---
title: fish — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «fish» in the school dictionary: A fish is an animal that lives and swims in water, breathes with gills and has fins. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# fish

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** fish, animal, people, 12 fish, He, We · **What happens:** be, live, swim, breathe, have, eat · **To what, where:** animal, water, fins, meat, fish, tank · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«fish» in the school dictionary: its 4 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: [fish in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/fish.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A fish is an animal that lives and swims in water, breathes with gills and has fins.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fish:m1:1
# text = A fish is an animal that lives and swims in water, breathes with gills and has fins.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	fish	fish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	animal	animal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	lives	live	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	swims	swim	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
13	breathes	breathe	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	parataxis	_	_
14	with	with	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	gills	gill	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	obl	_	_
16	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
17	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	conj	_	_
18	fins	fin	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	17	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a fish | a animal |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **live** | present | a animal |  |  |  |  |  | vn exist-47.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **swim** | present | a animal *not said here* |  |  | water |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in water=Trajectory |
| 4 | **breathe** | present |  |  |  |  |  | with gills | vn breathe-40.1.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 5 | **have** | present |  | fins |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent fin=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.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Fish is also the meat of fish that people eat.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fish:m2:1
# text = Fish is also the meat of fish that people eat.
1	Fish	fish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	also	also	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	meat	meat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	fish	fish	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	_
8	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	10	obj	_	_
9	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	nsubj	_	_
10	eat	eat	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Fish | the meat |  |  |  | of fish | tree rules |
| 2 | **eat** | present | people | fish |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent that=Patient |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To fish means to try to catch fish.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fish:m3:1
# text = To fish means to try to catch fish.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	fish	fish	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	try	try	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	ccomp	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	catch	catch	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	xcomp	_	_
8	fish	fish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | fish |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **try** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn try-61.1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 3 | **catch** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  | fish |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent fish=Theme |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To fish for something is to search for it, like fishing in your bag for keys.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fish:m4:1
# text = To fish for something is to search for it, like fishing in your bag for keys.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	fish	fish	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	advcl	_	_
3	for	for	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obl	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	search	search	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
11	like	like	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	fishing	fishing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	_
13	in	in	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	15	nmod:poss	_	_
15	bag	bag	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nmod	_	_
16	for	for	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
17	keys	key	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fish** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | for something | vn hunt-35.1 «NP V PP.theme PP.location»: agent=Agent for something=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | for it; search *property* | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
There are 12 fish in the tank.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fish:x1:1
# text = There are 12 fish in the tank.
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	12	12	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	4	nummod	_	_
4	fish	fish	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	tank	tank	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **does** | present | 12 fish |  |  | the tank; there |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in tank=Location |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He caught 5 fish.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fish:x2:1
# text = He caught 5 fish.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	caught	catch	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	5	5	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	4	nummod	_	_
4	fish	fish	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **catch** | past | He | 5 fish |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent fish=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Each fish eats 2 pellets.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fish:x3:1
# text = Each fish eats 2 pellets.
1	Each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	2	det	_	_
2	fish	fish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	eats	eat	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	pellets	pellet	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 | **eat** | present | each fish | 2 pellets |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent pellet=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
How many fish are left after 3 are sold?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fish:x4:1
# text = How many fish are left after 3 are sold?
1	How	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	2	advmod	_	_
2	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	fish	fish	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	after	after	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
7	3	3	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	9	nsubj:pass	_	_
8	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux:pass	_	_
9	sold	sell	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	advcl	_	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 fish |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |
| 2 | **sell** | present · passive |  | 3 |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Fish breathe through gills.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fish:x5:1
# text = Fish breathe through gills.
1	Fish	fish	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	breathe	breathe	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	through	through	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	gills	gill	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **breathe** | present | Fish |  |  | gills |  |  | vn breathe-40.1.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We had fish and chips for dinner.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fish:x6:1
# text = We had fish and chips for dinner.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	fish	fish	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	chips	chip	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	conj	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	dinner	dinner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | We | fish and chips |  |  |  | for dinner | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent fish=Patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grandpa took me fishing at the lake.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fish:x7:1
# text = Grandpa took me fishing at the lake.
1	Grandpa	Grandpa	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	took	take	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	iobj	_	_
4	fishing	fish	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	xcomp	_	_
5	at	at	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	lake	lake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **take** | past | Grandpa |  | me |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2 «NP V NP to be ADJ»: agent=Agent i=Theme clause=Attribute |
| 2 | **fish** | gerund | Grandpa *not said here* |  |  | the lake |  |  | vn hunt-35.1 «NP V PP.theme PP.location»: agent=Agent at lake=Location |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She fished in her bag for a pen.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fish:x8:1
# text = She fished in her bag for a pen.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	fished	fish	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	bag	bag	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	pen	pen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fish** | past | She |  |  | her bag |  | for a pen | vn hunt-35.1 «NP V PP.theme PP.location»: agent=Agent in bag=Location for pen=Theme |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
THE FISHERMAN AND THE LITTLE FISH

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:fish:x9:1
# text = THE FISHERMAN AND THE LITTLE FISH
1	THE	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	FISHERMAN	fisherman	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	AND	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
4	THE	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	LITTLE	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	FISH	fish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
```

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

<!-- 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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