---
title: ambush — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «ambush» in the school dictionary: An ambush is a surprise attack by people or animals who have been hiding and waiting. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# ambush

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** ambush, people, soldiers, crocodile, ambush hunter, little sisters · **What happens:** be, hide, wait, ambush, mean, attack · **To what, where:** surprise attack, someone, them, ambush, ambush hunter, water · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«ambush» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 8 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: [ambush in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/ambush.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An ambush is a surprise attack by people or animals who have been hiding and waiting.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ambush:m1:1
# text = An ambush is a surprise attack by people or animals who have been hiding and waiting.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	ambush	ambush	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	surprise	surprise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	attack	attack	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	by	by	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	animals	animal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	conj	_	_
11	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	14	nsubj	_	_
12	have	have	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	aux	_	_
13	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	14	aux	_	_
14	hiding	hide	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	8	acl:relcl	_	_
15	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
16	waiting	wait	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	14	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a ambush | a surprise attack |  |  |  | by people or animals | tree rules |
| 2 | **hide** | present · perfect · progressive | people or animals |  |  |  |  |  | vn concealment-16-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **wait** | gerund | people or animals *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- .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: verb — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To ambush someone means to hide and then attack them by surprise.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ambush:m2:1
# text = To ambush someone means to hide and then attack them by surprise.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	ambush	ambush	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	csubj	_	_
3	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	hide	hide	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
8	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	9	advmod	_	_
9	attack	attack	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	conj	_	_
10	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obj	_	_
11	by	by	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	surprise	surprise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ambush** | to-infinitive |  | someone |  |  |  |  | vn attack-60.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent someone=Patient |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **hide** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn concealment-16-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **attack** | infinitive |  | them *= they* |  |  | then | by surprise | vn attack-60.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=Patient |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To ambush someone can mean to surprise them with difficult questions or a sudden request.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ambush:m3:1
# text = To ambush someone can mean to surprise them with difficult questions or a sudden request.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	ambush	ambush	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	csubj	_	_
3	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	surprise	surprise	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	xcomp	_	_
8	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
9	with	with	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	difficult	difficult	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	questions	question	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
14	sudden	sudden	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	request	request	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ambush** | to-infinitive |  | someone |  |  |  |  | vn attack-60.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent someone=Patient |
| 2 | **mean** | can |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **surprise** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  | them *= they* |  |  |  | with difficult questions or a sudden request | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus they=Experiencer |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The soldiers walked straight into an ambush.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ambush:x1:1
# text = The soldiers walked straight into an ambush.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	soldiers	soldier	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	walked	walk	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	straight	straight	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
5	into	into	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	ambush	ambush	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **walk** | past | the soldiers |  |  |  |  | into a ambush *result* | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V PP.result»: agent=Theme into ambush=Result |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The crocodile is an ambush hunter that waits in the water.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ambush:x2:1
# text = The crocodile is an ambush hunter that waits in the water.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	crocodile	crocodile	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	ambush	ambush	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	hunter	hunter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	8	nsubj	_	_
8	waits	wait	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	acl:relcl	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the crocodile | a ambush hunter |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **wait** | present | a ambush hunter |  |  | the water |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in water=Location |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My little sisters ambushed me with water pistols.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ambush:x3:1
# text = My little sisters ambushed me with water pistols.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	sisters	sister	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	ambushed	ambush	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	obj	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	pistols	pistol	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ambush** | past | My little sisters | me |  |  |  | with water pistols | vn attack-60.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent i=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The robbers lay in ambush beside the road.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ambush:x4:1
# text = The robbers lay in ambush beside the road.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	robbers	robber	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	lay	lay	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	ambush	ambush	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
6	beside	beside	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	road	road	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lay** | present | the robbers |  |  | ambush |  | beside the road | vn put\_spatial-9.2 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent in ambush=Destination |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The journalist ambushed the minister with a tricky question.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ambush:x5:1
# text = The journalist ambushed the minister with a tricky question.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	journalist	journalist	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	ambushed	ambush	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	minister	minister	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	tricky	tricky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	question	question	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ambush** | past | the journalist | the minister |  |  |  | with a tricky question | vn attack-60.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent minister=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the game, we set an ambush behind the castle wall.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ambush:x6:1
# text = In the game, we set an ambush behind the castle wall.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	game	game	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	set	set	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	ambush	ambush	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	behind	behind	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	castle	castle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	compound	_	_
12	wall	wall	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **set** | present | we | a ambush |  | the game |  | behind the castle wall | vn put-9.1-2 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent ambush=Theme in game=Destination |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The spider ambushed the fly from under a leaf.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ambush:x7:1
# text = The spider ambushed the fly from under a leaf.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	spider	spider	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	ambushed	ambush	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	fly	fly	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	from	from	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	under	under	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	leaf	leaf	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ambush** | past | the spider | the fly |  | a leaf |  |  | vn attack-60.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent fly=Patient |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A Lion lay in ambush in the hope of making them his prey, but was afraid to attack them while they kept together.

<!-- fold The tree, 23 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ambush:x8:1
# text = A Lion lay in ambush in the hope of making them his prey, but was afraid to attack them while they kept together.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	Lion	lion	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	lay	lie	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	ambush	ambush	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	hope	hope	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
9	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
10	making	make	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	8	acl	_	_
11	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	obj	_	_
12	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	13	nmod:poss	_	_
13	prey	prey	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
15	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
16	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	17	cop	_	_
17	afraid	afraid	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	advcl	_	_
18	to	to	PART	TO	_	19	mark	_	_
19	attack	attack	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	17	xcomp	_	_
20	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	19	obj	_	_
21	while	while	SCONJ	IN	_	23	mark	_	_
22	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	23	nsubj	_	_
23	kept	keep	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	19	advcl	_	_
24	together	together	ADV	RB	_	23	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lie** | past | a Lion |  |  | ambush |  | in the hope | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent in ambush=Location |
| 2 | **make** | gerund | the hope *not said here* | them *= they* |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP NP»: agent=Asset they=Beneficiary prey=Product |
| 3 | **is** | past | a Lion *not said here* |  |  |  |  | afraid *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **attack** | to-infinitive | a Lion *not said here* | them *= they* |  |  |  |  | vn attack-60.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=Patient |
| 5 | **keep together** | past | they |  |  |  |  | together *property* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school 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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