inert
part of speech
adjective (inert)
meaning for a pupil
1) Not moving and without strength or life. tree →
2) (science) Not reacting with other chemicals, as in inert gases like helium or neon. tree →
3) Slow and not wanting to act. tree →
sense in the lessons
In science lessons: inert (noble) gases like helium, neon and argon do not easily react, which is why helium is safe in balloons. In stories: «He lay inert on the floor» shows someone not moving. Phrase: inert gas.
examples
- Helium is an inert gas. tree →
- Neon is inert, so it is safe in signs. tree →
- The cat lay inert in the sun. tree →
- The robot stood inert until it was switched on. tree →
- Gold is quite inert, so it doesn't rust. tree →
- The crowd stayed inert and silent. tree →
note
Related: inertia (a body's resistance to changing its motion). «Inert» does not mean dead — only not moving or not reacting.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «inert» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.