---
title: fertilise — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «fertilise» in the school dictionary: To fertilise soil is to add manure, compost or chemicals so that plants grow better. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# fertilise

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** plants, egg, new animal, Dad, Bees, chick · **What happens:** fertilise, be, grow, start, make, fertilis · **To what, where:** soil, living things, something, vegetable patch, apple blossom, pollen

<!-- .vabout -->
«fertilise» in the school dictionary: its 3 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: [fertilise in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/fertilise.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To fertilise soil is to add manure, compost or chemicals so that plants grow better.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fertilise:m1:1
# text = To fertilise soil is to add manure, compost or chemicals so that plants grow better.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	fertilise	fertilise	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
3	soil	soil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	add	add	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	manure	manure	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
9	compost	compost	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	chemicals	chemical	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	conj	_	_
12	so	so	SCONJ	IN	ExtPos=SCONJ	15	mark	_	_
13	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	12	fixed	_	_
14	plants	plant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	15	nsubj	_	_
15	grow	grow	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	advcl	_	_
16	better	well	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	15	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fertilise** | to-infinitive |  | soil |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | add *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **grow** | present | plants |  |  |  |  | well *property* | vn appear-48.1.1 «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 -->
In living things, to fertilise an egg is when a male cell (sperm or pollen) joins a female egg cell so a new animal or plant can start to grow.

<!-- fold The tree, 30 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fertilise:m2:1
# text = In living things, to fertilise an egg is when a male cell (sperm or pollen) joins a female egg cell so a new animal or plant can start to grow.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	living	living	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	fertilise	fertilise	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	egg	egg	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	nsubj	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	19	cop	_	_
10	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	19	mark	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	male	male	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	cell	cell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	nsubj	_	_
14	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	sperm	sperm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	appos	_	_
16	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
17	pollen	pollen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	15	punct	_	_
19	joins	join	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	ccomp	_	_
20	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	23	det	_	_
21	female	female	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	23	amod	_	_
22	egg	egg	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	23	compound	_	_
23	cell	cell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	obj	_	_
24	so	so	ADV	RB	_	31	advmod	_	_
25	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	27	det	_	_
26	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	27	amod	_	_
27	animal	animal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	31	nsubj	_	_
28	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	29	cc	_	_
29	plant	plant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	27	conj	_	_
30	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	31	aux	_	_
31	start	start	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	19	advcl	_	_
32	to	to	PART	TO	_	33	mark	_	_
33	grow	grow	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	31	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
34	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fertilise** | to-infinitive |  |  |  | living things |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present | a egg |  |  |  |  | join *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **start** | can | a new animal or plant |  |  |  |  |  | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 4 | **grow** | to-infinitive | a new animal or plant *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: formal, rare — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To make something richer or more productive, like ideas.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fertilise:m3:1
# text = To make something richer or more productive, like ideas.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	make	make	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	richer	rich	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	2	xcomp	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	4	conj	_	_
7	productive	productive	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
9	like	like	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	ideas	idea	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  | like ideas; rich *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset something=Product |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dad fertilises the vegetable patch with compost every spring.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fertilise:x1:1
# text = Dad fertilises the vegetable patch with compost every spring.
1	Dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	fertilises	fertilis	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	vegetable	vegetable	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	patch	patch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	compost	compost	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
8	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	9	det	_	_
9	spring	spring	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fertilis** | present | Dad | the vegetable patch |  |  | spring | with compost | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Bees help to fertilise apple blossom by carrying pollen.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fertilise:x2:1
# text = Bees help to fertilise apple blossom by carrying pollen.
1	Bees	bee	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	help	help	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	fertilise	fertilise	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
5	apple	apple	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	blossom	blossom	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
8	carrying	carry	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	advcl	_	_
9	pollen	pollen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **help** | present | Bees |  |  |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 2 | **fertilise** | to-infinitive | Bees *not said here* | apple blossom |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **carry** | gerund | Bees *not said here* | pollen |  |  |  |  | vn carry-11.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent pollen=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A hen's egg from the shop is usually not fertilised, so no chick will hatch.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fertilise:x3:1
# text = A hen's egg from the shop is usually not fertilised, so no chick will hatch.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	hen	hen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	egg	egg	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj:pass	_	_
5	from	from	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	shop	shop	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux:pass	_	_
9	usually	usually	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
10	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	11	advmod	_	_
11	fertilised	fertilis	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
13	so	so	ADV	RB	_	17	advmod	_	_
14	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	15	det	_	_
15	chick	chick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	nsubj	_	_
16	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	17	aux	_	_
17	hatch	hatch	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **fertilis** | present · passive |  | a hen's egg from the shop |  |  |  | usually *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **hatch** | future | no chick |  |  |  |  |  | vn grow-26.2.1 «NP V NP.product PP.patient»: agent=Agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Farmers fertilise their fields before planting wheat.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fertilise:x4:1
# text = Farmers fertilise their fields before planting wheat.
1	Farmers	farmer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	fertilise	fertilise	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	fields	field	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	before	before	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
6	planting	plant	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
7	wheat	wheat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fertilise** | present | Farmers | Farmers's fields |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **plant** | gerund | Farmers *not said here* | wheat |  |  |  |  | vn establish-55.5-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent wheat=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In our science book, the fish eggs were fertilised in the river.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fertilise:x5:1
# text = In our science book, the fish eggs were fertilised in the river.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
2	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
3	science	science	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	book	book	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	fish	fish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	eggs	egg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	nsubj:pass	_	_
9	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux:pass	_	_
10	fertilised	fertilis	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
11	in	in	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	river	river	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fertilis** | past · passive |  | the fish eggs |  | our science book |  | in the river | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Don't fertilise the tomatoes too much or the leaves will burn.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fertilise:x6:1
# text = Don't fertilise the tomatoes too much or the leaves will burn.
1	Do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	fertilise	fertilise	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	tomatoes	tomato	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	too	too	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	much	much	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	csubj	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	leaves	leaf	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	nsubj	_	_
11	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	12	aux	_	_
12	burn	burn	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **fertilise** | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* | the tomatoes |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **burn** | future | the leaves |  |  |  |  |  | vn light\_emission-43.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Once the flower is fertilised, it starts to grow a fruit.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fertilise:x7:1
# text = Once the flower is fertilised, it starts to grow a fruit.
1	Once	once	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	flower	flower	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	fertilised	fertilis	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	starts	start	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	grow	grow	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	xcomp	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	fruit	fruit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fertilis** | present · passive |  | the flower |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **start** | present | flower |  |  |  |  |  | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 3 | **grow** | to-infinitive | flower *not said here* | a fruit |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location fruit=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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