PUNCT _ 7 say punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 say speech: assert present people everyday talk often property vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V how S_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic 2 make to-infinitive something literally property tree rules 3 sound infinitive something not said here strong property vn stimulus_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus 4 not is present talk true property tree rules
Meaning 3 Literally can mean word for word, as in a translation that follows each word.
The tree, 14 words advmod aux obj case nmod punct case case det appos nsubj acl:relcl det obj punct root Literally ADV can AUX mean VERB word NOUN for ADP word NOUN , PUNCT as ADP in ADP a DET translation NOUN that PRON follows VERB each DET word NOUN . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 Literally literally ADV _ 3 mean advmod 2 can can AUX VerbForm=Fin 3 mean aux 3 mean mean VERB VerbForm=Inf root root 4 word word NOUN Number=Sing 3 mean obj 5 for for ADP _ 6 word case 6 word word NOUN Number=Sing 4 word nmod 7 , , PUNCT _ 11 translation punct 8 as as ADP _ 11 translation case 9 in in ADP _ 11 translation case 10 a a DET Definite=Ind PronType=Art 11 translation det 11 translation translation NOUN Number=Sing 4 word appos 12 that that PRON PronType=Rel 13 follows nsubj 13 follows follow VERB Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin 11 translation acl:relcl 14 each each DET PronType=Tot 15 word det 15 word word NOUN Number=Sing 13 follows obj 16 . . PUNCT _ 3 mean punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 mean can word for word; literally property vn representation-110.1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Pivot word=Theme for word=Attribute 2 follow present a translation each word vn chase-51.6 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent word=Theme
Example 1 The sign literally said "Do not touch", so we didn't.
The tree, 11 words det nsubj advmod punct aux advmod ccomp punct punct advmod nsubj conj advmod punct root The DET sign NOUN literally ADV said VERB " PUNCT Do AUX not PART touch VERB " PUNCT , PUNCT so ADV we PRON did VERB n't PART . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 The the DET Definite=Def PronType=Art 2 sign det 2 sign sign NOUN Number=Sing 4 said nsubj 3 literally literally ADV _ 4 said advmod 4 said say VERB Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin root root 5 " " PUNCT _ 8 touch punct 6 Do do AUX Mood=Imp VerbForm=Fin 8 touch aux 7 not not PART Polarity=Neg 8 touch advmod 8 touch touch VERB VerbForm=Inf 4 said ccomp 9 " " PUNCT _ 8 touch punct 10 , , PUNCT _ 13 did punct 11 so so ADV _ 13 did advmod 12 we we PRON Case=Nom Number=Plur Person=1 PronType=Prs 13 did nsubj 13 did do VERB Mood=Ind Number=Plur Person=1 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin 4 said conj 14 n't not PART Polarity=Neg 13 did advmod 15 . . PUNCT _ 4 said punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 say speech: assert past the sign literally property vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic 2 not touch in a quote infinitive · do-support vn contiguous_location-47.8-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme 3 not do past we vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent
Example 2 "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse" is not meant literally.
The tree, 13 words punct nsubj cop advmod nsubj:pass nsubj aux ccomp det obj punct aux:pass advmod advmod punct root " PUNCT I PRON 'm AUX so ADV hungry ADJ I PRON could AUX eat VERB a DET horse NOUN " PUNCT is AUX not PART meant VERB literally ADV . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 " " PUNCT _ 5 hungry punct 2 I I PRON Case=Nom Number=Sing Person=1 PronType=Prs 5 hungry nsubj 3 'm be AUX Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=1 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin 5 hungry cop 4 so so ADV _ 5 hungry advmod 5 hungry hungry ADJ Degree=Pos 14 meant nsubj:pass 6 I I PRON Case=Nom Number=Sing Person=1 PronType=Prs 8 eat nsubj 7 could could AUX VerbForm=Fin 8 eat aux 8 eat eat VERB VerbForm=Inf 5 hungry ccomp 9 a a DET Definite=Ind PronType=Art 10 horse det 10 horse horse NOUN Number=Sing 8 eat obj 11 " " PUNCT _ 5 hungry punct 12 is be AUX Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin 14 meant aux:pass 13 not not PART Polarity=Neg 14 meant advmod 14 meant mean VERB Tense=Past VerbForm=Part Voice=Pass root root 15 literally literally ADV _ 14 meant advmod 16 . . PUNCT _ 14 meant punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 is in a quote present I hungry property tree rules 2 eat in a quote could I a horse vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent horse=Patient 3 not mean present · passive hungry literally property vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Topic
Example 3 My little brother took the joke literally.
