---
title: battle — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «battle» in the school dictionary: A battle is a fight between armies, ships or planes in a war. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# battle

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** battle, two armies, Grandma, firefighters, game, It · **What happens:** be, battle, try, meet, end, finish · **To what, where:** fight, hard struggle, bands, great battle, cold, flames

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A battle is a fight between armies, ships or planes in a war.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:battle:m1:1
# text = A battle is a fight between armies, ships or planes in a war.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	battle	battle	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	fight	fight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	between	between	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	armies	army	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
9	ships	ship	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	conj	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	planes	plane	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	conj	_	_
12	in	in	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	war	war	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a battle | a fight |  |  |  | between armies and ships or planes in a war | 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 -->
A battle is any hard struggle or contest, like a battle against illness or a battle of the bands.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:battle:m2:1
# text = A battle is any hard struggle or contest, like a battle against illness or a battle of the bands.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	battle	battle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	6	det	_	_
5	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	struggle	struggle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	contest	contest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
10	like	like	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	battle	battle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	_
13	against	against	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	illness	illness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nmod	_	_
15	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	battle	battle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	conj	_	_
18	of	of	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
19	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
20	bands	band	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	17	nmod	_	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 battle | any hard struggle or contest and a battle against illness or a battle of the bands |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **battle** |  |  | the bands |  |  |  |  | nom battle «act transitive»: of=patient |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To battle is to fight or try very hard against something difficult.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:battle:m3:1
# text = To battle is to fight or try very hard against something difficult.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	battle	battle	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	fight	fight	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	try	try	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
8	very	very	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	hard	hard	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	7	advmod	_	_
10	against	against	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	7	obl	_	_
12	difficult	difficult	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **battle** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn battle-36.4-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | fight *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **try** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | against something; hard *property* | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The two armies met in a great battle.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:battle:x1:1
# text = The two armies met in a great battle.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	3	nummod	_	_
3	armies	army	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	met	meet	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	great	great	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	battle	battle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **meet** | past | the two armies |  |  | a great battle |  |  | vn meet-36.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grandma is battling a cold.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:battle:x2:1
# text = Grandma is battling a cold.
1	Grandma	grandma	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	battling	battle	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	cold	cold	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **battle** | present · progressive | Grandma | a cold |  |  |  |  | vn battle-36.4-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent cold=Co-Agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The firefighters battled the flames all night.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:battle:x3:1
# text = The firefighters battled the flames all night.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	firefighters	firefighter	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	battled	battle	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	flames	flame	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	7	det	_	_
7	night	night	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **battle** | past | the firefighters | the flames |  |  | night |  | vn battle-36.4-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent flame=Co-Agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The game ended in a pillow battle.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:battle:x4:1
# text = The game ended in a pillow battle.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	game	game	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	ended	end	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	pillow	pillow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	battle	battle	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 | **end** | past | the game |  |  | a pillow battle |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It was an uphill battle to finish the project.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:battle:x5:1
# text = It was an uphill battle to finish the project.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	uphill	uphill	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	battle	battle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	finish	finish	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	acl	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	project	project	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | It | a uphill battle |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **finish** | to-infinitive |  | the project |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V NP.eventuality»: agent=Subeventuality project=Eventuality |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The teams battled it out in the final.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:battle:x6:1
# text = The teams battled it out in the final.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	teams	team	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	battled	battle	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	obj	_	_
5	out	out	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	final	final	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 | **battle out** | past | the teams | it |  | the final |  |  | vn battle-36.4-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Co-Agent |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The knight was hurt in the battle.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:battle:x7:1
# text = The knight was hurt in the battle.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	knight	knight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	hurt	hurt	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	battle	battle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hurt** | past · passive |  | the knight |  | the battle |  |  | vn hurt-40.8.3-2 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Getting my brother to bed is a nightly battle.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:battle:x8:1
# text = Getting my brother to bed is a nightly battle.
1	Getting	get	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	9	csubj	_	_
2	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
3	brother	brother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	to	to	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	bed	bed	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	nightly	nightly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	battle	battle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** | gerund |  | my brother |  |  |  | to bed | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer brother=Stimulus |
| 2 | **is a** | present | Getting | a nightly battle |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A cruel battle was being fought.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:battle:x9:1
# text = A cruel battle was being fought.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	cruel	cruel	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	battle	battle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux:pass	_	_
5	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	6	aux:pass	_	_
6	fought	fight	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fight** | past · passive |  | a cruel battle |  |  |  |  | vn battle-36.4-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Co-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 -->

<!-- pn -->
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