---
title: clepsydra — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «clepsydra» in the school dictionary: A water clock: an ancient device that measures time by how much water drips into or out of a container. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# clepsydra

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** ancient device, water clock, clepsydra, Ancient Egyptians, sundials, We · **What happens:** measure, drip, use, not work, build, time · **To what, where:** container, clepsydra, plastic cup, speaker, Athens, many hours · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«clepsydra» in the school dictionary: its meaning for a pupil and its 5 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: [clepsydra in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/clepsydra.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A water clock: an ancient device that measures time by how much water drips into or out of a container.

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:clepsydra:m1:1
# text = A water clock: an ancient device that measures time by how much water drips into or out of a container.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	clock	clock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	7	punct	_	_
5	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	ancient	ancient	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	device	device	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nsubj	_	_
8	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	9	nsubj	_	_
9	measures	measure	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	acl:relcl	_	_
10	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
11	by	by	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
12	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	13	advmod	_	_
13	much	much	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
15	drips	drip	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
16	into	into	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
17	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	21	cc	_	_
18	out	out	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
19	of	of	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
20	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
21	container	container	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	15	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **measure** | present | a ancient device |  |  |  | time | by much water | vn register-54.1-2-1 «NP V NP.value»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **drip** | present | a water clock |  |  | a container |  |  | vn substance\_emission-43.4-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme into container=Location |

<!-- .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.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A clepsydra measures time with dripping water.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:clepsydra:x1:1
# text = A clepsydra measures time with dripping water.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	clepsydra	clepsydra	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	measures	measure	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl:unmarked	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	dripping	drip	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	7	amod	_	_
7	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **measure** | present | a clepsydra |  |  |  | time |  | vn register-54.1-2-1 «NP V NP.value»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **drip** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn substance\_emission-43.4-1 «NP V»: agent=Source |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ancient Egyptians used a clepsydra at night when sundials didn't work.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:clepsydra:x2:1
# text = Ancient Egyptians used a clepsydra at night when sundials didn't work.
1	Ancient	ancient	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	Egyptians	Egyptian	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	used	use	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	clepsydra	clepsydra	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	at	at	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	night	night	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
8	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	12	mark	_	_
9	sundials	sundial	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	nsubj	_	_
10	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	12	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	12	advmod	_	_
12	work	work	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | past | Ancient Egyptians | a clepsydra |  |  | night |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent clepsydra=Patient |
| 2 | **not** **work** | past · do-support | sundials |  |  |  |  |  | vn employment-95.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We built a clepsydra from a plastic cup with a hole.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:clepsydra:x3:1
# text = We built a clepsydra from a plastic cup with a hole.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	built	build	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	clepsydra	clepsydra	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	from	from	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	plastic	plastic	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	cup	cup	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
9	with	with	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	hole	hole	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **build** | past | We | a clepsydra |  | a plastic cup with a hole |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP.product PP.material»: agent=Agent clepsydra=Product from cup=Material |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In Athens, a clepsydra timed each speaker in court.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:clepsydra:x4:1
# text = In Athens, a clepsydra timed each speaker in court.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	Athens	Athens	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	clepsydra	clepsydra	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	timed	time	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
7	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	8	det	_	_
8	speaker	speaker	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	court	court	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **time** | participle | a clepsydra | each speaker |  | Athens |  | in court | vn register-54.1-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent speaker=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Marks on the clepsydra showed how many hours had passed.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:clepsydra:x5:1
# text = Marks on the clepsydra showed how many hours had passed.
1	Marks	mark	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
2	on	on	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	clepsydra	clepsydra	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nmod	_	_
5	showed	show	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	7	advmod	_	_
7	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	hours	hour	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	nsubj:pass	_	_
9	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
10	passed	pass	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **show** | past | Marks on the clepsydra |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **pass** | past · perfect · passive |  | many hours |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1-3 «NP V NP»: subject=Trajectory |

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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.

<!-- /div -->

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