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# sam

proper noun (Sam); name

«sam» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A common first name for boys and girls, short for Samuel, Samantha or Samson; it is a name, not an ordinary word. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sam/#m1)
2. «Uncle Sam» is a nickname for the government of the USA. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sam/#m2)
3. (casual) Friends shorten or change it: «Sammy», «Sam-Sam»; in texts «Sam's» can mean Sam's house: «at Sam's». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sam/#m3)
4. (formal) In formal writing the full name or a description replaces it: «Samuel», «the aforementioned pupil», «the first boy». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sam/#m4)

### In the lessons

In school maths word problems «Sam» is often a character: «Sam has 12 marbles and gives 5 away». The name tells you who has the things; it does not change the numbers. Written with a capital S because it is a name. In casual talk: «Sam's mum», «going to Sam's». In the exam voice: «a pupil, hereinafter referred to as Sam». Phrases: «Uncle Sam», «at Sam's».

### Examples

- Sam has 8 apples and eats 3. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sam/#x1)
- Sam and Lily shared 20 sweets equally. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sam/#x2)
- My best friend Sam lives next door. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sam/#x3)
- Sam is short for Samantha. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sam/#x4)
- Uncle Sam stands for the United States. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sam/#x5)
- Sam ran 2 km more than Ben. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sam/#x6)
- sam's got 12 marbles, gave me 5, he's well sad now (casual) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sam/#x7)
- going to Sam's after footy, back by 6 (casual) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sam/#x8)
- Oi Sam, give us 2 of them or else. (rough) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sam/#x9)
- A pupil, hereinafter referred to as Sam, possesses 8 apples and consumes 3; ascertain the quantity remaining. (formal exam) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sam/#x10)

### Note

A name: always a capital S. Can be a boy or a girl, so read the story for «he» or «she». In word problems, keep track of what Sam has before and after. «Sam's» can mean belonging to Sam or Sam's house. «Give us 2» (UK casual) means give me 2. Trap: two characters (Sam and Ben) — keep their amounts apart.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «sam» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sam/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«sam» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/sam.html) on Mova free.