---
title: creep — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «creep» in the school dictionary: To creep means to move slowly and quietly so no one notices you. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# creep

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** one, plant, Something, it, creep, others · **What happens:** creep, mean, move, notice, grow up, creep in · **To what, where:** you, ground, wall, mistake, unpleasant person, others · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To creep means to move slowly and quietly so no one notices you.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:creep:m1:1
# text = To creep means to move slowly and quietly so no one notices you.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	creep	creep	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	csubj	_	_
3	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	move	move	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	slowly	slowly	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	quietly	quietly	ADV	RB	_	6	conj	_	_
9	so	so	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
10	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	11	det	_	_
11	one	one	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
12	notices	notice	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	advcl	_	_
13	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	12	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **creep** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **move** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | slowly *property* | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP.theme V»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **notice** | present | no one | you |  |  |  |  | vn see-30.1-1 «NP V S»: agent=Experiencer you=Stimulus |

<!-- .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 -->
To creep means to move slowly along the ground, like an insect or a plant growing up a wall.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:creep:m2:1
# text = To creep means to move slowly along the ground, like an insect or a plant growing up a wall.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	creep	creep	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	csubj	_	_
3	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	move	move	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	slowly	slowly	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
7	along	along	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	ground	ground	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
11	like	like	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	insect	insect	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
14	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	plant	plant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	conj	_	_
17	growing	grow	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	16	acl	_	_
18	up	up	ADP	RP	_	17	compound:prt	_	_
19	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
20	wall	wall	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **creep** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **move** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  |  |  | the ground |  | like a insect or a plant; slowly *property* | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V PP.trajectory»: agent=Theme along ground=Trajectory |
| 4 | **grow up** | gerund | a plant *not said here* | a wall |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location wall=Theme |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Something creeps in when it slowly appears, like a mistake.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:creep:m3:1
# text = Something creeps in when it slowly appears, like a mistake.
1	Something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	nsubj	_	_
2	creeps	creep	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	RP	_	2	compound:prt	_	_
4	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	7	advmod	_	_
5	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
6	slowly	slowly	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	appears	appear	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
9	like	like	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	mistake	mistake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **creep in** | present | Something |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **appear** | present | it | a mistake |  |  |  | slowly *property* | vn appear-48.1.1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location mistake=Theme |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A creep is an unpleasant person, especially one who makes others feel uneasy.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:creep:m4:1
# text = A creep is an unpleasant person, especially one who makes others feel uneasy.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	creep	creep	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	unpleasant	unpleasant	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
8	especially	especially	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	6	appos	_	_
10	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	11	nsubj	_	_
11	makes	make	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	acl:relcl	_	_
12	others	other	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	obj	_	_
13	feel	feel	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	xcomp	_	_
14	uneasy	uneasy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a creep | a unpleasant person |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **make** | present |  | others |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **feel** | infinitive | others *not said here* |  |  |  |  | uneasy *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |

## Meaning 5 {#m5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The creeps is a feeling of fear or disgust.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:creep:m5:1
# text = The creeps is a feeling of fear or disgust.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	creeps	creep	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	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	feeling	feeling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	fear	fear	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	disgust	disgust	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the creeps | a feeling |  |  |  | of fear or disgust | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The cat crept towards the bird.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:creep:x1:1
# text = The cat crept towards the bird.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	cat	cat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	crept	creep	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	towards	towards	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	bird	bird	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **creep** | past | the cat |  |  |  |  | towards the bird | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme towards bird=Destination |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We crept downstairs so we wouldn't wake the baby.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:creep:x2:1
# text = We crept downstairs so we wouldn't wake the baby.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	crept	creep	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	downstairs	downstairs	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
4	so	so	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
5	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
6	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	8	advmod	_	_
8	wake	wake	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	baby	baby	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 | **creep** | past | We |  |  |  |  | downstairs *property* | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **not** **wake** | would | we | the baby |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent baby=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ivy crept up the old wall.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:creep:x3:1
# text = Ivy crept up the old wall.
1	Ivy	Ivy	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	crept	creep	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	up	up	ADP	RP	_	2	compound:prt	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	wall	wall	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 | **creep up** | past | Ivy | the old wall |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A spider crept across the floor.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:creep:x4:1
# text = A spider crept across the floor.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	spider	spider	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	crept	creep	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	across	across	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	floor	floor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **creep** | participle |  | a spider *not said here* |  | the floor |  |  | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme across floor=Trajectory |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mistakes can creep into your work if you rush.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:creep:x5:1
# text = Mistakes can creep into your work if you rush.
1	Mistakes	mistake	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	creep	creep	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	into	into	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	work	work	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
8	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	rush	rush	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **creep** | can | Mistakes |  |  | your work |  |  | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme into work=Destination |
| 2 | **rush** *a condition, not said to happen* | present | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **work** |  | your |  |  |  |  |  | nom work «act intransitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
That dark house gives me the creeps.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:creep:x6:1
# text = That dark house gives me the creeps.
1	That	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	3	det	_	_
2	dark	dark	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	house	house	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	gives	give	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	iobj	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	creeps	creep	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | present | that dark house | the creeps | me |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent i=Recipient creep=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He crept up behind me and said boo!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:creep:x7:1
# text = He crept up behind me and said boo!
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	crept	creep	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	up	up	ADP	RP	_	2	compound:prt	_	_
4	behind	behind	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	obl	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
8	boo	boo	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **creep up** | past | He |  |  |  |  | behind me | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme behind i=Trajectory |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | He *not said here* | boo |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent boo=Topic |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Long shadows came creeping over the ground.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:creep:x8:1
# text = Long shadows came creeping over the ground.
1	Long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	shadows	shadow	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	came	come	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	creeping	creep	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	3	xcomp	_	_
5	over	over	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	ground	ground	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come** | past | Long shadows |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **creep** | gerund | Long shadows *not said here* |  |  | the ground |  |  | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme over ground=Trajectory |

<!-- 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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