---
title: eel — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «eel» in the school dictionary: An eel is a long, thin fish that looks like a snake and has slippery skin. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# eel

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** eel, long thin fish, Eels, electric eel, fisherman, puppy · **What happens:** be, look, have, slide out, give, catch · **To what, where:** long thin fish, slippery skin, rock, fish, strong shock, eel

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An eel is a long, thin fish that looks like a snake and has slippery skin.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:eel:m1:1
# text = An eel is a long, thin fish that looks like a snake and has slippery skin.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	eel	eel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
5	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
7	thin	thin	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	fish	fish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
9	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	10	nsubj	_	_
10	looks	look	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	acl:relcl	_	_
11	like	like	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	snake	snake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	_
14	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
15	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	conj	_	_
16	slippery	slippery	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	amod	_	_
17	skin	skin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a eel | a long thin fish |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **look** | present | a long thin fish |  |  |  |  | like a snake | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Stimulus |
| 3 | **have** | present | a long thin fish *not said here* | slippery skin |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent skin=Patient |

<!-- .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.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An eel slid out from under the rock.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:eel:x1:1
# text = An eel slid out from under the rock.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	eel	eel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	slid	slide	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	out	out	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	_
5	from	from	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	under	under	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	rock	rock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **slide out** | past | a eel |  |  | the rock |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme from rock=Trajectory |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Eels look like snakes, but they are fish.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:eel:x2:1
# text = Eels look like snakes, but they are fish.
1	Eels	eel	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	look	look	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	like	like	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	snakes	snake	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
6	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
7	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
8	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
9	fish	fish	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** | present | Eels |  |  |  |  | like snakes | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Stimulus |
| 2 | **is a** | present | Eels *= eel* | fish |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The electric eel can give a strong shock.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:eel:x3:1
# text = The electric eel can give a strong shock.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	electric	electric	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	eel	eel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	give	give	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	strong	strong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	shock	shock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | can | the electric eel | a strong shock |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent shock=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The fisherman caught an eel in the river.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:eel:x4:1
# text = The fisherman caught an eel in the river.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	fisherman	fisherman	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	caught	catch	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	eel	eel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	river	river	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **catch** | past | the fisherman | a eel |  | the river |  |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent eel=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The puppy was as slippery as an eel in the bath.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:eel:x5:1
# text = The puppy was as slippery as an eel in the bath.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	puppy	puppy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	as	as	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	slippery	slippery	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
6	as	as	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	eel	eel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	bath	bath	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the puppy |  |  |  |  | as a eel in the bath; slippery *property* | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Some eels swim across the ocean to lay their eggs.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:eel:x6:1
# text = Some eels swim across the ocean to lay their eggs.
1	Some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	2	det	_	_
2	eels	eel	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	swim	swim	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	across	across	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	ocean	ocean	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	lay	lay	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
9	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
10	eggs	egg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **swim** | present | some eels |  |  | the ocean |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme across ocean=Trajectory |
| 2 | **lay** | to-infinitive | some eels *not said here* | eels's eggs |  |  |  |  | vn create-26.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent egg=Result |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Moray eels hide in holes in the reef.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:eel:x7:1
# text = Moray eels hide in holes in the reef.
1	Moray	moray	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	eels	eel	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	hide	hide	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	holes	hole	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	reef	reef	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hide** | present | Moray eels |  |  | holes |  | in the reef | vn concealment-16-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent in hole=Location |

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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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