---
title: tottering — Judaism dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «tottering» in the Judaism dictionary: Tottering means unsteady and about to fall, moving or standing on weak or shaky legs. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# tottering

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** you, hand, ye, that, She, girl · **What happens:** totter, mean, fall, move, stand, strengthen · **To what, where:** weak legs, ye, firm, me, knees, man

<!-- .vabout -->
«tottering» in the Judaism dictionary: its meaning for a pupil and its 7 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: [tottering in the Judaism dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/tottering.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Tottering means unsteady and about to fall, moving or standing on weak or shaky legs.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:judaism:tottering:m1:1
# text = Tottering means unsteady and about to fall, moving or standing on weak or shaky legs.
1	Tottering	totter	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	unsteady	unsteady	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	about	about	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	conj	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	fall	fall	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
9	moving	move	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	conj	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	standing	stand	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	9	conj	_	_
12	on	on	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
13	weak	weak	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
14	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
15	shaky	shaky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	conj	_	_
16	legs	leg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **totter** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn body\_internal\_motion-49.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  | unsteady *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **fall** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **move** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP.theme V»: agent=Theme |
| 5 | **stand** | gerund |  |  |  | weak legs |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent on leg=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 -->
Strengthen ye the weak hands, and make firm the tottering knees. (Prophets ISA.35.3, JPS 1917)

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Strengthen ye the weak hands, and make firm the tottering knees.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:judaism:tottering:x1:1
# text = Strengthen ye the weak hands, and make firm the tottering knees.
1	Strengthen	strengthen	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	ye	ye	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=2|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	1	obj	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	weak	weak	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	hands	hand	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	make	make	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	1	conj	_	_
9	firm	firm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	tottering	tottering	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	compound	_	_
12	knees	knee	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **strengthen** | imperative | you *not said here* | ye |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **make** | infinitive | you *not said here* | firm |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP NP»: agent=Asset firm=Beneficiary knee=Product |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* (Prophets ISA.35.3, JPS 1917)

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:judaism:tottering:x1:2
# text = (Prophets ISA.35.3, JPS 1917)
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Prophets	prophet	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
3	ISA.35.3	ISA.35.3	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 -->
And, behold, a hand touched me, which set me tottering upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands. (Writings DAN.10.10, JPS 1917)

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* And, behold, a hand touched me, which set me tottering upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands.

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:judaism:tottering:x2:1
# text = And, behold, a hand touched me, which set me tottering upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands.
1	And	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
3	behold	behold	INTJ	UH	_	7	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	hand	hand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	touched	touch	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
10	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	11	nsubj	_	_
11	set	set	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	_
12	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	11	obj	_	_
13	tottering	totter	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	11	advcl	_	_
14	upon	upon	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	16	nmod:poss	_	_
16	knees	knee	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	obl	_	_
17	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	20	cc	_	_
18	upon	upon	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
19	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
20	palms	palm	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	conj	_	_
21	of	of	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
22	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	23	nmod:poss	_	_
23	hands	hand	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	20	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **touch** | past | a hand | me |  |  |  |  | vn contiguous\_location-47.8-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme i=Co-Theme |
| 2 | **set** | past |  | me |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4-1 «NP V NP ADJ»: agent=Patient i=Result |
| 3 | **totter** | gerund |  |  |  | my knees |  |  | vn modes\_of\_being\_with\_motion-47.3 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme upon knee=Location |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* (Writings DAN.10.10, JPS 1917)

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:judaism:tottering:x2:2
# text = (Writings DAN.10.10, JPS 1917)
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Writings	writing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
3	DAN.10.10	DAN.10.10	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 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
How long will ye set upon a man, that ye may slay him, all of you, as a leaning wall, a tottering fence? (Writings PSA.62.4, JPS 1917)

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* How long will ye set upon a man, that ye may slay him, all of you, as a leaning wall, a tottering fence?

<!-- fold The tree, 23 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:judaism:tottering:x3:1
# text = How long will ye set upon a man, that ye may slay him, all of you, as a leaning wall, a tottering fence?
1	How	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	2	advmod	_	_
2	long	long	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	5	advmod	_	_
3	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
4	ye	ye	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=2|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	5	nsubj	_	_
5	set	set	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	upon	upon	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
10	that	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	13	nsubj	_	_
11	ye	ye	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=2|PronType=Prs|Style=Arch	13	nsubj	_	_
12	may	may	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	13	aux	_	_
13	slay	slay	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	conj	_	_
14	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
16	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	13	obl	_	_
17	of	of	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
18	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	16	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	23	punct	_	_
20	as	as	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
21	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	23	det	_	_
22	leaning	lean	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	23	amod	_	_
23	wall	wall	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	27	punct	_	_
25	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	27	det	_	_
26	tottering	tottering	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	27	compound	_	_
27	fence	fence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	23	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **set** | future | ye |  |  |  |  | upon a man; long *property* | vn put-9.1-2 «NP V PP.destination NP»: agent=Agent upon man=Destination |
| 2 | **slay** | may | that | man |  |  |  | as a leaning wall and a tottering fence; all *obl* | vn murder-42.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent he=Patient |
| 3 | **lean** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* (Writings PSA.62.4, JPS 1917)

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:judaism:tottering:x3:2
# text = (Writings PSA.62.4, JPS 1917)
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Writings	writing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
3	PSA.62.4	PSA.62.4	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 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She went tottering to her room.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:judaism:tottering:x4:1
# text = She went tottering to her room.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	tottering	totter	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	xcomp	_	_
4	to	to	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	room	room	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go** | past | She |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7 «NP V S-Quote»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **totter** | gerund | She *not said here* |  |  | her room |  |  | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme to room=Destination |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The tottering nurse was helped by a girl.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:judaism:tottering:x5:1
# text = The tottering nurse was helped by a girl.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	tottering	tottering	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	nurse	nurse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	helped	help	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	by	by	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	girl	girl	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **help** | past · passive | a girl | the tottering nurse |  |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent subject=Beneficiary |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The king came tottering down from the throne.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:judaism:tottering:x6:1
# text = The king came tottering down from the throne.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	king	king	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	came	come	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	tottering	totter	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	advcl	_	_
5	down	down	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
6	from	from	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	throne	throne	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come** | past | the king |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **totter down** | gerund | the king *not said here* |  |  | the throne |  | down *property* | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme from throne=Trajectory |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A tottering tower of blocks fell over.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:judaism:tottering:x7:1
# text = A tottering tower of blocks fell over.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	tottering	tottering	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	tower	tower	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	blocks	block	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nmod	_	_
6	fell	fall	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	over	over	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fall over** | past | a tottering tower of blocks |  |  |  |  | over *property* | vn occur-48.3 «NP V»: agent=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 -->

<!-- pn -->
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