---
title: dwindle — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «dwindle» in the school dictionary: To become smaller, fewer or weaker little by little until there is very little left. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# dwindle

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** little left, dwindling, crowd, hours, Their, Our · **What happens:** become, be, dwindle, get, pass, hope · **To what, where:** adjective, biscuits, number, crowd, hope, savings

<!-- .vabout -->
«dwindle» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 6 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: [dwindle in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/dwindle.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To become smaller, fewer or weaker little by little until there is very little left.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dwindle:m1:1
# text = To become smaller, fewer or weaker little by little until there is very little left.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	become	become	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	smaller	small	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	2	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
5	fewer	few	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	3	conj	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	weaker	weak	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	5	conj	_	_
8	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	advmod	_	_
9	by	by	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	obl	_	_
11	until	until	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
12	there	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	13	expl	_	_
13	is	be	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	_
14	very	very	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
15	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	left	left	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **become** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | small *property* | vn become-109.1-1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **be** | present | little left |  |  | there |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «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}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
dwindling (adjective): getting smaller.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dwindle:m2:1
# text = dwindling (adjective): getting smaller.
1	dwindling	dwindle	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	csubj	_	_
2	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	adjective	adjective	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	6	punct	_	_
6	getting	get	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
7	smaller	small	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	6	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **dwindle** | gerund |  | adjective |  |  |  |  | vn calibratable\_cos-45.6.1-1 «NP.patient V NP.extent PP.source PP.goal»: agent=Patient adjective=Extent |
| 2 | **get** | gerund | dwindling |  |  |  |  | small *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Our supply of biscuits dwindled during the camping trip.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dwindle:x1:1
# text = Our supply of biscuits dwindled during the camping trip.
1	Our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	supply	supply	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	biscuits	biscuit	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nmod	_	_
5	dwindled	dwindle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	acl	_	_
6	during	during	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	camping	camping	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	trip	trip	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **dwindle** | participle |  | biscuits *not said here* |  |  | during the camping trip |  | vn calibratable\_cos-45.6.1-1 «NP.attribute V»: agent=Attribute |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The number of tigers in the wild has dwindled.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dwindle:x2:1
# text = The number of tigers in the wild has dwindled.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	number	number	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	tigers	tiger	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nmod	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	wild	wild	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
8	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
9	dwindled	dwindle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **dwindle** | present · perfect · passive |  | the number of tigers in the wild |  |  |  |  | vn calibratable\_cos-45.6.1-1 «NP.patient V NP.extent PP.source PP.goal»: subject=Extent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The crowd dwindled as it got dark.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dwindle:x3:1
# text = The crowd dwindled as it got dark.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	crowd	crowd	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	dwindled	dwindle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
5	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	got	get	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
7	dark	dark	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **dwindle** | participle |  | the crowd *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn calibratable\_cos-45.6.1-1 «NP.attribute V»: agent=Attribute |
| 2 | **get** | past | crowd |  |  |  |  | dark *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Their hope dwindled as the hours passed.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dwindle:x4:1
# text = Their hope dwindled as the hours passed.
1	Their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	hope	hope	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	dwindled	dwindle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	hours	hour	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
7	passed	pass	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **dwindle** | participle |  | Their hope *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn calibratable\_cos-45.6.1-1 «NP.attribute V»: agent=Attribute |
| 2 | **pass** | past | the hours |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **hope** |  | Their *= they* |  |  |  |  |  | nom hope «feeling intransitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Our savings dwindled after the holiday.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dwindle:x5:1
# text = Our savings dwindled after the holiday.
1	Our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	savings	savings	NOUN	NNS	Number=Ptan	0	root	_	_
3	dwindled	dwindle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	after	after	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	holiday	holiday	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 | **dwindle** | participle |  | Our savings *not said here* |  |  | after the holiday |  | vn calibratable\_cos-45.6.1-1 «NP.attribute V»: agent=Attribute |
| 2 | **save** |  | Our |  |  |  |  |  | nom savings «possession transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The river dwindled to a tiny stream in summer.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:dwindle:x6:1
# text = The river dwindled to a tiny stream in summer.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	river	river	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	dwindled	dwindle	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	tiny	tiny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	stream	stream	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	summer	summer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **dwindle** | past | the river |  |  |  |  | to a tiny stream in summer | vn calibratable\_cos-45.6.1-1 «NP.attribute V»: agent=Attribute |

<!-- 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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