Eventually ramrod became personified, taking on the added meaning of `one marked by rigidity, stiffness, and severity,' even though the original ramrods, which were straight, were rather flexible.
( Eventually ( ramrod ( ( became ( ( personified , ) ( taking ( on ( ( the ( added meaning ) ) ( of ( ` ( ( ( ( one ( marked ( by ( rigidity ( , ( stiffness ( , ( and severity ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) , ) ' ) ( even ( though ( ( ( ( ( the ( original ramrods ) ) , ) ( which ( were straight ) ) ) , ) ( were ( rather flexible ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) . ) ) )
(ROOT (SINV (ADVP (RB Eventually)) (ADJP (JJ ramrod)) (VP (VBD became)) (NP (NP (NN personified)) (, ,) (VP (VBG taking) (PP (IN on) (NP (NP (DT the) (VBN added) (NN meaning)) (PP (IN of) (NP (`` `) (NP (CD one)) (VP (VBN marked) (PP (IN by) (NP (NNP rigidity) (, ,) (NNS stiffness) (, ,) (CC and) (NN severity)))) (, ,) ('' ') (SBAR (RB even) (IN though) (S (NP (NP (DT the) (JJ original) (NNS ramrods)) (, ,) (SBAR (WHNP (WDT which)) (S (VP (VBD were) (ADJP (RB straight))))) (, ,)) (VP (VBD were) (ADJP (RB rather) (JJ flexible))))))))))) (. .)))
People who could be described as ramrods are never enjoyable company.
( ( People ( who ( could ( be ( described ( as ramrods ) ) ) ) ) ) ( ( ( are never ) ( enjoyable company ) ) . ) )
(ROOT (S (NP (NP (NNS People)) (SBAR (WHNP (WP who)) (S (VP (MD could) (VP (VB be) (VP (VBN described) (PP (IN as) (NP (NNS ramrods))))))))) (VP (VBP are) (ADVP (RB never)) (VP (VBG enjoyable) (NP (NN company)))) (. .)))