---
title: foraging — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «foraging» in the school dictionary: Foraging means searching for food, especially wild food, like animals looking for something to eat. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# foraging

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** animals, hobby, Bees, bears, We, you · **What happens:** forage, mean, search, look, eat, be · **To what, where:** hobby, wild food, cupboard, lane, mushroom, expert · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Foraging means searching for food, especially wild food, like animals looking for something to eat.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:foraging:m1:1
# text = Foraging means searching for food, especially wild food, like animals looking for something to eat.
1	Foraging	forage	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	searching	search	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	xcomp	_	_
4	for	for	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
7	especially	especially	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
8	wild	wild	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
11	like	like	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	animals	animal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
13	looking	look	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	12	acl	_	_
14	for	for	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	13	obl	_	_
16	to	to	PART	TO	_	17	mark	_	_
17	eat	eat	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	15	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **forage** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn rummage-35.5-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **search** *not said to happen* | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | for food and wild food; like animals | vn search-35.2 «NP V PP.theme NP.location»: agent=Agent for food=Theme |
| 4 | **look** | gerund | animals *not said here* |  |  |  |  | for something | vn rummage-35.5 «NP V PP.location PP.theme»: agent=Agent for something=Theme |
| 5 | **eat** | to-infinitive | animals *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .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 -->
Foraging is the hobby of collecting wild food like berries, nuts, mushrooms and herbs.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:foraging:m2:1
# text = Foraging is the hobby of collecting wild food like berries, nuts, mushrooms and herbs.
1	Foraging	forage	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	hobby	hobby	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
6	collecting	collect	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	4	acl	_	_
7	wild	wild	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	like	like	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	berries	berry	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
12	nuts	nut	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
14	mushrooms	mushroom	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	conj	_	_
15	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
16	herbs	herb	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **forage** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn rummage-35.5-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is a** | present |  | the hobby |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **collect** | gerund | the hobby *not said here* | wild food |  |  |  | like berries and nuts and mushrooms and herbs | vn obtain-13.5.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent food=Theme |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Foraging means searching around for something: «foraging in the cupboard for biscuits».

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:foraging:m3:1
# text = Foraging means searching around for something: «foraging in the cupboard for biscuits».
1	Foraging	forage	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	searching	search	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	xcomp	_	_
4	around	around	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	9	punct	_	_
8	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	foraging	forage	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	parataxis	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	cupboard	cupboard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
13	for	for	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	biscuits	biscuit	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **forage** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn rummage-35.5-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **search around** *not said to happen* | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | for something; around *property* | vn search-35.2 «NP V PP.theme NP.location»: agent=Agent for something=Theme |
| 4 | **forage** *in a quote* | gerund |  |  |  | the cupboard |  | for biscuits | vn rummage-35.5-1 «NP V PP.location PP.theme»: agent=Agent in cupboard=Location for biscuit=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Bees spend the day foraging for nectar.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:foraging:x1:1
# text = Bees spend the day foraging for nectar.
1	Bees	bee	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	spend	spend	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	foraging	forage	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	nectar	nectar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **spend** | present | Bees |  |  |  | day |  | vn consume-66-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **forage** | gerund | Bees *not said here* |  |  |  |  | for nectar | vn rummage-35.5-1 «NP V PP.location PP.theme»: agent=Agent for nectar=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The bears were foraging for berries.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:foraging:x2:1
# text = The bears were foraging for berries.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	bears	bear	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
3	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	foraging	forage	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	berries	berry	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **forage** | past · progressive | the bears |  |  |  |  | for berries | vn rummage-35.5-1 «NP V PP.location PP.theme»: agent=Agent for berry=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We went foraging for blackberries in the lane.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:foraging:x3:1
# text = We went foraging for blackberries in the lane.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	foraging	forage	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	xcomp	_	_
4	for	for	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	blackberries	blackberry	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	lane	lane	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go** | past | We |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7 «NP V S-Quote»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **forage** | gerund | We *not said here* |  |  | the lane |  | for blackberries | vn rummage-35.5-1 «NP V PP.location PP.theme»: agent=Agent for blackberry=Theme in lane=Location |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Never eat a mushroom you found foraging without asking an expert.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:foraging:x4:1
# text = Never eat a mushroom you found foraging without asking an expert.
1	Never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	2	advmod	_	_
2	eat	eat	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	mushroom	mushroom	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	found	find	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	acl:relcl	_	_
7	foraging	forage	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	xcomp	_	_
8	without	without	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
9	asking	ask	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	7	advcl	_	_
10	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	expert	expert	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **eat** | imperative | you *not said here* | a mushroom |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent mushroom=Patient |
| 2 | **find** | past | you | a mushroom *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn declare-29.4-1-1 «NP V NP ADJ»: agent=Agent mushroom=Attribute clause=Theme |
| 3 | **forage** | gerund | a mushroom *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn rummage-35.5-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **ask** *speech: ask* | gerund | a mushroom *not said here* | a expert |  |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent expert=Recipient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My brother was foraging in the fridge for a snack.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:foraging:x5:1
# text = My brother was foraging in the fridge for a snack.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	brother	brother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	foraging	forage	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	fridge	fridge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
8	for	for	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	snack	snack	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **forage** | past · progressive | My brother |  |  | the fridge |  | for a snack | vn rummage-35.5-1 «NP V PP.location PP.theme»: agent=Agent in fridge=Location for snack=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ants leave trails while foraging.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:foraging:x6:1
# text = Ants leave trails while foraging.
1	Ants	ant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	leave	leave	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	trails	trail	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
4	while	while	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
5	foraging	forage	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **leave** | present | Ants | trails |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent trail=Theme |
| 2 | **forage** | gerund | Ants *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn rummage-35.5-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Deer were foraging at the edge of the woods.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:foraging:x7:1
# text = Deer were foraging at the edge of the woods.
1	Deer	deer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	foraging	forage	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	at	at	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	edge	edge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	woods	wood	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **forage** | past · progressive | Deer |  |  | the edge of the woods |  |  | vn rummage-35.5-1 «NP V PP.location PP.theme»: agent=Agent at edge=Location |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Then the cat went out foraging for wheat, so that the cock might have something to eat.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:foraging:x8:1
# text = Then the cat went out foraging for wheat, so that the cock might have something to eat.
1	Then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	4	advmod	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	cat	cat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	out	out	ADP	RP	_	4	compound:prt	_	_
6	foraging	forage	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	advcl	_	_
7	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	wheat	wheat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
10	so	so	SCONJ	IN	ExtPos=SCONJ	15	mark	_	_
11	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	10	fixed	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	cock	cock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nsubj	_	_
14	might	might	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	15	aux	_	_
15	have	have	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	conj	_	_
16	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	15	obj	_	_
17	to	to	PART	TO	_	18	mark	_	_
18	eat	eat	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	16	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go out** | past | the cat |  |  |  | then |  | vn interact-36.6 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **forage** | gerund | the cat *not said here* |  |  |  |  | for wheat | vn rummage-35.5-1 «NP V PP.location PP.theme»: agent=Agent for wheat=Theme |
| 3 | **have** | might | the cock | something |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Patient |
| 4 | **eat** | to-infinitive | the cock *not said here* | something *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

<!-- 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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