---
title: flytrap — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «flytrap» in the school dictionary: A flytrap, or Venus flytrap, is a plant whose leaves snap shut like jaws to catch flies and other insects, which it then digests. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/flytrap/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/) / [school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/) / [F](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/) / flytrap

# flytrap

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** flytrap, leaves, plant, device, Flytraps, soil · **What happens:** be, snap, catch, digest, mean, shut · **To what, where:** plant, flies, device, open mouth, Venus flytrap, insects · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A flytrap, or Venus flytrap, is a plant whose leaves snap shut like jaws to catch flies and other insects, which it then digests.

<!-- fold The tree, 24 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flytrap:m1:1
# text = A flytrap, or Venus flytrap, is a plant whose leaves snap shut like jaws to catch flies and other insects, which it then digests.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	flytrap	flytrap	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
5	Venus	Venus	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	flytrap	flytrap	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	plant	plant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
11	whose	whose	PRON	WP$	Poss=Yes|PronType=Rel	12	nmod:poss	_	_
12	leaves	leaf	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	nsubj	_	_
13	snap	snap	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	acl:relcl	_	_
14	shut	shut	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	xcomp	_	_
15	like	like	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
16	jaws	jaw	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	obl	_	_
17	to	to	PART	TO	_	18	mark	_	_
18	catch	catch	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	13	advcl	_	_
19	flies	fly	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	18	obj	_	_
20	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	22	cc	_	_
21	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	22	amod	_	_
22	insects	insect	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	19	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	27	punct	_	_
24	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	27	obj	_	_
25	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	27	nsubj	_	_
26	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	27	advmod	_	_
27	digests	digest	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	19	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a flytrap or Venus flytrap | a plant |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **snap** | present | leaves |  |  |  |  | like jaws; shut *property* | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **catch** | to-infinitive | leaves *not said here* | flies and other insects |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent fly=Theme |
| 4 | **digest** | present | plant | flies and other insects |  |  | then |  | tree rules |

<!-- .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 -->
A flytrap can also be any device that catches flies, like a sticky strip.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flytrap:m2:1
# text = A flytrap can also be any device that catches flies, like a sticky strip.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	flytrap	flytrap	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
4	also	also	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
5	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	cop	_	_
6	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	7	det	_	_
7	device	device	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	9	nsubj	_	_
9	catches	catch	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	acl:relcl	_	_
10	flies	fly	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
12	like	like	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
14	sticky	sticky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	strip	strip	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | can | a flytrap | any device |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **catch** | present | any device | flies |  |  |  | like a sticky strip | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent fly=Theme |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Flytrap» can jokingly mean a person's open mouth.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flytrap:m3:1
# text = «Flytrap» can jokingly mean a person's open mouth.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Flytrap	flytrap	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
4	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
5	jokingly	jokingly	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	's	's	PART	POS	_	8	case	_	_
10	open	open	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	mouth	mouth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | can | Flytrap | a person's open mouth |  |  |  | jokingly *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent mouth=Topic |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Venus flytrap snapped shut on the fly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flytrap:x1:1
# text = The Venus flytrap snapped shut on the fly.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	Venus	Venus	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	flytrap	flytrap	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	snapped	snap	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	shut	shut	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	fly	fly	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **shut** | past · passive |  | the Venus flytrap |  |  |  | on the fly | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: subject=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Flytraps catch insects because their soil has few nutrients.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flytrap:x2:1
# text = Flytraps catch insects because their soil has few nutrients.
1	Flytraps	flytrap	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	catch	catch	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	insects	insect	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
4	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
5	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	soil	soil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	_
8	few	few	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	nutrients	nutrient	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **catch** | present | Flytraps | insects |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent insect=Theme |
| 2 | **have** | present | Flytraps's soil | few nutrients |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent nutrient=Patient |
| 3 | **soil** |  | Flytraps *= flytrap* |  |  |  |  |  | nom soil «state transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Don't poke the flytrap with your finger — it wastes its energy.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flytrap:x3:1
# text = Don't poke the flytrap with your finger — it wastes its energy.
1	Do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	poke	poke	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	flytrap	flytrap	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	finger	finger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
9	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	11	punct	_	_
10	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
11	wastes	waste	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	parataxis	_	_
12	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	13	nmod:poss	_	_
13	energy	energy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **poke** | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* | the flytrap |  |  |  | with your finger | vn poke-19-1-1-1 «NP V NP.theme PP.instsrument»: agent=Agent flytrap=Theme with finger=Instrument |
| 2 | **waste** | present | flytrap | flytrap's energy |  |  |  |  | vn destroy-44 «NP.instrument V NP»: agent=Instrument energy=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Our class grew a flytrap on the windowsill.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flytrap:x4:1
# text = Our class grew a flytrap on the windowsill.
1	Our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	class	class	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	grew	grow	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	flytrap	flytrap	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	windowsill	windowsill	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 | **grow** | past | Our class | a flytrap |  | the windowsill |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location flytrap=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The trap reopens after about a week once the insect is digested.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flytrap:x5:1
# text = The trap reopens after about a week once the insect is digested.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	trap	trap	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	reopens	reopen	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	after	after	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	about	about	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	week	week	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
8	once	once	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	insect	insect	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj:pass	_	_
11	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	aux:pass	_	_
12	digested	digest	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **reopen** | present | the trap |  |  |  | week |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **digest** | present · passive |  | the insect |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dad hung a sticky flytrap in the kitchen.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flytrap:x6:1
# text = Dad hung a sticky flytrap in the kitchen.
1	Dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	hung	hang	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	sticky	sticky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	flytrap	flytrap	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	kitchen	kitchen	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 | **hang** | past | Dad | a sticky flytrap |  | the kitchen |  |  | vn put\_spatial-9.2 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent flytrap=Theme in kitchen=Destination |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Shut your flytrap!» said the cartoon pirate rudely.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:flytrap:x7:1
# text = «Shut your flytrap!» said the cartoon pirate rudely.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Shut	shut	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	ccomp	_	_
3	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	flytrap	flytrap	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
7	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	cartoon	cartoon	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	pirate	pirate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
11	rudely	rudely	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **shut** *in a quote* | infinitive |  | your flytrap |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent flytrap=Patient |
| 2 | **say** *speech: express* | past | the cartoon pirate |  |  |  |  | rudely *property* | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |

<!-- 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 -->
- ← previous: [flyover](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/flyover/)
- next →: [foal](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/foal/)
- ↑ back to [F in school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/)