---
title: flail — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «flail» in the school dictionary: A flail is an old farm tool: a wooden stick swung on a handle to beat grain from its husks. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# flail

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** flail, He, Tom, boy · **What happens:** be, swing, beat, not bring, thud, flail · **To what, where:** old farm tool, wooden stick, handle, grain, husks, arms

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«flail» in the school dictionary: its 2 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: [flail in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/flail.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A flail is an old farm tool: a wooden stick swung on a handle to beat grain from its husks.

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flail:m1:1
# text = A flail is an old farm tool: a wooden stick swung on a handle to beat grain from its husks.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	flail	flail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
5	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
6	farm	farm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	tool	tool	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	11	punct	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	wooden	wooden	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	stick	stick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	_
12	swung	swing	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	11	acl	_	_
13	on	on	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	handle	handle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	_
16	to	to	PART	TO	_	17	mark	_	_
17	beat	beat	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	advcl	_	_
18	grain	grain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obj	_	_
19	from	from	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
20	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	21	nmod:poss	_	_
21	husks	husk	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	17	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a flail | a old farm tool and a wooden stick |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **swing** | participle |  | a wooden stick *not said here* |  | a handle |  |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V PP.trajectory»: agent=Theme on handle=Trajectory |
| 3 | **beat** | to-infinitive |  | grain |  | flail's husks |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location grain=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 flail is to wave or swing the arms or legs wildly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flail:m2:1
# text = To flail is to wave or swing the arms or legs wildly.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	flail	flail	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	wave	wave	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	swing	swing	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	arms	arm	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	legs	leg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	conj	_	_
12	wildly	wildly	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | wave *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **swing** | infinitive |  | the arms or legs |  |  |  | wildly *property* | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent arm=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He beat the corn with a flail in the barn.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flail:x1:1
# text = He beat the corn with a flail in the barn.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	beat	beat	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	corn	corn	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	flail	flail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	barn	barn	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **beat** | past | He | the corn |  |  |  | with a flail in the barn | vn hit-18.1-1 «NP V NP PP.instrument»: agent=Agent corn=Patient with flail=Instrument |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Tom would not bring the flail into the palace.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flail:x2:1
# text = Tom would not bring the flail into the palace.
1	Tom	Tom	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	bring	bring	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	flail	flail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	into	into	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	palace	palace	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **bring** | would | Tom | the flail |  | the palace |  |  | vn bring-11.3-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent flail=Theme into palace=Destination |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The farmer's flail thudded on the grain.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flail:x3:1
# text = The farmer's flail thudded on the grain.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	farmer	farmer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	flail	flail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	thudded	thud	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	acl	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	grain	grain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **thud** | participle |  | the farmer's flail *not said here* |  | the grain |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme on grain=Location |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The boy flailed his arms as he fell.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flail:x4:1
# text = The boy flailed his arms as he fell.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	boy	boy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	flailed	flail	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	arms	arm	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
7	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	fell	fall	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **flail** | past | the boy | boy's arms |  |  |  |  | vn spank-18.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent arm=Patient |
| 2 | **fall** | past | boy |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

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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.

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