---
title: flank — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «flank» in the school dictionary: The side of an animal's or person's body between the ribs and the hip. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# flank

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** horse, army, winger, headteacher, Tall trees, soldiers · **What happens:** be, flank, go, attack, have, run down · **To what, where:** side, scratch, flank, left flank, right flank, ball

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The side of an animal's or person's body between the ribs and the hip.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flank:m1:1
# text = The side of an animal's or person's body between the ribs and the hip.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	side	side	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	animal	animal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	's	's	PART	POS	_	5	case	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	's	's	PART	POS	_	8	case	_	_
10	body	body	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
11	between	between	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	ribs	rib	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	nmod	_	_
14	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	hip	hip	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

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

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The side of an army, a team formation or a building.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flank:m2:1
# text = The side of an army, a team formation or a building.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	side	side	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	army	army	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	team	team	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	formation	formation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	building	building	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

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

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To be at the side of someone or something: «flanked by guards».

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flank:m3:1
# text = To be at the side of someone or something: «flanked by guards».
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
2	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	cop	_	_
3	at	at	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	side	side	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	5	nmod	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	12	punct	_	_
11	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	flanked	flank	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	9	acl	_	_
13	by	by	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	guards	guard	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | to-infinitive |  |  |  | the side |  | of someone | tree rules |
| 2 | **flank** *in a quote* | participle |  |  |  |  |  | by guards | vn contiguous\_location-47.8 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To go round the side of an enemy to attack.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flank:m4:1
# text = To go round the side of an enemy to attack.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	go	go	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	round	round	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	side	side	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	enemy	enemy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	attack	attack	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go** | to-infinitive |  |  |  | the side of a enemy |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme round side=Initial\_Location |
| 2 | **attack** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn attack-60.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The horse had a scratch on its flank.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flank:x1:1
# text = The horse had a scratch on its flank.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	horse	horse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	scratch	scratch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	flank	flank	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 | **have** | past | the horse | a scratch |  | horse's flank |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent scratch=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The army attacked the enemy's left flank.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flank:x2:1
# text = The army attacked the enemy's left flank.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	army	army	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	attacked	attack	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	enemy	enemy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	's	's	PART	POS	_	5	case	_	_
7	left	left	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	flank	flank	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **attack** | past | the army | the enemy's left flank |  |  |  |  | vn attack-60.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent flank=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The winger ran down the right flank and crossed the ball.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flank:x3:1
# text = The winger ran down the right flank and crossed the ball.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	winger	winger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	ran	run	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	down	down	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	right	right	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	flank	flank	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	crossed	cross	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	ball	ball	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **run down** | past | the winger | the right flank |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme flank=Trajectory |
| 2 | **cross** | past | the winger *not said here* | the ball |  |  |  |  | vn crane-40.3.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent ball=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The headteacher walked in, flanked by two teachers.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flank:x4:1
# text = The headteacher walked in, flanked by two teachers.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	headteacher	headteacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	walked	walk	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	in	in	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
6	flanked	flank	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	conj	_	_
7	by	by	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	9	nummod	_	_
9	teachers	teacher	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **walk in** | past | the headteacher |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **flank** | participle | the headteacher *not said here* |  |  |  |  | by two teachers | vn contiguous\_location-47.8 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Tall trees flanked the path.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flank:x5:1
# text = Tall trees flanked the path.
1	Tall	tall	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	trees	tree	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	flanked	flank	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	path	path	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **flank** | past | Tall trees | the path |  |  |  |  | vn contiguous\_location-47.8 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme path=Co-Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The soldiers tried to flank the castle from the hill.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flank:x6:1
# text = The soldiers tried to flank the castle from the hill.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	soldiers	soldier	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	tried	try	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	flank	flank	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	castle	castle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	from	from	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	hill	hill	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **try** | past | the soldiers |  |  |  |  |  | vn try-61.1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **flank** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | the soldiers *not said here* | the castle |  | the hill |  |  | vn contiguous\_location-47.8 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme castle=Co-Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Mouse peeped out, crept furtively up his flank, and again biting him, retreated to his hole.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flank:x7:1
# text = The Mouse peeped out, crept furtively up his flank, and again biting him, retreated to his hole.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	Mouse	mouse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	peeped	peep	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	out	out	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
6	crept	creep	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
7	furtively	furtively	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
8	up	up	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
10	flank	flank	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
13	again	again	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	_
14	biting	bite	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	advcl	_	_
15	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
17	retreated	retreat	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
18	to	to	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
19	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	20	nmod:poss	_	_
20	hole	hole	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **peep out** | past | the Mouse |  |  |  |  |  | vn animal\_sounds-38 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **creep** | past | the Mouse *not said here* |  |  | Mouse's flank |  | furtively *property* | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme up flank=Trajectory |
| 3 | **bite** | gerund | the Mouse *not said here* | Mouse |  |  | again |  | vn swat-18.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent he=Patient |
| 4 | **retreat** | past | the Mouse *not said here* |  |  | Mouse's hole |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme to hole=Initial\_Location |

<!-- 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 -->

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