reinforcement
part of speech
noun (reinforcement, reinforcements)
meaning for a pupil
1) Something that makes another thing stronger, such as steel bars inside concrete. tree →
2) «Reinforcements» are extra soldiers, police or helpers sent to give support. tree →
3) (teaching, formal) Making a lesson or behaviour stronger by practice or praise: positive reinforcement. tree →
sense in the lessons
In science and building, reinforcement makes bridges and walls stronger. In stories and history: «Send reinforcements!» when a side is losing. At school, teachers use positive reinforcement — praise and rewards; homework gives reinforcement of a lesson. In maths, «reinforcements arrived: 40 more soldiers» — add. Phrases: «call for reinforcements», «positive reinforcement», «steel reinforcement».
examples
- The concrete has steel reinforcement inside. tree →
- The captain called for reinforcements. tree →
- 200 soldiers held the fort, then 150 reinforcements arrived. tree →
- Praise is a kind of positive reinforcement. tree →
- Homework gives reinforcement to what we learn in class. tree →
- The fence needed reinforcement after the storm. tree →
- (joking) Mum called in reinforcements to tidy my room — Grandma! tree →
note
Countable for the helpers (reinforcements, usually plural); uncountable for the idea. Verb: reinforce. In addition problems, reinforcements increase the total.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «reinforcement» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.