---
title: beetle — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «beetle» in the school dictionary: A beetle is an insect with a hard shiny back. Like all insects it has 6 legs. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# beetle

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** beetle, insect, hard back, wing cases, most beetles, more kinds · **What happens:** be, have, cover, fly, find, do · **To what, where:** insect, 6 legs, pair, thin wings, 54 legs, all

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A beetle is an insect with a hard shiny back. Like all insects it has 6 legs.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* A beetle is an insect with a hard shiny back.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:beetle:m1:1
# text = A beetle is an insect with a hard shiny back.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	beetle	beetle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	insect	insect	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
8	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
9	shiny	shiny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	back	back	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a beetle | a insect |  |  |  | with a hard shiny back | 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.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* Like all insects it has 6 legs.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:beetle:m1:2
# text = Like all insects it has 6 legs.
1	Like	like	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	3	det	_	_
3	insects	insect	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	_
4	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
5	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	6	6	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	7	nummod	_	_
7	legs	leg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | insect | 6 legs |  |  |  | like all insects | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent leg=Patient |

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The hard back is really a pair of wing cases that cover thin wings, so most beetles can fly.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:beetle:m2:1
# text = The hard back is really a pair of wing cases that cover thin wings, so most beetles can fly.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	back	back	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
5	really	really	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	pair	pair	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	wing	wing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	cases	case	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nmod	_	_
11	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	12	nsubj	_	_
12	cover	cover	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	acl:relcl	_	_
13	thin	thin	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	wings	wing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	20	punct	_	_
16	so	so	ADV	RB	_	20	advmod	_	_
17	most	most	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	18	amod	_	_
18	beetles	beetle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	20	nsubj	_	_
19	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	20	aux	_	_
20	fly	fly	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the hard back | a pair |  |  |  | of wing cases | tree rules |
| 2 | **cover** | present | wing cases | thin wings |  |  |  |  | vn fill-9.8-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme wing=Destination |
| 3 | **fly** | can | most beetles |  |  |  |  |  | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
There are more kinds of beetle than of any other animal.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:beetle:m3:1
# text = There are more kinds of beetle than of any other animal.
1	There	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	2	expl	_	_
2	are	be	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	4	amod	_	_
4	kinds	kind	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	beetle	beetle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
7	than	than	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	11	det	_	_
10	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	animal	animal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **does** | present | more kinds of beetle than any other animal |  |  | there |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A beetle has 6 legs.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:beetle:x1:1
# text = A beetle has 6 legs.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	beetle	beetle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	6	6	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	legs	leg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | a beetle | 6 legs |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent leg=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Spiders and beetles have 54 legs in all.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:beetle:x2:1
# text = Spiders and beetles have 54 legs in all.
1	Spiders	spider	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
2	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
3	beetles	beetle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	conj	_	_
4	have	have	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	54	54	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	6	nummod	_	_
6	legs	leg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | Spiders and beetles | 54 legs |  | all |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent leg=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Tom found 7 beetles in the garden.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:beetle:x3:1
# text = Tom found 7 beetles in the garden.
1	Tom	Tom	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	found	find	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	7	7	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	4	nummod	_	_
4	beetles	beetle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	garden	garden	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **find** | past | Tom | 7 beetles |  | the garden |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent beetle=Topic |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
How many legs do 4 beetles have?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:beetle:x4:1
# text = How many legs do 4 beetles have?
1	How	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	2	advmod	_	_
2	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	legs	leg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	do	do	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	4	4	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	6	nummod	_	_
6	beetles	beetle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
7	have	have	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | present | many legs |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **have** | present | 4 beetles |  |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A ladybird is a kind of beetle.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:beetle:x5:1
# text = A ladybird is a kind of beetle.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	ladybird	ladybird	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	kind	kind	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	beetle	beetle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We went on a bug hunt and found three beetles under a log.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:beetle:x6:1
# text = We went on a bug hunt and found three beetles under a log.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	on	on	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	bug	bug	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	hunt	hunt	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	found	find	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
9	three	three	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	10	nummod	_	_
10	beetles	beetle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obj	_	_
11	under	under	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	log	log	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go** | past | We |  |  | a bug hunt |  |  | vn occur-48.3-2 «NP V PP»: agent=Theme on hunt=Location |
| 2 | **find** | past | We *not said here* | three beetles |  | a log |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent beetle=Topic |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The dung beetle rolls a ball of dung.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:beetle:x7:1
# text = The dung beetle rolls a ball of dung.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	dung	dung	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	beetle	beetle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	rolls	roll	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	ball	ball	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	dung	dung	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **roll** | present | the dung beetle | a ball of dung |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent ball=Theme |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The beetle opened its shell and flew away.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:beetle:x8:1
# text = The beetle opened its shell and flew away.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	beetle	beetle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	opened	open	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	shell	shell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	flew	fly	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
8	away	away	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **open** | past | the beetle | beetle's shell |  |  |  |  | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location shell=Theme |
| 2 | **fly away** | past | the beetle *not said here* |  |  |  |  | away *property* | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Beetle smote upon the drum.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:beetle:x9:1
# text = The Beetle smote upon the drum.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	Beetle	Beetle	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	smote	smite	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	upon	upon	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	drum	drum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **smite** | past | the Beetle |  |  |  |  | upon the drum | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |

<!-- 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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