---
title: cleansing — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «cleansing» in the school dictionary: Making something very clean, especially skin or a wound: cleansing a cut. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# cleansing

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** you, Mum, nurse, Fresh air, euphemism Ethnic cleansing, words · **What happens:** make, cleanse, use, get, force out, kill · **To what, where:** something, cut, wipes, lotion, cleansing cry, people

<!-- .vabout -->
«cleansing» in the school dictionary: its 4 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: [cleansing in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/cleansing.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Making something very clean, especially skin or a wound: cleansing a cut.

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cleansing:m1:1
# text = Making something very clean, especially skin or a wound: cleansing a cut.
1	Making	make	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
2	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	1	obj	_	_
3	very	very	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	clean	clean	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
6	especially	especially	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	skin	skin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	appos	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	wound	wound	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	12	punct	_	_
12	cleansing	cleanse	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	1	conj	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	cut	cut	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | gerund |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset something=Product |
| 2 | **cleanse** | gerund |  | a cut |  |  |  |  | vn groom-41.1.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent cut=Patient |

<!-- .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: adjective — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Used for cleaning: cleansing wipes, cleansing lotion.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cleansing:m2:1
# text = Used for cleaning: cleansing wipes, cleansing lotion.
1	Used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
2	for	for	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	cleaning	cleaning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	5	punct	_	_
5	cleansing	cleanse	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	1	advcl	_	_
6	wipes	wipe	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
8	cleansing	cleanse	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	5	conj	_	_
9	lotion	lotion	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | for cleaning | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **cleanse** | gerund |  | wipes |  |  |  |  | vn groom-41.1.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent wipe=Patient |
| 3 | **cleanse** | gerund |  | lotion |  |  |  |  | vn groom-41.1.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent lotion=Patient |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Getting rid of something bad or unwanted, including feelings: a cleansing cry.

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cleansing:m3:1
# text = Getting rid of something bad or unwanted, including feelings: a cleansing cry.
1	Getting	get	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	0	root	_	_
2	rid	rid	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	xcomp	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obl	_	_
5	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	unwanted	unwanted	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
9	including	including	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	feelings	feeling	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	14	punct	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	cleansing	cleanse	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	14	amod	_	_
14	cry	cry	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** | gerund |  | a cleansing cry |  |  |  | rid *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **cleanse** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn groom-41.1.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ethnic cleansing: a horrible crime where people are forced out or killed because of their group.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cleansing:m4:1
# text = Ethnic cleansing: a horrible crime where people are forced out or killed because of their group.
1	Ethnic	ethnic	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	cleansing	cleansing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	6	punct	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	horrible	horrible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	crime	crime	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	appos	_	_
7	where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	10	advmod	_	_
8	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	nsubj:pass	_	_
9	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux:pass	_	_
10	forced	force	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	acl:relcl	_	_
11	out	out	ADP	RP	_	10	compound:prt	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	killed	kill	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	10	conj	_	_
14	because	because	ADP	IN	ExtPos=ADP	17	case	_	_
15	of	of	ADP	IN	_	14	fixed	_	_
16	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	17	nmod:poss	_	_
17	group	group	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **force out** | present · passive |  | people |  |  |  |  | vn fire-10.10 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |
| 2 | **kill** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | because people's group | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Start by cleansing the cut with clean water.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cleansing:x1:1
# text = Start by cleansing the cut with clean water.
1	Start	start	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	3	mark	_	_
3	cleansing	cleanse	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	1	advcl	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	cut	cut	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	clean	clean	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **start** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |
| 2 | **cleanse** | gerund | you *not said here* | the cut |  |  |  | with clean water | vn groom-41.1.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent cut=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mum uses a cleansing lotion on her face.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cleansing:x2:1
# text = Mum uses a cleansing lotion on her face.
1	Mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	uses	use	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	cleansing	cleanse	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	amod	_	_
5	lotion	lotion	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	face	face	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | present | Mum | a cleansing lotion |  | Mum's face |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent lotion=Patient |
| 2 | **cleanse** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn groom-41.1.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The nurse was cleansing the wound before putting on a plaster.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cleansing:x3:1
# text = The nurse was cleansing the wound before putting on a plaster.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	nurse	nurse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	cleansing	cleanse	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	wound	wound	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	before	before	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
8	putting	put	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	advcl	_	_
9	on	on	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	plaster	plaster	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cleanse** | past · progressive | the nurse | the wound |  |  |  |  | vn groom-41.1.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent wound=Patient |
| 2 | **put** | gerund | the nurse *not said here* |  |  | a plaster |  |  | vn put-9.1-2 «NP V PP.destination NP»: agent=Agent on plaster=Destination |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Fresh air felt cleansing after the stuffy classroom.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cleansing:x4:1
# text = Fresh air felt cleansing after the stuffy classroom.
1	Fresh	fresh	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	air	air	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	felt	feel	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	cleansing	cleanse	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	3	xcomp	_	_
5	after	after	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	stuffy	stuffy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	classroom	classroom	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **feel** | past | Fresh air |  |  |  |  |  | vn see-30.1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer clause=Stimulus |
| 2 | **cleanse** | gerund | Fresh air *not said here* |  |  |  | after the stuffy classroom |  | vn groom-41.1.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
(euphemism) Ethnic cleansing is a crime against humanity, though the words sound clean.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cleansing:x5:1
# text = (euphemism) Ethnic cleansing is a crime against humanity, though the words sound clean.
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	euphemism	euphemism	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	2	punct	_	_
4	Ethnic	ethnic	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	cleansing	cleansing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	crime	crime	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
9	against	against	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	humanity	humanity	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
12	though	though	SCONJ	IN	_	15	mark	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	15	nsubj	_	_
15	sound	sound	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	conj	_	_
16	clean	clean	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | euphemism Ethnic cleansing | a crime |  |  |  | against humanity | tree rules |
| 2 | **sound** | present | the words |  |  |  |  | clean *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Cleansing wipes are handy on a camping trip.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cleansing:x6:1
# text = Cleansing wipes are handy on a camping trip.
1	Cleansing	cleanse	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	amod	_	_
2	wipes	wipe	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	handy	handy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	camping	camping	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	trip	trip	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 | **cleanse** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn groom-41.1.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | present | Cleansing wipes |  |  | a camping trip |  | handy *property* | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
But cleansing his feathers as often as he would, he could not change their color, while through want of food he perished.

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cleansing:x7:1
# text = But cleansing his feathers as often as he would, he could not change their color, while through want of food he perished.
1	But	but	CCONJ	CC	_	2	cc	_	_
2	cleansing	cleanse	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	14	advcl	_	_
3	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	feathers	feather	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	as	as	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	often	often	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
7	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
8	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
11	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
12	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	14	aux	_	_
13	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	14	advmod	_	_
14	change	change	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
15	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	16	nmod:poss	_	_
16	color	color	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	24	punct	_	_
18	while	while	SCONJ	IN	_	24	mark	_	_
19	through	through	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
20	want	want	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	24	obl	_	_
21	of	of	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
22	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	nmod	_	_
23	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	24	nsubj	_	_
24	perished	perish	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	14	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	14	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cleanse** | gerund | he *not said here* | his feathers |  |  |  | often *property* | vn groom-41.1.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent feather=Patient |
| 2 | **not** **change** | could | he | feathers's color |  |  |  |  | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent color=Patient |
| 3 | **perish** | past | he |  |  | want of food |  |  | vn break\_down-45.8 «NP V»: agent=Patient |
| 4 | **want** |  |  | food |  |  |  |  | nom want «state transitive»: of=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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