---
title: defile — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «defile» in the school dictionary: A defile is a narrow path or valley between high rocks or hills, where only a few can pass at a time. 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/D/defile/)

<!-- 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/) / [D](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/) / defile

# defile

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** defile, few, army, road, you · **What happens:** be, pass, defile, dirty, spoil, not use · **To what, where:** narrow path, something, it, defile, narrow defile

<!-- .vabout -->
«defile» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 3 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: [defile in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/defile.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A defile is a narrow path or valley between high rocks or hills, where only a few can pass at a time.

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:defile:m1:1
# text = A defile is a narrow path or valley between high rocks or hills, where only a few can pass at a time.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	defile	defile	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	narrow	narrow	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	path	path	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	valley	valley	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	_
9	between	between	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	high	high	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	rocks	rock	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	hills	hill	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	20	punct	_	_
15	where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	20	advmod	_	_
16	only	only	ADV	RB	_	18	advmod	_	_
17	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	few	few	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	20	nsubj	_	_
19	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	20	aux	_	_
20	pass	pass	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	parataxis	_	_
21	at	at	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
22	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	23	det	_	_
23	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a defile | a narrow path or valley |  |  |  | between high rocks or hills | tree rules |
| 2 | **pass** | can | a few |  |  |  | time |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «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}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: verb, old use — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To defile something is to make it dirty or spoil it so it cannot be used.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:defile:m2:1
# text = To defile something is to make it dirty or spoil it so it cannot be used.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	defile	defile	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	csubj	_	_
3	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	dirty	dirty	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	xcomp	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	spoil	spoil	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	conj	_	_
11	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	obj	_	_
12	so	so	SCONJ	IN	_	17	mark	_	_
13	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	17	nsubj:pass	_	_
14	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	17	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	17	advmod	_	_
16	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	17	aux:pass	_	_
17	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	10	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **defile** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | make *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **dirty** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 4 | **spoil** | infinitive |  | it |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 5 | **not** **use** | can · passive |  | it |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The army marched through the defile in single file.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:defile:x1:1
# text = The army marched through the defile in single file.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	army	army	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	marched	march	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	through	through	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	defile	defile	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	single	single	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	file	file	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **march** | past | the army |  |  | the defile |  | in single file | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme through defile=Trajectory |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The road ran through a narrow defile between two cliffs.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:defile:x2:1
# text = The road ran through a narrow defile between two cliffs.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	road	road	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	ran	run	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	through	through	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	narrow	narrow	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	defile	defile	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
8	between	between	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	10	nummod	_	_
10	cliffs	cliff	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **run** | past | the road |  |  | a narrow defile |  | between two cliffs | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme through defile=Trajectory |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Do not defile the spring with rubbish.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:defile:x3:1
# text = Do not defile the spring with rubbish.
1	Do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
2	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	defile	defile	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	spring	spring	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	rubbish	rubbish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **defile** | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* |  |  |  | spring | with rubbish | tree rules |

<!-- 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: [deficit](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/deficit/)
- next →: [define](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/define/)
- ↑ back to [D in school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/)