---
title: pestilence — Early Modern English dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «pestilence» in the Early Modern English dictionary: A deadly disease that spreads quickly among many people, such as the plague. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# pestilence

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** deadly disease, I, We, sultry air · **What happens:** spread, smite, destroy, make, fly, warm · **To what, where:** them, nation, countries, sultry air, mankind, hand

<!-- .vabout -->
«pestilence» 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: [pestilence in the Early Modern English dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/emode/w/pestilence.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A deadly disease that spreads quickly among many people, such as the plague.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:emode:pestilence:m1:1
# text = A deadly disease that spreads quickly among many people, such as the plague.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	deadly	deadly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	disease	disease	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	5	nsubj	_	_
5	spreads	spread	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	acl:relcl	_	_
6	quickly	quickly	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
7	among	among	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
11	such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|ExtPos=ADP	14	case	_	_
12	as	as	ADP	IN	_	11	fixed	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	plague	plague	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **spread** | present | a deadly disease |  |  |  |  | among many people such the plague; quickly *property* | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme among people=Location |

<!-- .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 -->
I will smite them with the pestilence, and destroy them, and will make of thee a nation greater and mightier than they.'

<!-- .note -->
From Torah NUM.14.12, JPS 1917.

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:emode:pestilence:x1:1
# text = I will smite them with the pestilence, and destroy them, and will make of thee a nation greater and mightier than they.'
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	smite	smite	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	obj	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	pestilence	pestilence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	destroy	destroy	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	conj	_	_
11	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
13	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
14	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	15	aux	_	_
15	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	conj	_	_
16	of	of	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
17	thee	thou	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=2|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	15	obl	_	_
18	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	nation	nation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	xcomp	_	_
20	greater	great	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	15	xcomp	_	_
21	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	22	cc	_	_
22	mightier	mighty	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	20	conj	_	_
23	than	than	ADP	IN	_	24	case	_	_
24	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	20	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	'	'	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **smite** | future | I | them *= they* |  |  |  | with the pestilence | vn hit-18.1 «NP V NP PP.instrument»: agent=Agent they=Patient with pestilence=Instrument |
| 2 | **destroy** | infinitive | I *not said here* | them *= they* |  |  |  |  | vn destroy-44 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=Patient |
| 3 | **make** | future | I *not said here* | a nation |  |  |  | of thee; great *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We fly to warm countries, and cool the sultry air that destroys mankind with the pestilence.

<!-- .note -->
From Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:emode:pestilence:x2:1
# text = We fly to warm countries, and cool the sultry air that destroys mankind with the pestilence.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	fly	fly	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	warm	warm	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
5	countries	country	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	cool	cool	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	sultry	sultry	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	air	air	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
12	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	13	nsubj	_	_
13	destroys	destroy	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	acl:relcl	_	_
14	mankind	mankind	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obj	_	_
15	with	with	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	pestilence	pestilence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fly** | present | We |  |  |  |  |  | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **warm** | to-infinitive | We *not said here* | countries |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent country=Patient |
| 3 | **cool** | infinitive | We *not said here* | the sultry air |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent air=Patient |
| 4 | **destroy** | present | the sultry air | mankind |  |  |  | with the pestilence | vn destroy-44 «NP V NP PP.instrument»: agent=Agent mankind=Patient with pestilence=Instrument |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Surely now I had put forth My hand, and smitten thee and thy people with pestilence, and thou hadst been cut off from the earth.

<!-- .note -->
From Torah EXO.9.15, JPS 1917.

<!-- fold The tree, 25 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:emode:pestilence:x3:1
# text = Surely now I had put forth My hand, and smitten thee and thy people with pestilence, and thou hadst been cut off from the earth.
1	Surely	surely	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
2	now	now	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	5	advmod	_	_
3	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
4	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	put	put	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
6	forth	forth	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
7	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	hand	hand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	smitten	smite	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	5	conj	_	_
12	thee	thou	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=2|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	11	obj	_	_
13	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
14	thy	thy	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	15	nmod:poss	_	_
15	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	conj	_	_
16	with	with	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
17	pestilence	pestilence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	23	punct	_	_
19	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	23	cc	_	_
20	thou	thou	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=2|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	23	nsubj:pass	_	_
21	hadst	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Style=Arch|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	23	aux	_	_
22	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	23	aux:pass	_	_
23	cut	cut	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	conj	_	_
24	off	off	ADP	RP	_	23	compound:prt	_	_
25	from	from	ADP	IN	_	27	case	_	_
26	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	27	det	_	_
27	earth	earth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	23	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **put** | past · perfect | I | My hand |  |  | now | forth *property* | vn invest-13.5.4-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent hand=Goal |
| 2 | **smite** | participle | I *not said here* | thee |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus thou=Experiencer |
| 3 | **cut off** | past · perfect · passive |  | thou |  | the earth |  |  | vn remove-10.1 «NP V NP PP»: subject=Theme from earth=Initial\_Location |

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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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