---
title: drought — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «drought» in the school dictionary: A long period of time with little or no rain, so the land becomes very dry and water is scarce. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# drought

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** long period, water, long time, drought, Many crops, Cacti · **What happens:** become, be, need, want, dry up, die · **To what, where:** farm dam, drought resistant plants, Australia, long drought, goal drought, seed corn

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A long period of time with little or no rain, so the land becomes very dry and water is scarce.

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:drought:m1:1
# text = A long period of time with little or no rain, so the land becomes very dry and water is scarce.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	period	period	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nsubj	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	nmod	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
9	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	10	det	_	_
10	rain	rain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
12	so	so	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	land	land	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nsubj	_	_
15	becomes	become	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
16	very	very	ADV	RB	_	17	advmod	_	_
17	dry	dry	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	advcl	_	_
18	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	21	cc	_	_
19	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	nsubj	_	_
20	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	21	cop	_	_
21	scarce	scarce	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	15	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **become** | present | a long period of time with little or no rain |  |  |  |  |  | vn become-109.1-1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **is** | present | water |  |  |  |  | scarce *property* | tree rules |

<!-- .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 -->
A long time without something that is needed or wanted: «a goal drought».

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:drought:m2:1
# text = A long time without something that is needed or wanted: «a goal drought».
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
4	without	without	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	3	nmod	_	_
6	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	8	nsubj:pass	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux:pass	_	_
8	needed	need	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	acl:relcl	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
10	wanted	want	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	10	punct	_	_
12	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
14	goal	goal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	compound	_	_
15	drought	drought	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **need** | present · passive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: subject=Theme |
| 2 | **want** | past | a long time without something |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot clause=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The drought dried up the farm dam.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:drought:x1:1
# text = The drought dried up the farm dam.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	drought	drought	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	dried	dry	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	up	up	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	farm	farm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	dam	dam	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **dry up** | participle | the drought *not said here* | the farm dam |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4-1 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Many crops died during the drought.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:drought:x2:1
# text = Many crops died during the drought.
1	Many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	crops	crop	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	died	die	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	during	during	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	drought	drought	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 | **die** | past | Many crops |  |  |  | during the drought |  | vn calibratable\_cos-45.6.1 «NP.attribute V»: agent=Attribute |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Cacti are drought-resistant plants.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:drought:x3:1
# text = Cacti are drought-resistant plants.
1	Cacti	cactus	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
3	drought	drought	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	resistant	resistant	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	plants	plant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	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 | Cacti | drought resistant plants |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
There's a hosepipe ban because of the drought.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:drought:x4:1
# text = There's a hosepipe ban because of the drought.
1	There	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	2	expl	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	hosepipe	hosepipe	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	ban	ban	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
6	because	because	ADP	IN	ExtPos=ADP	9	case	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	fixed	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	drought	drought	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **be** | present | a hosepipe ban |  |  | there |  | because the drought | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
(Australia) Farmers struggled through a long drought.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:drought:x5:1
# text = (Australia) Farmers struggled through a long drought.
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Australia	Australia	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	2	punct	_	_
4	Farmers	farmer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
5	struggled	struggle	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	through	through	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	drought	drought	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 | **struggle** | past | Farmers | Australia |  | a long drought |  |  | vn battle-36.4 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The striker ended his goal drought with a brilliant header.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:drought:x6:1
# text = The striker ended his goal drought with a brilliant header.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	striker	striker	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	ended	end	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
5	goal	goal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	drought	drought	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	with	with	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	brilliant	brilliant	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	header	header	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **end** | past | the striker | striker's goal drought |  |  |  | with a brilliant header | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V NP.eventuality PP.subeventuality»: agent=Affector drought=Eventuality with header=Subeventuality |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
When a drought was impending, he scattered the peasant's seed-corn over a swamp; when a wet season was at hand, he sowed the slopes of the hills.

<!-- fold The tree, 29 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:drought:x7:1
# text = When a drought was impending, he scattered the peasant's seed-corn over a swamp; when a wet season was at hand, he sowed the slopes of the hills.
1	When	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	5	advmod	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	drought	drought	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	impending	impend	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	8	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
7	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	scattered	scatter	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	peasant	peasant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	's	's	PART	POS	_	10	case	_	_
12	seed	seed	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	corn	corn	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
15	over	over	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	swamp	swamp	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	28	punct	_	_
19	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	25	advmod	_	_
20	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
21	wet	wet	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	22	amod	_	_
22	season	season	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	25	nsubj	_	_
23	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	25	cop	_	_
24	at	at	ADP	IN	_	25	case	_	_
25	hand	hand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	28	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	25	punct	_	_
27	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	28	nsubj	_	_
28	sowed	sow	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	conj	_	_
29	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	30	det	_	_
30	slopes	slope	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	28	obj	_	_
31	of	of	ADP	IN	_	33	case	_	_
32	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	33	det	_	_
33	hills	hill	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	30	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
34	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **impend** | past · progressive | a drought |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **scatter** | past | drought | the peasant's seed corn |  | a swamp |  |  | vn spray-9.7-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent corn=Theme over swamp=Destination |
| 3 | **is** | past | a wet season |  |  | hand |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **sow** | past | drought | the slopes of the hills |  |  |  |  | vn spray-9.7-1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent slope=Theme |

<!-- 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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