---
title: catfish — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «catfish» in the school dictionary: A catfish is a fish with long whiskers around its mouth, like a cat's. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# catfish

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** catfish, someone, person, whiskers, We, Catfishing · **What happens:** be, mean, pretend, use, trick, do · **To what, where:** fish, person, false name, name, this, muddy river bottom · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«catfish» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 6 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: [catfish in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/catfish.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A catfish is a fish with long whiskers around its mouth, like a cat's.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:catfish:m1:1
# text = A catfish is a fish with long whiskers around its mouth, like a cat's.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	catfish	catfish	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	fish	fish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	whiskers	whisker	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	_
9	around	around	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	11	nmod:poss	_	_
11	mouth	mouth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
13	like	like	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	cat	cat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	's	's	PART	POS	_	15	case	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a catfish | a fish and a cat |  |  |  | with long whiskers around catfish's mouth | 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}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To catfish someone means to pretend to be another person online, using a false name and photos, to trick them.

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:catfish:m2:1
# text = To catfish someone means to pretend to be another person online, using a false name and photos, to trick them.
1	To	to	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	catfish	catfish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
3	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	4	nsubj	_	_
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	pretend	pretend	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
8	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	cop	_	_
9	another	another	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	10	det	_	_
10	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	xcomp	_	_
11	online	online	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
13	using	use	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	4	conj	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
15	false	false	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	name	name	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obj	_	_
17	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
18	photos	photo	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
20	to	to	PART	TO	_	21	mark	_	_
21	trick	trick	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	13	advcl	_	_
22	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	21	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | someone |  |  |  |  | to catfish | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **pretend** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | someone *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **is a** | to-infinitive | someone *not said here* | another person |  |  |  | online *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **use** | gerund | someone *not said here* | a false name and photos |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent name=Patient |
| 5 | **trick** | to-infinitive | someone *not said here* | name |  |  |  |  | vn trick-59.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=Patient |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A catfish is a person who does this.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:catfish:m3:1
# text = A catfish is a person who does this.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	catfish	catfish	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	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	does	do	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	this	this	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a catfish | a person |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **do** | present | a person | this |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent this=Eventuality |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The catfish lives on the muddy river bottom.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:catfish:x1:1
# text = The catfish lives on the muddy river bottom.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	catfish	catfish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	lives	live	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
6	muddy	muddy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
7	river	river	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	bottom	bottom	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 | **live** | present | the catfish |  |  | the muddy river bottom |  |  | vn exist-47.1-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme on bottom=Location |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A catfish has whiskers called barbels.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:catfish:x2:1
# text = A catfish has whiskers called barbels.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	catfish	catfish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	whiskers	whisker	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	acl	_	_
6	barbels	barbel	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | a catfish | whiskers |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent whisker=Patient |
| 2 | **call** | participle | whiskers *not said here* | barbels |  |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We caught a big catfish in the lake.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:catfish:x3:1
# text = We caught a big catfish in the lake.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	caught	catch	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	catfish	catfish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	lake	lake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **catch** | past | We | a big catfish |  | the lake |  |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent catfish=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He was catfished by someone pretending to be a twelve-year-old (slang).

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:catfish:x4:1
# text = He was catfished by someone pretending to be a twelve-year-old (slang).
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	catfished	catfish	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	by	by	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	3	obl	_	_
6	pretending	pretend	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	acl	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	14	mark	_	_
8	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	14	cop	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
10	twelve	twelve	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	12	nummod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	year	year	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	ccomp	_	_
15	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	slang	slang	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **catfish** | past · passive | someone | He |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **pretend** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **is** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | old *property* | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Catfishing is when someone lies about who they are online.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:catfish:x5:1
# text = Catfishing is when someone lies about who they are online.
1	Catfishing	catfishing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	5	mark	_	_
4	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	5	nsubj	_	_
5	lies	lie	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	ccomp	_	_
6	about	about	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	5	obl	_	_
8	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
9	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
10	online	online	ADV	RB	_	7	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **be** | present | Catfishing |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **lie** | present | someone |  |  |  |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent about who=Location |
| 3 | **is** | present | they |  |  |  |  | online *property* | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Never meet an online friend without a parent.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:catfish:x6:1
# text = Never meet an online friend without a parent.
1	Never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	2	advmod	_	_
2	meet	meet	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	online	online	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	friend	friend	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	without	without	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	parent	parent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **meet** | imperative | you *not said here* | a online friend |  |  |  | without a parent | vn meet-36.3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent friend=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 -->

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