---
title: ebb — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «ebb» in the school dictionary: To ebb is to flow back out, as the sea goes away from the shore. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# ebb

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** sea, ebb, tide, strength, We · **What happens:** be, go, drain away, go out, begin, ebb · **To what, where:** time, rocks, strength, sand

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«ebb» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 4 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: [ebb in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/ebb.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To ebb is to flow back out, as the sea goes away from the shore.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ebb:m1:1
# text = To ebb is to flow back out, as the sea goes away from the shore.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	ebb	ebb	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	advcl	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	flow	flow	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	back	back	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	out	out	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
9	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	sea	sea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
12	goes	go	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
13	away	away	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
14	from	from	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	shore	shore	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | flow, out *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **go** | present | the sea |  |  |  |  | away *property* | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «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 -->
To ebb is to get less and less, to drain away slowly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ebb:m2:1
# text = To ebb is to get less and less, to drain away slowly.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	ebb	ebb	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	advcl	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	get	get	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	less	less	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	5	advmod	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	less	less	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	drain	drain	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
12	away	away	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
13	slowly	slowly	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | get, less *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **drain away** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | away, slowly *property* | vn clear-10.3-1 «NP.Source V»: agent=Source |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The ebb is the time when the tide is going out.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ebb:m3:1
# text = The ebb is the time when the tide is going out.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	ebb	ebb	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	10	advmod	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	tide	tide	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
10	going	go	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	5	parataxis	_	_
11	out	out	ADP	RP	_	10	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the ebb | the time |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **go out** | present · progressive | the tide |  |  |  |  |  | vn interact-36.6 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The tide began to ebb at noon.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ebb:x1:1
# text = The tide began to ebb at noon.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	tide	tide	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	began	begin	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	ebb	ebb	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	at	at	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	noon	noon	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **begin** | past | the tide |  |  |  |  |  | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **ebb** | to-infinitive | the tide *not said here* |  |  |  | noon |  | vn entity\_specific\_cos-45.5 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The sea ebbed away from the rocks.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ebb:x2:1
# text = The sea ebbed away from the rocks.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	sea	sea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	ebbed	ebb	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	away	away	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
5	from	from	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	rocks	rock	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ebb away** | past | the sea |  |  | the rocks |  | away *property* | vn entity\_specific\_cos-45.5 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Her strength ebbed as the day went on.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ebb:x3:1
# text = Her strength ebbed as the day went on.
1	Her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	strength	strength	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	ebbed	ebb	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	as	as	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	on	on	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ebb** | participle |  | Her strength *not said here* |  |  | day |  | vn entity\_specific\_cos-45.5 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **go on** | past | Her strength |  |  |  |  |  | vn function-105.2.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We walked on the sand while the ebb was low.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ebb:x4:1
# text = We walked on the sand while the ebb was low.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	walked	walk	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	on	on	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	sand	sand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	while	while	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	ebb	ebb	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
9	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
10	low	low	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **walk** | past | We |  |  | the sand |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme on sand=Trajectory |
| 2 | **is** | past | the ebb |  |  |  |  | low *property* | tree rules |

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**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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