---
title: gadfly — Judaism dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «gadfly» in the Judaism dictionary: A gadfly is a large fly that bites cattle and horses. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# gadfly

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** gadfly, large fly, person, Egypt, cousin · **What happens:** be, bite, keep, pester, stir up, come · **To what, where:** large fly, cattle, person, others, fair heifer, gadfly

<!-- .vabout -->
«gadfly» in the Judaism dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 4 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: [gadfly in the Judaism dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/gadfly.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A gadfly is a large fly that bites cattle and horses.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:judaism:gadfly:m1:1
# text = A gadfly is a large fly that bites cattle and horses.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	gadfly	gadfly	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	large	large	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	fly	fly	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	8	nsubj	_	_
8	bites	bite	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	acl:relcl	_	_
9	cattle	cattle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obj	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	horses	horse	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a gadfly | a large fly |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **bite** | present | a large fly | cattle and horses |  |  |  |  | vn swat-18.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent cattle=Patient |

<!-- .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}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: informal — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A gadfly is a person who keeps pestering and stirring others up.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:judaism:gadfly:m2:1
# text = A gadfly is a person who keeps pestering and stirring others up.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	gadfly	gadfly	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	keeps	keep	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	pestering	pester	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	xcomp	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	stirring	stir	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	8	conj	_	_
11	others	other	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obj	_	_
12	up	up	ADP	RP	_	10	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a gadfly | a person |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **keep** | present | a person |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **pester** | gerund | a person *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |
| 4 | **stir up** | gerund | a person *not said here* | others |  |  |  |  | vn engender-27.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Precondition other=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Egypt is a very fair heifer; but the gadfly out of the north is come, it is come. (Prophets JER.46.20, JPS 1917)

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Egypt is a very fair heifer; but the gadfly out of the north is come, it is come.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:judaism:gadfly:x1:1
# text = Egypt is a very fair heifer; but the gadfly out of the north is come, it is come.
1	Egypt	Egypt	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
4	very	very	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	fair	fair	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	heifer	heifer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	16	punct	_	_
8	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	gadfly	gadfly	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	nsubj	_	_
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	north	north	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	_
15	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	16	aux:pass	_	_
16	come	come	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	20	punct	_	_
18	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	20	nsubj	_	_
19	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	20	aux:pass	_	_
20	come	come	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	16	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Egypt | a fair heifer |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **come** | present · passive |  | the gadfly out the north |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «PP.location V NP»: subject=Theme |
| 3 | **come** | present · passive |  | gadfly |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «PP.location V NP»: subject=Theme |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* (Prophets JER.46.20, JPS 1917)

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:judaism:gadfly:x1:2
# text = (Prophets JER.46.20, JPS 1917)
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Prophets	prophet	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
3	JER.46.20	JER.46.20	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
5	JPS	JPS	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	flat	_	_
6	1917	1917	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	3	flat	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The gadfly stung the cow, and it ran off.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:judaism:gadfly:x2:1
# text = The gadfly stung the cow, and it ran off.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	gadfly	gadfly	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	stung	sting	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	cow	cow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	ran	run	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
10	off	off	ADP	RP	_	9	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sting** | past | the gadfly | the cow |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus cow=Experiencer |
| 2 | **run off** | past | gadfly |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A gadfly buzzed round the horse's head.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:judaism:gadfly:x3:1
# text = A gadfly buzzed round the horse's head.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	gadfly	gadfly	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	buzzed	buzz	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	round	round	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	horse	horse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	's	's	PART	POS	_	6	case	_	_
8	head	head	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **buzz** | participle |  | a gadfly *not said here* |  |  |  | round the horse's head | vn animal\_sounds-38 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My cousin is a gadfly who never stops teasing.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:judaism:gadfly:x4:1
# text = My cousin is a gadfly who never stops teasing.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	cousin	cousin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	gadfly	gadfly	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	8	nsubj	_	_
7	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	8	advmod	_	_
8	stops	stop	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
9	teasing	tease	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	8	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | My cousin | a gadfly |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **stop** | present | a gadfly |  |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Affector clause=Eventuality |
| 3 | **tease** | gerund | a gadfly *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn ferret-35.6 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

<!-- 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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