---
title: baleen — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «baleen» in the school dictionary: Baleen is a strong, bendy material growing in long plates from the top jaw of some whales, used like a giant sieve or comb to filter food from sea water. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# baleen

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Baleen, strong bendy material, baleen whale, whale, Blue whales, We · **What happens:** be, grow, use, comb, filter, have · **To what, where:** strong bendy material, long plates, food, sea water, whale, baleen

<!-- .vabout -->
«baleen» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings 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: [baleen in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/baleen.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Baleen is a strong, bendy material growing in long plates from the top jaw of some whales, used like a giant sieve or comb to filter food from sea water.

<!-- fold The tree, 30 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:baleen:m1:1
# text = Baleen is a strong, bendy material growing in long plates from the top jaw of some whales, used like a giant sieve or comb to filter food from sea water.
1	Baleen	baleen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
4	strong	strong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	bendy	bendy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	material	material	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	growing	grow	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	acl	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	plates	plate	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obl	_	_
12	from	from	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
14	top	top	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	jaw	jaw	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
16	of	of	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	18	det	_	_
18	whales	whale	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	15	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	20	punct	_	_
20	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	acl	_	_
21	like	like	ADP	IN	_	24	case	_	_
22	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	24	det	_	_
23	giant	giant	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	24	amod	_	_
24	sieve	sieve	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	obl	_	_
25	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	26	cc	_	_
26	comb	comb	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	24	conj	_	_
27	to	to	PART	TO	_	28	mark	_	_
28	filter	filter	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	26	xcomp	_	_
29	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	28	obj	_	_
30	from	from	ADP	IN	_	32	case	_	_
31	sea	sea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	32	compound	_	_
32	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	28	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
33	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Baleen | a strong bendy material |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **grow** | gerund | a strong bendy material *not said here* |  |  | long plates |  | from the top jaw of some whales | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in plate=Location |
| 3 | **use** | participle |  | a strong bendy material *not said here* |  |  |  | like a giant sieve | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **comb** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 5 | **filter** | to-infinitive |  | food |  | sea water |  |  | vn wipe\_instr-10.4.2 «NP V NP PP.initial\_location»: agent=Agent food=Theme from water=Initial\_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.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A baleen whale is a whale that has baleen instead of teeth, like the blue whale and the humpback.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:baleen:m2:1
# text = A baleen whale is a whale that has baleen instead of teeth, like the blue whale and the humpback.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	baleen	baleen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	whale	whale	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	whale	whale	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	8	nsubj	_	_
8	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	acl:relcl	_	_
9	baleen	baleen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
10	instead	instead	ADV	RB	ExtPos=ADP	12	case	_	_
11	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	fixed	_	_
12	teeth	tooth	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
14	like	like	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
16	blue	blue	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	amod	_	_
17	whale	whale	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nmod	_	_
18	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	20	cc	_	_
19	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
20	humpback	humpback	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	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 | a baleen whale | a whale |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **have** | present | a whale | baleen |  |  |  | instead teeth like the blue whale and the humpback | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent baleen=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Blue whales are baleen whales.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:baleen:x1:1
# text = Blue whales are baleen whales.
1	Blue	blue	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	whales	whale	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	baleen	baleen	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	whales	whale	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Blue whales | baleen whales |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Baleen is made of the same material as our fingernails.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:baleen:x2:1
# text = Baleen is made of the same material as our fingernails.
1	Baleen	baleen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	same	same	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	material	material	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
8	as	as	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
10	fingernails	fingernail	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | present · passive |  | Baleen |  |  |  | of the same material; as our fingernails | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: subject=Product |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The whale strained krill through its baleen.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:baleen:x3:1
# text = The whale strained krill through its baleen.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	whale	whale	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	strained	strain	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	krill	krill	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
5	through	through	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	baleen	baleen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **strain** | participle | the whale *not said here* | krill |  | krill's baleen |  |  | vn wipe\_manner-10.4.1 «NP V NP.source»: agent=Agent krill=Source |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We touched a strip of baleen at the museum; it felt like a stiff hairbrush.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:baleen:x4:1
# text = We touched a strip of baleen at the museum; it felt like a stiff hairbrush.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	touched	touch	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	strip	strip	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	baleen	baleen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
7	at	at	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	museum	museum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
11	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
12	felt	feel	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
13	like	like	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
15	stiff	stiff	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	hairbrush	hairbrush	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **touch** | past | We | a strip of baleen |  | the museum |  |  | vn contiguous\_location-47.8-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme strip=Co-Theme |
| 2 | **feel** | past | strip |  |  |  |  | like a stiff hairbrush | vn conjecture-29.5-2 «NP V S»: agent=Agent like hairbrush=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Toothed whales, like dolphins, have no baleen.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:baleen:x5:1
# text = Toothed whales, like dolphins, have no baleen.
1	Toothed	toothed	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	whales	whale	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
4	like	like	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	dolphins	dolphin	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
7	have	have	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	9	det	_	_
9	baleen	baleen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | Toothed whales and dolphins | no baleen |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent baleen=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the past, baleen was used to make corsets.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:baleen:x6:1
# text = In the past, baleen was used to make corsets.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	past	past	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	baleen	baleen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj:pass	_	_
6	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux:pass	_	_
7	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	advcl	_	_
10	corsets	corset	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | past · passive |  | baleen |  | the past |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |
| 2 | **make** | to-infinitive |  | corsets |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset corset=Product |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A humpback has hundreds of baleen plates.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:baleen:x7:1
# text = A humpback has hundreds of baleen plates.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	humpback	humpback	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	hundreds	hundred	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	baleen	baleen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	plates	plate	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | a humpback | hundreds of baleen plates |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent hundred=Patient |

<!-- 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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