---
title: crumbly — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «crumbly» in the school dictionary: Something crumbly breaks easily into small pieces called crumbs. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/crumbly/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/) / [school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/) / [C](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/) / crumbly

# crumbly

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Something crumbly, small pieces, Crumbly, old walls, shortbread, Wensleydale · **What happens:** break, call, describe, fall apart, be, say · **To what, where:** small pieces, crumbs, soil, crumbly white cheese, soft crumbly rock, sofa · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Something crumbly breaks easily into small pieces called crumbs.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:crumbly:m1:1
# text = Something crumbly breaks easily into small pieces called crumbs.
1	Something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	compound	_	_
2	crumbly	crumbly	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	breaks	break	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	easily	easily	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
5	into	into	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	pieces	piece	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
8	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	acl	_	_
9	crumbs	crumb	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **break** | present | Something crumbly |  |  |  |  | into small pieces *result*; easily *property* | vn break-45.1 «NP V PP.result»: agent=Patient into piece=Result |
| 2 | **call** | participle | small pieces *not said here* | crumbs |  |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .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 -->
Crumbly can also describe soil, rock or old walls that fall apart easily.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:crumbly:m2:1
# text = Crumbly can also describe soil, rock or old walls that fall apart easily.
1	Crumbly	crumbly	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	also	also	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	describe	describe	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	soil	soil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
7	rock	rock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
9	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	walls	wall	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	conj	_	_
11	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	12	nsubj	_	_
12	fall	fall	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	acl:relcl	_	_
13	apart	apart	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
14	easily	easily	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **describe** | can | Crumbly | soil and rock or old walls |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent soil=Theme |
| 2 | **fall apart** | present | old walls |  |  |  |  | apart, easily *property* | vn break\_down-45.8 «NP V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The shortbread was soft and crumbly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:crumbly:x1:1
# text = The shortbread was soft and crumbly.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	shortbread	shortbread	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	soft	soft	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	crumbly	crumbly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the shortbread |  |  |  |  | soft *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **be** |  | the shortbread *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Wensleydale is a crumbly white cheese.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:crumbly:x2:1
# text = Wensleydale is a crumbly white cheese.
1	Wensleydale	Wensleydale	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
4	crumbly	crumbly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
5	white	white	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	cheese	cheese	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Wensleydale | a crumbly white cheese |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The gardener said the soil should be dark and crumbly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:crumbly:x3:1
# text = The gardener said the soil should be dark and crumbly.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	gardener	gardener	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	soil	soil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
6	should	should	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
7	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	cop	_	_
8	dark	dark	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	ccomp	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	crumbly	crumbly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | the gardener |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | should | the soil |  |  |  |  | dark *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **be** |  | the soil *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The crumbly old wall was not safe to climb.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:crumbly:x4:1
# text = The crumbly old wall was not safe to climb.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
2	crumbly	crumbly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
3	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	wall	wall	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
5	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	7	advmod	_	_
7	safe	safe	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	climb	climb	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **is** | past | the crumbly old wall |  |  |  |  | safe *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **climb** | to-infinitive | the crumbly old wall *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Chalk is a soft, crumbly rock.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:crumbly:x5:1
# text = Chalk is a soft, crumbly rock.
1	Chalk	chalk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
4	soft	soft	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	crumbly	crumbly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	rock	rock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Chalk | a soft crumbly rock |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My cake was too crumbly to cut into neat slices.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:crumbly:x6:1
# text = My cake was too crumbly to cut into neat slices.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	cake	cake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	too	too	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	crumbly	crumbly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	cut	cut	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	advcl	_	_
8	into	into	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	neat	neat	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	slices	slice	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | My cake |  |  |  |  | crumbly *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **cut** | to-infinitive | My cake *not said here* |  |  |  |  | into neat slices | vn cut-21.1-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent into slice=Patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Crumbly bits of biscuit fell all over the sofa.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:crumbly:x7:1
# text = Crumbly bits of biscuit fell all over the sofa.
1	Crumbly	crumbly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	bits	bit	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	biscuit	biscuit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
5	fell	fall	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	all	all	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
7	over	over	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	sofa	sofa	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fall** | past | Crumbly bits of biscuit |  |  | the sofa |  |  | vn occur-48.3 «NP V PP»: agent=Theme over sofa=Location |

<!-- 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 -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [crumble](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/crumble/)
- next →: [crumple](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/crumple/)
- ↑ back to [C in school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/)