nmod:poss amod nsubj det obj advmod punct root My PRON little ADJ brother NOUN took VERB the DET joke NOUN literally ADV . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 My my PRON Case=Gen Number=Sing Person=1 Poss=Yes PronType=Prs 3 brother nmod:poss 2 little little ADJ Degree=Pos 3 brother amod 3 brother brother NOUN Number=Sing 4 took nsubj 4 took take VERB Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin root root 5 the the DET Definite=Def PronType=Art 6 joke det 6 joke joke NOUN Number=Sing 4 took obj 7 literally literally ADV _ 4 took advmod 8 . . PUNCT _ 4 took punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 take past My little brother the joke literally property vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent joke=Theme
Example 4 The word "breakfast" literally means breaking a fast.
det nsubj punct appos punct advmod xcomp det obj punct root The DET word NOUN " PUNCT breakfast NOUN " PUNCT literally ADV means VERB breaking VERB a DET fast ADJ . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 The the DET Definite=Def PronType=Art 2 word det 2 word word NOUN Number=Sing 7 means nsubj 3 " " PUNCT _ 4 breakfast punct 4 breakfast breakfast NOUN Number=Sing 2 word appos 5 " " PUNCT _ 4 breakfast punct 6 literally literally ADV _ 7 means advmod 7 means mean VERB Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin root root 8 breaking break VERB VerbForm=Ger 7 means xcomp 9 a a DET Definite=Ind PronType=Art 10 fast det 10 fast fast ADJ Degree=Pos 8 breaking obj 11 . . PUNCT _ 7 means punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 mean present the word literally property vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic 2 break not said to happen gerund the word not said here a fast vn hurt-40.8.3-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer fast=Patient
Example 5 I literally ran all the way to school.
nsubj advmod det:predet det obj case obl punct root I PRON literally ADV ran VERB all DET the DET way NOUN to ADP school NOUN . 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 3 ran nsubj 2 literally literally ADV _ 3 ran advmod 3 ran run VERB Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=1 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin root root 4 all all DET PronType=Tot 6 way det:predet 5 the the DET Definite=Def PronType=Art 6 way det 6 way way NOUN Number=Sing 3 ran obj 7 to to ADP _ 8 school case 8 school school NOUN Number=Sing 3 ran obl 9 . . PUNCT _ 3 ran punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 run past I all way school literally property vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V NP PP.trajectory»: agent=Agent way=Theme to school=Trajectory
Example 6 The French phrase, translated literally, means "the cat's ears".
The tree, 10 words det amod nsubj punct acl advmod punct punct det nmod:poss case ccomp punct punct root The DET French ADJ phrase NOUN , PUNCT translated VERB literally ADV , PUNCT means VERB " PUNCT the DET cat NOUN 's PART ears NOUN " PUNCT . PUNCT The words, one row each (CoNLL-U) # word lemma UPOS features head relation 1 The the DET Definite=Def PronType=Art 3 phrase det 2 French French ADJ Degree=Pos 3 phrase amod 3 phrase phrase NOUN Number=Sing 8 means nsubj 4 , , PUNCT _ 5 translated punct 5 translated translate VERB Tense=Past VerbForm=Part Voice=Pass 3 phrase acl 6 literally literally ADV _ 5 translated advmod 7 , , PUNCT _ 3 phrase punct 8 means mean VERB Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin root root 9 " " PUNCT _ 13 ears punct 10 the the DET Definite=Def PronType=Art 11 cat det 11 cat cat NOUN Number=Sing 13 ears nmod:poss 12 's 's PART _ 11 cat case 13 ears ear NOUN Number=Plur 8 means ccomp 14 " " PUNCT _ 13 ears punct 15 . . PUNCT _ 8 means punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 translate participle the French phrase not said here literally property vn turn-26.6.1 «NP V»: agent=Patient 2 mean present the French phrase vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent
Example 7 She was literally shaking with cold.
nsubj aux advmod case obl punct root She PRON was AUX literally ADV shaking VERB with ADP cold ADJ . PUNCT 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 4 shaking nsubj 2 was be AUX Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin 4 shaking aux 3 literally literally ADV _ 4 shaking advmod 4 shaking shake VERB Tense=Pres VerbForm=Part root root 5 with with ADP _ 6 cold case 6 cold cold ADJ Degree=Pos 4 shaking obl 7 . . PUNCT _ 4 shaking punct
# verb tense, mood who what, whom to whom where when other roles by
1 shake past · progressive She with cold; literally property vn shake-22.3-2 «NP V NP PP»: agent=Agent with cold=Co-Patient
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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