---
title: firstling — Early Modern English dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «firstling» in the Early Modern English dictionary: the first young animal born to a flock or herd, often given to God. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# firstling

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Abel, that, womb, thou, firstling · **What happens:** bear, give, bring, open, be, sanctify · **To what, where:** first young animal, flock, God, Abel, Mine, males

<!-- .vabout -->
«firstling» in the Early Modern English dictionary: its meaning for a pupil and its 3 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [firstling in the Early Modern English dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/emode/w/firstling.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
the first young animal born to a flock or herd, often given to God.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:emode:firstling:m1:1
# text = the first young animal born to a flock or herd, often given to God.
1	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
2	first	first	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	4	amod	_	_
3	young	young	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	animal	animal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	born	bear	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	acl	_	_
6	to	to	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	flock	flock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	herd	herd	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
12	often	often	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
13	given	give	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	acl	_	_
14	to	to	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	God	God	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **bear** | participle |  | the first young animal *not said here* |  |  |  | to a flock or herd | vn admire-31.2 «NP V that S»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **give** | participle |  | a flock or herd *not said here* | God |  |  | often *property* | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V PP.recipient»: agent=Agent to god=Recipient |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof.

<!-- .note -->
From Torah GEN.4.4, JPS 1917.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:emode:firstling:x1:1
# text = And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof.
1	And	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
2	Abel	Abel	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
5	also	also	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	brought	bring	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	firstlings	firstling	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	12	nmod:poss	_	_
12	flock	flock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	_
13	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
14	of	of	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	fat	fat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	conj	_	_
17	thereof	thereof	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **bring** | past | Abel | Abel |  |  |  | of the firstlings of Abel's flock and the fat; thereof *property* | vn bring-11.3-1 «NP V NP PP.initial\_location»: agent=Agent of firstling=Initial\_Location |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
All that openeth the womb is Mine; and of all thy cattle thou shalt sanctify the males, the firstlings of ox and sheep.

<!-- .note -->
From Torah EXO.34.19, JPS 1917.

<!-- fold The tree, 23 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:emode:firstling:x2:1
# text = All that openeth the womb is Mine; and of all thy cattle thou shalt sanctify the males, the firstlings of ox and sheep.
1	All	all	DET	PDT	PronType=Tot	3	det:predet	_	_
2	that	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	3	nsubj	_	_
3	openeth	open	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Style=Arch|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	womb	womb	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	Mine	my	PRON	PRP	Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	16	punct	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
11	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	13	det	_	_
12	thy	thy	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	13	nmod:poss	_	_
13	cattle	cattle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	obl	_	_
14	thou	thou	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=2|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	16	nsubj	_	_
15	shalt	shall	AUX	MD	Style=Arch|VerbForm=Fin	16	aux	_	_
16	sanctify	sanctify	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	conj	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	males	male	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
20	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
21	firstlings	firstling	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	18	conj	_	_
22	of	of	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
23	ox	ox	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	nmod	_	_
24	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	25	cc	_	_
25	sheep	sheep	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	18	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **open** | present | that |  |  |  |  |  | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **is a** | present | the womb | Mine |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **sanctify** | shall | thou | the males and the firstlings of ox and sheep |  |  |  | of thy cattle | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
And the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break its neck.

<!-- .note -->
From Torah EXO.34.20, JPS 1917.

<!-- fold The tree, 25 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:emode:firstling:x3:1
# text = And the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break its neck.
1	And	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	firstling	firstling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	ass	ass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	_
7	thou	thou	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=2|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	9	nsubj	_	_
8	shalt	shall	AUX	MD	Style=Arch|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
9	redeem	redeem	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
10	with	with	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	lamb	lamb	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	19	punct	_	_
14	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
15	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	19	mark	_	_
16	thou	thou	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=2|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	19	nsubj	_	_
17	wilt	will	AUX	MD	Style=Arch|VerbForm=Fin	19	aux	_	_
18	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	19	advmod	_	_
19	redeem	redeem	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	conj	_	_
20	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	19	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	25	punct	_	_
22	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	25	advmod	_	_
23	thou	thou	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=2|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	25	nsubj	_	_
24	shalt	shall	AUX	MD	Style=Arch|VerbForm=Fin	25	aux	_	_
25	break	break	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	19	advcl	_	_
26	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	27	nmod:poss	_	_
27	neck	neck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	25	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **redeem** | shall | the firstling of a ass |  |  |  |  | with a lamb | vn steal-10.5 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **not** **redeem** *a condition, not said to happen* | future | thou | firstling |  |  |  |  | vn steal-10.5 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Theme |
| 3 | **break** | shall | thou | firstling's neck |  |  | then |  | vn hurt-40.8.3-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer neck=Patient |

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**Text:** the Early Modern English dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova; its examples quote public-domain texts. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

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