---
title: duck — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «duck» in the school dictionary: A duck is a bird with a flat beak and webbed feet that swims and says «quack». A duck has 2 legs. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# duck

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** duck, that, 9 ducks, 4 more ducks, ball, mother duck · **What happens:** be, web, swim, say, have, mean · **To what, where:** bird, quack, 2 legs, you, score, cricket · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«duck» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 9 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: [duck in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/duck.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A duck is a bird with a flat beak and webbed feet that swims and says «quack». A duck has 2 legs.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* A duck is a bird with a flat beak and webbed feet that swims and says «quack».

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:duck:m1:1
# text = A duck is a bird with a flat beak and webbed feet that swims and says «quack».
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	duck	duck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	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	bird	bird	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	flat	flat	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	beak	beak	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
11	webbed	web	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	12	amod	_	_
12	feet	foot	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	conj	_	_
13	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	14	nsubj	_	_
14	swims	swim	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	parataxis	_	_
15	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
16	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	conj	_	_
17	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	quack	quack	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a duck | a bird |  |  |  | with a flat beak and webbed feet | tree rules |
| 2 | **web** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **swim** | present | that |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | that *not said here* | quack |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent quack=Topic |

<!-- .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.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* A duck has 2 legs.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:duck:m1:2
# text = A duck has 2 legs.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	duck	duck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	2	2	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	legs	leg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | a duck | 2 legs |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent leg=Patient |

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To duck means to bend down quickly so you are not hit or seen.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:duck:m2:1
# text = To duck means to bend down quickly so you are not hit or seen.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	duck	duck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
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	bend	bend	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	down	down	ADP	RP	_	5	compound:prt	_	_
7	quickly	quickly	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
8	so	so	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
9	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
10	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	aux:pass	_	_
11	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	12	advmod	_	_
12	hit	hit	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	advcl	_	_
13	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	seen	see	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	12	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | duck |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **bend down** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | duck *not said here* |  |  |  |  | quickly *property* | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **not** **hit** | present · passive |  | you |  |  |  |  | vn contiguous\_location-47.8-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Co-Theme |
| 4 | **see** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In cricket, a duck is a score of zero.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:duck:m3:1
# text = In cricket, a duck is a score of zero.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	cricket	cricket	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	duck	duck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	score	score	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	zero	zero	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a duck | a score |  | cricket |  | of zero | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
There are 9 ducks on the pond.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:duck:x1:1
# text = There are 9 ducks on the pond.
1	There	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	2	expl	_	_
2	are	be	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	9	9	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	4	nummod	_	_
4	ducks	duck	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	pond	pond	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **does** | present | 9 ducks on the pond |  |  | there |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
4 more ducks came.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:duck:x2:1
# text = 4 more ducks came.
1	4	4	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	3	nummod	_	_
2	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	3	amod	_	_
3	ducks	duck	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	came	come	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come** | past | 4 more ducks |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Each duck has 2 legs.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:duck:x3:1
# text = Each duck has 2 legs.
1	Each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	2	det	_	_
2	duck	duck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	2	2	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	legs	leg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | each duck | 2 legs |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent leg=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
How many ducks are left if 3 fly away?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:duck:x4:1
# text = How many ducks are left if 3 fly away?
1	How	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	2	advmod	_	_
2	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	ducks	duck	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
4	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	left	leave	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
7	3	3	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	8	nummod	_	_
8	fly	fly	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl:unmarked	_	_
9	away	away	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **leave** | present · passive |  | many ducks |  |  |  | away *property* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The duck says quack.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:duck:x5:1
# text = The duck says quack.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	duck	duck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	quack	quack	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | the duck | quack |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent quack=Topic |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Duck! The ball is coming.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Duck!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:duck:x6:1
# text = Duck!
1	Duck	duck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* The ball is coming.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:duck:x6:2
# text = The ball is coming.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	ball	ball	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	coming	come	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come** | present · progressive | the ball |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The mother duck led her ducklings to the water.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:duck:x7:1
# text = The mother duck led her ducklings to the water.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	mother	mother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	duck	duck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	led	lead	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	ducklings	duckling	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lead** | past | the mother duck | duck's ducklings |  | the water |  |  | vn accompany-51.7 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent duckling=Theme to water=Destination |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The batsman was out for a duck.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:duck:x8:1
# text = The batsman was out for a duck.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	batsman	batsman	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
4	out	out	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	duck	duck	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** | past | the batsman |  |  |  |  | for a duck; out *property* | tree rules |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Out popped the duck and flew away.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:duck:x9:1
# text = Out popped the duck and flew away.
1	Out	out	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
2	popped	pop	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	duck	duck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	flew	fly	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
7	away	away	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pop** | past |  | the duck |  |  |  | out *property* | vn break-45.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent duck=Patient |
| 2 | **fly away** | past |  |  |  |  |  | away *property* | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «NP V»: agent=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 -->

<!-- pn -->
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