automatic

«automatic» in Mova's school dictionary: An automatic machine works by itself, without a person… — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 4 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

part of speech

adjective (automatic); noun (an automatic — a car or gun)

meaning for a pupil

1) An automatic machine works by itself, without a person controlling each step: automatic doors, an automatic washing machine. tree →

2) An automatic action is done without thinking, from habit or reflex: blinking is automatic. tree →

3) Automatic also means happening for sure because of a rule: «Breaking this rule means an automatic red card.» tree →

4) An automatic is a car with automatic gears. tree →

sense in the lessons

In science and technology lessons, sensors and timers make things automatic (automatic doors, street lights, sprinklers). In PE and maths, practice makes skills automatic, like knowing times tables by heart. Phrases: «automatic doors», «on automatic», «automatic reaction», «automatic pilot».

examples

• The automatic doors opened when we walked up. tree →
• Breathing is automatic; you don't have to think about it. tree →
• Practise your times tables until they are automatic. tree →
• The street lights are automatic and turn on when it gets dark. tree →
• Mum drives an automatic, not a manual. tree →
• The heating comes on automatically at six. tree →
• Cheating means an automatic zero on the test. tree →
• Blinking is an automatic reaction when something flies at your eye. tree →

note

Adverb: automatically (note -ally). Opposite: manual (done by hand). Related: automation, robot, autopilot. Safety: automatic doors and gates can still trap fingers — keep clear.

In the corpora

• Automatic captions guess words from sound and sometimes mishear, which matters a lot for deaf viewers.
• A lump in the throat when you hold back tears is the throat muscles tightening; it is an automatic stress reaction that fades.
• A direct debit is an automatic payment from a bank account that pays a bill on time each month, so no late fees.
• A reflex is a quick, automatic action, such as pulling your hand off something hot.

Trees and pragmatics

Every meaning and example of «automatic» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.