---
title: chuckle — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «chuckle» in the school dictionary: To laugh quietly, often with your mouth closed, because something is amusing. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# chuckle

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** something, Grandpa, She, he, We, Hah · **What happens:** laugh, close, be, chuckle, joke, give · **To what, where:** mouth, own joke, little chuckle, comic, audience, funny line · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To laugh quietly, often with your mouth closed, because something is amusing.

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:chuckle:m1:1
# text = To laugh quietly, often with your mouth closed, because something is amusing.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	laugh	laugh	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	quietly	quietly	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
5	often	often	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	mouth	mouth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
9	closed	close	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
11	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	14	mark	_	_
12	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	14	nsubj	_	_
13	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	cop	_	_
14	amusing	amusing	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **laugh** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | with your mouth; quietly *property* | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **close** | participle |  | your mouth *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 3 | **is** | present | something |  |  |  |  | amusing *property* | 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 soft, quiet laugh.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:chuckle:m2:1
# text = A soft, quiet laugh.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
2	soft	soft	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	quiet	quiet	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	laugh	laugh	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grandpa chuckled at his own joke.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:chuckle:x1:1
# text = Grandpa chuckled at his own joke.
1	Grandpa	Grandpa	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	chuckled	chuckle	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	at	at	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
5	own	own	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	joke	joke	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **chuckle** | past | Grandpa |  |  | Grandpa's own joke |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **joke** |  | Grandpa |  |  |  |  |  | nom joke «communication intransitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She gave a little chuckle as she read the comic.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:chuckle:x2:1
# text = She gave a little chuckle as she read the comic.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	gave	give	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	chuckle	chuckle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
7	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	read	read	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	comic	comic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | past | She | a little chuckle |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent chuckle=Theme |
| 2 | **read** | past | she | the comic |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent comic=Topic |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The audience chuckled at the funny line.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:chuckle:x3:1
# text = The audience chuckled at the funny line.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	audience	audience	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	chuckled	chuckle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	at	at	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	funny	funny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	line	line	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 | **chuckle** | participle |  | the audience *not said here* |  | the funny line |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Very clever,» he chuckled.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:chuckle:x4:1
# text = «Very clever,» he chuckled.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Very	very	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	clever	clever	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
6	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	chuckled	chuckle	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **chuckle** | past | he |  |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We had a good chuckle about the muddy football match.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:chuckle:x5:1
# text = We had a good chuckle about the muddy football match.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	had	have	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	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	chuckle	chuckle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	about	about	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
8	muddy	muddy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
9	football	football	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	match	match	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | We | a good chuckle |  |  |  | about the muddy football match | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent chuckle=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The sly fox chuckled to himself.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:chuckle:x6:1
# text = The sly fox chuckled to himself.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	sly	sly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	fox	fox	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	chuckled	chuckle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	acl	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	himself	himself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **chuckle** | participle |  | the sly fox *not said here* | fox |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V PP.recipient»: agent=Agent to himself=Recipient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
“Hah!” said Kaa with a chuckle, “he has friends everywhere, this manling.

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:chuckle:x7:1
# text = “Hah!” said Kaa with a chuckle, “he has friends everywhere, this manling.
1	“	"	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Hah	Hah	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	”	"	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
5	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	Kaa	Kaa	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
7	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	chuckle	chuckle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
11	“	"	PUNCT	``	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
13	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	parataxis	_	_
14	friends	friend	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	obj	_	_
15	everywhere	everywhere	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	13	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
17	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	18	det	_	_
18	manling	manling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | Hah |  |  |  |  | with a chuckle | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **have** *in a quote* | present | Kaa | friends |  |  |  | everywhere *property* | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent friend=Patient |

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**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.

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