---
title: cockchafer — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «cockchafer» in the school dictionary: A large brown European beetle, also called a May bug or doodlebug, that flies clumsily on spring evenings and buzzes loudly. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# cockchafer

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** large brown European beetle, that, fat white grub, cockchafer, grubs, years · **What happens:** call, fly, live, eat, bump, have · **To what, where:** May bug, soil, plant roots, cockchafer, window, shaped feelers · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«cockchafer» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 8 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: [cockchafer in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/cockchafer.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A large brown European beetle, also called a May bug or doodlebug, that flies clumsily on spring evenings and buzzes loudly.

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cockchafer:m1:1
# text = A large brown European beetle, also called a May bug or doodlebug, that flies clumsily on spring evenings and buzzes loudly.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
2	large	large	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
3	brown	brown	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
4	European	European	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	beetle	beetle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
7	also	also	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	acl	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	May	May	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	11	compound	_	_
11	bug	bug	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	xcomp	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	doodlebug	doodlebug	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
15	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	16	nsubj	_	_
16	flies	fly	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
17	clumsily	clumsily	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	_
18	on	on	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
19	spring	spring	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	compound	_	_
20	evenings	evening	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	obl	_	_
21	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	22	cc	_	_
22	buzzes	buzz	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	20	conj	_	_
23	loudly	loudly	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** | participle | a large brown European beetle *not said here* | a May bug or doodlebug |  |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **fly** | present | that |  |  |  | evening | clumsily, loudly *property* | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- .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 -->
Its young, a fat white grub that lives in the soil and eats plant roots.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cockchafer:m2:1
# text = Its young, a fat white grub that lives in the soil and eats plant roots.
1	Its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	young	young	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
5	fat	fat	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
6	white	white	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	grub	grub	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	appos	_	_
8	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	9	nsubj	_	_
9	lives	live	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	acl:relcl	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	soil	soil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
13	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	eats	eat	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	conj	_	_
15	plant	plant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	compound	_	_
16	roots	root	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **live** | present | a fat white grub |  |  | the soil |  |  | vn lodge-46 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in soil=Location |
| 2 | **eat** | present | a fat white grub *not said here* | plant roots |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent root=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A cockchafer bumped against our window in the evening.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cockchafer:x1:1
# text = A cockchafer bumped against our window in the evening.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	cockchafer	cockchafer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	bumped	bump	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	against	against	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	window	window	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	evening	evening	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **bump** | participle |  | a cockchafer *not said here* |  | our window | evening |  | vn bump-18.4-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme against window=Location |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The cockchafer has fan-shaped feelers.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cockchafer:x2:1
# text = The cockchafer has fan-shaped feelers.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	cockchafer	cockchafer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	fan	fan	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	shaped	shape	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	amod	_	_
7	feelers	feeler	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | the cockchafer | shaped feelers |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent feeler=Patient |
| 2 | **shape** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Its grubs live underground for years eating roots.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cockchafer:x3:1
# text = Its grubs live underground for years eating roots.
1	Its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	grubs	grub	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	live	live	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	underground	underground	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	years	year	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
7	eating	eat	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	acl	_	_
8	roots	root	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **live** | present | Its grubs |  |  |  | year | underground *property* | vn exist-47.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **eat** | gerund | years *not said here* | roots |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent root=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
People also call the cockchafer a May bug.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cockchafer:x4:1
# text = People also call the cockchafer a May bug.
1	People	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	also	also	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	call	call	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	cockchafer	cockchafer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	May	May	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	bug	bug	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** | present | People | the cockchafer |  |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent cockchafer=Recipient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The cockchafer buzzed loudly and flew in a wobbly line.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cockchafer:x5:1
# text = The cockchafer buzzed loudly and flew in a wobbly line.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	cockchafer	cockchafer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	buzzed	buzz	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	loudly	loudly	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	flew	fly	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	wobbly	wobbly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	line	line	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **buzz** | past | the cockchafer |  |  |  |  | loudly *property* | vn animal\_sounds-38 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **fly** | past | the cockchafer *not said here* |  |  | a wobbly line |  |  | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in line=Location |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Farmers once thought cockchafers were a pest because the grubs ate crops.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cockchafer:x6:1
# text = Farmers once thought cockchafers were a pest because the grubs ate crops.
1	Farmers	farmer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	once	once	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Mult	3	advmod	_	_
3	thought	think	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	cockchafers	cockchafer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
5	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	pest	pest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	ccomp	_	_
8	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	grubs	grub	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	nsubj	_	_
11	ate	eat	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	ccomp	_	_
12	crops	crop	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **think** *speech: other* | past | Farmers |  |  |  |  | once *property* | vn consider-29.9-2 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 2 | **is a** | past | cockchafers | a pest |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **eat** | past | the grubs | crops |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent crop=Patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We drew the life cycle of the cockchafer in science.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cockchafer:x7:1
# text = We drew the life cycle of the cockchafer in science.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	drew	draw	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	life	life	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	cycle	cycle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	cockchafer	cockchafer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	science	science	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **draw** | past | We | the life cycle of the cockchafer in science |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent cycle=Theme |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
When older, she would take cockchafers and beetles, and stick pins through them.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cockchafer:x8:1
# text = When older, she would take cockchafers and beetles, and stick pins through them.
1	When	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	2	advmod	_	_
2	older	old	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
4	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
5	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	take	take	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	parataxis	_	_
7	cockchafers	cockchafer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	beetles	beetle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	stick	stick	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	conj	_	_
13	pins	pin	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	obj	_	_
14	through	through	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **take** | would | she | cockchafers and beetles |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent cockchafer=Theme |
| 2 | **stick** | infinitive | she *not said here* | pins |  |  |  | through pins *= pin* | vn spray-9.7-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent pin=Theme through they=Destination |

<!-- 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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