---
title: frail — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «frail» in the school dictionary: Frail means weak and easily hurt, often because of old age or illness. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# frail

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Frail, great grandmother, He, you, people, baby bird · **What happens:** mean, hurt, break, be, walk, look · **To what, where:** frail, frail old bridge, wind, seat, bus · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«frail» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 6 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: [frail in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/frail.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Frail means weak and easily hurt, often because of old age or illness.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:frail:m1:1
# text = Frail means weak and easily hurt, often because of old age or illness.
1	Frail	frail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	weak	weak	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
5	easily	easily	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	hurt	hurt	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
8	often	often	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
9	because	because	ADP	IN	ExtPos=ADP	12	case	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	fixed	_	_
11	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	age	age	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
13	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	illness	illness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Frail |  |  |  | because old age or illness | weak *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **hurt** | participle | Frail *not said here* |  |  |  |  | easily *property* | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |

<!-- .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 -->
Frail means easily broken, delicate.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:frail:m2:1
# text = Frail means easily broken, delicate.
1	Frail	frail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	easily	easily	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	broken	break	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
6	delicate	delicate	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Frail |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **break** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | easily *property* | vn hurt-40.8.3-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My great-grandmother is frail and walks with a stick.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:frail:x1:1
# text = My great-grandmother is frail and walks with a stick.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
2	great	great	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	grandmother	grandmother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
6	frail	frail	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	walks	walk	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	conj	_	_
9	with	with	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	stick	stick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | My great grandmother |  |  |  |  | frail *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **walk** | present | My great grandmother *not said here* |  |  |  |  | with a stick | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He looked frail after his long illness.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:frail:x2:1
# text = He looked frail after his long illness.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	looked	look	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	frail	frail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	after	after	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
6	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	illness	illness	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 | **look** | past | He | frail |  |  | after his long illness |  | vn seem-109-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme frail=Attribute |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Be gentle with frail people; they can fall easily.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:frail:x3:1
# text = Be gentle with frail people; they can fall easily.
1	Be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	cop	_	_
2	gentle	gentle	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
3	with	with	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	frail	frail	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	9	punct	_	_
7	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
8	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
9	fall	fall	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	parataxis	_	_
10	easily	easily	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | with frail people; gentle *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **fall** | can | people |  |  |  |  | easily *property* | vn occur-48.3 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The frail old bridge wobbled in the wind.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:frail:x4:1
# text = The frail old bridge wobbled in the wind.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
2	frail	frail	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
3	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	bridge	bridge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	wobbled	wobble	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	acl	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	wind	wind	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 | **wobble** | participle |  | the frail old bridge *not said here* |  | the wind |  |  | vn modes\_of\_being\_with\_motion-47.3 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in wind=Location |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Offer your seat to someone frail on the bus.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:frail:x5:1
# text = Offer your seat to someone frail on the bus.
1	Offer	offer	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
3	seat	seat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	to	to	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	6	compound	_	_
6	frail	frail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
7	on	on	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	bus	bus	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **offer** | imperative | you *not said here* | your seat |  | the bus |  | to someone frail *goal* | vn future\_having-13.3 «NP V NP PP.goal»: agent=Agent seat=Theme to frail=Goal |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The baby bird was tiny and frail.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:frail:x6:1
# text = The baby bird was tiny and frail.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	baby	baby	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	bird	bird	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	tiny	tiny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	frail	frail	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the baby bird |  |  |  |  | tiny *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **be** |  | the baby bird *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

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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.

<!-- /div -->

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