---
title: flatten — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «flatten» in the school dictionary: To make something flat or flatter by pressing or rolling it. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# flatten

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** storm, hills, you, We, road, She · **What happens:** make, press, roll, knock down, destroy, flatten · **To what, where:** something, it, trees, sea, dough, cardboard boxes

<!-- .vabout -->
«flatten» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 8 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: [flatten in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/flatten.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To make something flat or flatter by pressing or rolling it.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flatten:m1:1
# text = To make something flat or flatter by pressing or rolling it.
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	flat	flat	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	flatter	flat	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	3	conj	_	_
7	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
8	pressing	press	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	rolling	roll	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	8	conj	_	_
11	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset something=Product |
| 2 | **press** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn push-12-1-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **roll** | gerund |  | it |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=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 knock down or destroy something completely: «The storm flattened the trees».

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flatten:m2:1
# text = To knock down or destroy something completely: «The storm flattened the trees».
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	knock	knock	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	advcl	_	_
3	down	down	ADP	RP	_	2	compound:prt	_	_
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	destroy	destroy	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	conj	_	_
6	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	5	obj	_	_
7	completely	completely	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	2	punct	_	_
9	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	storm	storm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
12	flattened	flatten	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	trees	tree	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	12	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **knock down** | to-infinitive | the storm *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn split-23.2 «NP V apart»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **destroy** | infinitive | the storm *not said here* | something |  |  |  | completely *property* | vn destroy-44 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Patient |
| 3 | **flatten** *in a quote* | past | the storm | the trees |  |  |  |  | vn carve-21.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent tree=Patient |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To become flat: «The hills flatten out near the sea».

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flatten:m3:1
# text = To become flat: «The hills flatten out near the sea».
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	become	become	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	flat	flat	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	8	punct	_	_
5	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	hills	hill	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
8	flatten	flatten	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	_
9	out	out	ADP	RP	_	8	compound:prt	_	_
10	near	near	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	sea	sea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **become** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | flat *property* | vn become-109.1-1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **flatten out** *in a quote* | present | the hills |  |  | the sea |  |  | vn carve-21.2-1 «NP V ADVP-Middle»: agent=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Flatten the dough with a rolling pin.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flatten:x1:1
# text = Flatten the dough with a rolling pin.
1	Flatten	flatten	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	dough	dough	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	rolling	roll	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	amod	_	_
7	pin	pin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **flatten** | imperative | you *not said here* | the dough |  |  |  | with a rolling pin | vn carve-21.2-1 «NP V NP PP.instrument»: agent=Agent dough=Patient with pin=Instrument |
| 2 | **roll** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We flattened the cardboard boxes for recycling.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flatten:x2:1
# text = We flattened the cardboard boxes for recycling.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	flattened	flatten	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	cardboard	cardboard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	boxes	box	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	recycling	recycling	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 | **flatten** | past | We | the cardboard boxes |  |  |  | for recycling | vn carve-21.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent box=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The storm flattened the farmer's wheat.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flatten:x3:1
# text = The storm flattened the farmer's wheat.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	storm	storm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	flattened	flatten	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	farmer	farmer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	's	's	PART	POS	_	5	case	_	_
7	wheat	wheat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **flatten** | past | the storm | the farmer's wheat |  |  |  |  | vn carve-21.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent wheat=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The road flattens out after the big hill.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flatten:x4:1
# text = The road flattens out after the big hill.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	road	road	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	flattens	flatten	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	out	out	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	_
5	after	after	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	hill	hill	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 | **flatten out** | present | the road |  |  |  | after the big hill |  | vn carve-21.2-1 «NP V ADVP-Middle»: agent=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She flattened the crumpled paper with her hand.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flatten:x5:1
# text = She flattened the crumpled paper with her hand.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	flattened	flatten	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	crumpled	crumple	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	amod	_	_
5	paper	paper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	hand	hand	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 | **flatten** | past | She | the crumpled paper |  |  |  | with her hand | vn carve-21.2-1 «NP V NP PP.instrument»: agent=Agent paper=Patient with hand=Instrument |
| 2 | **crumple** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn bend-45.2 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Squash and flatten the plasticine into a pancake.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flatten:x6:1
# text = Squash and flatten the plasticine into a pancake.
1	Squash	squash	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
3	flatten	flatten	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	1	conj	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	plasticine	plasticine	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	into	into	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	pancake	pancake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **squash** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn bump-18.4-1 «NP V together»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **flatten** | infinitive | you *not said here* | the plasticine |  | a pancake |  |  | vn carve-21.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent plasticine=Patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The line on the graph flattens out after day five.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flatten:x7:1
# text = The line on the graph flattens out after day five.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	line	line	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	on	on	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	graph	graph	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	flattens	flatten	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	out	out	ADP	RP	_	6	compound:prt	_	_
8	after	after	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
10	five	five	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	9	flat	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **flatten out** | present | the line on the graph |  |  |  | day |  | vn carve-21.2-1 «NP V ADVP-Middle»: agent=Patient |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Her head seemed to flatten, and her eyes to look oddly round the corners; her legs and her arms were stuck to her sides, and she gasped wildly for breath.

<!-- fold The tree, 30 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flatten:x8:1
# text = Her head seemed to flatten, and her eyes to look oddly round the corners; her legs and her arms were stuck to her sides, and she gasped wildly for breath.
1	Her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	head	head	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	seemed	seem	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	flatten	flatten	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
8	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	eyes	eye	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	nsubj	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	look	look	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	conj	_	_
12	oddly	oddly	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
13	round	round	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	corners	corner	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	23	punct	_	_
17	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	18	nmod:poss	_	_
18	legs	leg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	23	nsubj	_	_
19	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	21	cc	_	_
20	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	21	nmod:poss	_	_
21	arms	arm	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	18	conj	_	_
22	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	23	cop	_	_
23	stuck	stuck	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	parataxis	_	_
24	to	to	ADP	IN	_	26	case	_	_
25	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	26	nmod:poss	_	_
26	sides	side	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	23	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	30	punct	_	_
28	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	30	cc	_	_
29	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	30	nsubj	_	_
30	gasped	gasp	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
31	wildly	wildly	ADV	RB	_	30	advmod	_	_
32	for	for	ADP	IN	_	33	case	_	_
33	breath	breath	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	30	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
34	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **seem** | past | Her head |  |  |  |  |  | vn seem-109-1-1-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Theme clause=Attribute |
| 2 | **flatten** | to-infinitive | Her head *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn carve-21.2-1 «NP V ADVP-Middle»: agent=Patient |
| 3 | **look** | to-infinitive | head's eyes |  |  |  |  | round the corners; oddly *property* | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent round corner=Theme |
| 4 | **is** | past | head's legs and head's arms |  |  |  |  | to head's sides; stuck *property* | tree rules |
| 5 | **gasp** | past | head |  |  |  |  | for breath; wildly *property* | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V PP.recipient S\_INF»: agent=Agent for breath=Recipient |

<!-- 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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