---
title: cling — Judaism dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «cling» in the Judaism dictionary: To cling to something is to hold on to it very tightly. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# cling

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** cling, wet clothes, you, She, lost dog, We · **What happens:** cling, be, mean, stick, believe, hold on · **To what, where:** it, hope, baby monkey, cat, wet T shirt, me

<!-- .vabout -->
«cling» in the Judaism dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 9 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: [cling in the Judaism dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/cling.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To cling to something is to hold on to it very tightly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:judaism:cling:m1:1
# text = To cling to something is to hold on to it very tightly.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	cling	cling	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	advcl	_	_
3	to	to	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obl	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	hold	hold	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	on	on	ADP	RP	_	7	compound:prt	_	_
9	to	to	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obl	_	_
11	very	very	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
12	tightly	tightly	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cling** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | to something | vn cling-22.5 «NP V PP.co-theme»: agent=Theme to something=Co-Theme |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  | it |  |  | hold, tightly *property* | tree rules |

<!-- .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.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To cling means to stick closely to something or someone (wet clothes cling to your body).

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:judaism:cling:m2:1
# text = To cling means to stick closely to something or someone (wet clothes cling to your body).
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	cling	cling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	stick	stick	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	closely	closely	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	5	obl	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	8	conj	_	_
11	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	wet	wet	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	clothes	clothes	NOUN	NNS	Number=Ptan	14	nsubj	_	_
14	cling	cling	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	acl:relcl	_	_
15	to	to	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	17	nmod:poss	_	_
17	body	body	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | cling |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **stick** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | cling *not said here* |  |  |  |  | to something; closely *property* | vn shake-22.3-2 «NP V NP PP»: agent=Agent to something=Co-Patient |
| 3 | **cling** | present | wet clothes |  |  |  |  | to your body | vn cling-22.5 «NP V PP.co-theme»: agent=Theme to body=Co-Theme |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To cling to an idea or hope is to keep believing it even when it is hard.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:judaism:cling:m3:1
# text = To cling to an idea or hope is to keep believing it even when it is hard.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	cling	cling	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	advcl	_	_
3	to	to	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	idea	idea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	hope	hope	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	keep	keep	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
11	believing	believe	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	10	xcomp	_	_
12	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	obj	_	_
13	even	even	ADV	RB	_	17	advmod	_	_
14	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	17	advmod	_	_
15	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	17	expl	_	_
16	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	17	cop	_	_
17	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cling** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | to a idea or hope | vn cling-22.5 «NP V PP.co-theme»: agent=Theme to idea=Co-Theme |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | keep *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **believe** | gerund |  | hope |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer it=Stimulus |
| 4 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | hard *property* | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The baby monkey clung to its mother's back.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:judaism:cling:x1:1
# text = The baby monkey clung to its mother's back.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	baby	baby	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	monkey	monkey	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	clung	cling	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	acl	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
6	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	mother	mother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	's	's	PART	POS	_	7	case	_	_
9	back	back	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cling** | participle |  | the baby monkey *not said here* |  |  |  | to monkey's mother's back | vn cling-22.5 «NP V PP.co-theme»: agent=Theme to back=Co-Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The cat clung to the branch with its claws.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:judaism:cling:x2:1
# text = The cat clung to the branch with its claws.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	cat	cat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	clung	cling	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	to	to	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	branch	branch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	claws	claw	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cling** | participle |  | the cat *not said here* |  |  |  | to the branch with branch's claws | vn cling-22.5 «NP V PP.co-theme»: agent=Theme to branch=Co-Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My wet T-shirt clung to me after the rain.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:judaism:cling:x3:1
# text = My wet T-shirt clung to me after the rain.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
2	wet	wet	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
3	T	t	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	shirt	shirt	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	clung	cling	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	acl	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	6	obl	_	_
9	after	after	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	rain	rain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cling** | participle |  | My wet T shirt *not said here* | me |  | after the rain |  | vn cling-22.5 «NP V PP.co-theme»: agent=Theme to i=Co-Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Hold on and cling to the rope!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:judaism:cling:x4:1
# text = Hold on and cling to the rope!
1	Hold	hold	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	on	on	ADP	RP	_	1	compound:prt	_	_
3	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	cling	cling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	conj	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	rope	rope	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hold on** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | to the rope | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The little boy clung to his dad on the first day of school.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:judaism:cling:x5:1
# text = The little boy clung to his dad on the first day of school.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	boy	boy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	clung	cling	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	acl	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl:agent	_	_
8	on	on	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	first	first	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	11	amod	_	_
11	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
12	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cling** | participle |  | the little boy *not said here* |  |  | day |  | vn cling-22.5 «NP V together»: agent=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She clung to the hope that her lost dog would come home.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:judaism:cling:x6:1
# text = She clung to the hope that her lost dog would come home.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	clung	cling	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	hope	hope	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
7	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
8	lost	lose	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	9	amod	_	_
9	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
10	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
11	come	come	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
12	home	home	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cling** | past | She |  |  |  |  | to the hope | vn cling-22.5 «NP V PP.co-theme»: agent=Theme to hope=Co-Theme |
| 2 | **lose** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **come** | would | her lost dog |  |  |  |  | home *property* | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We covered the bowl with cling film.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:judaism:cling:x7:1
# text = We covered the bowl with cling film.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	covered	cover	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	bowl	bowl	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	cling	cling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	film	film	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cover** | past | We | the bowl |  |  |  | with cling film | vn fill-9.8-1 «NP V NP PP.theme»: agent=Agent bowl=Destination with film=Theme |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A sock was clinging to my jumper when it came out of the dryer.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:judaism:cling:x8:1
# text = A sock was clinging to my jumper when it came out of the dryer.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	sock	sock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	clinging	cling	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	jumper	jumper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
8	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	10	advmod	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	came	come	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	advcl	_	_
11	out	out	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
12	of	of	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	dryer	dryer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cling** | past · progressive | a sock |  |  |  |  | to my jumper | vn cling-22.5 «NP V PP.co-theme»: agent=Theme to jumper=Co-Theme |
| 2 | **come out** | past | sock | the dryer |  |  |  |  | vn become-109.1 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Patient dryer=Result |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She could see the men clinging to the masts.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:judaism:cling:x9:1
# text = She could see the men clinging to the masts.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	see	see	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	men	man	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	clinging	cling	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	acl	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	masts	mast	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **see** | could | She | the men |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer man=Stimulus |
| 2 | **cling** | gerund | the men *not said here* |  |  |  |  | to the masts | vn cling-22.5 «NP V PP.co-theme»: agent=Theme to mast=Co-Theme |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the Judaism dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **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.

<!-- /div -->

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