---
title: frayed — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «frayed» in the school dictionary: Frayed cloth or rope has loose threads at the edge because it is old or worn. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# frayed

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Frayed cloth, edge, people, you, that, cable · **What happens:** fray, have, be, wear out, get, not use · **To what, where:** loose threads, edge, Frayed nerves, jeans, bottom, cable

<!-- .vabout -->
«frayed» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 9 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: [frayed in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/frayed.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Frayed cloth or rope has loose threads at the edge because it is old or worn.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:frayed:m1:1
# text = Frayed cloth or rope has loose threads at the edge because it is old or worn.
1	Frayed	fray	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	amod	_	_
2	cloth	cloth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	rope	rope	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
5	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	loose	loose	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	threads	thread	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	_
8	at	at	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	edge	edge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	_
11	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	14	mark	_	_
12	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
13	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	cop	_	_
14	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	advcl	_	_
15	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
16	worn	worn	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fray** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **have** | present | Frayed cloth or rope | loose threads |  | the edge |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent thread=Patient |
| 3 | **is** | present | edge |  |  |  |  | old *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **be** |  | edge *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | 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 -->
Frayed nerves or tempers are worn out, so people get upset easily.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:frayed:m2:1
# text = Frayed nerves or tempers are worn out, so people get upset easily.
1	Frayed	fray	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	amod	_	_
2	nerves	nerve	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	tempers	temper	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	conj	_	_
5	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux:pass	_	_
6	worn	wear	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
7	out	out	ADP	RP	_	6	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
9	so	so	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
10	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	nsubj	_	_
11	get	get	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	conj	_	_
12	upset	upset	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	xcomp	_	_
13	easily	easily	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fray** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **wear out** | present · passive |  | Frayed nerves or tempers |  |  |  |  | vn wipe\_manner-10.4.1-1 «NP V NP.source»: subject=Source |
| 3 | **get** | present | people |  |  |  |  | easily, upset *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My jeans are frayed at the bottom.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:frayed:x1:1
# text = My jeans are frayed at the bottom.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	jeans	jeans	NOUN	NNS	Number=Ptan	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	frayed	fray	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	at	at	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	bottom	bottom	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fray** | present · passive |  | My jeans |  | the bottom |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: subject=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Don't use that frayed cable — it's dangerous.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:frayed:x2:1
# text = Don't use that frayed cable — it's dangerous.
1	Do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	use	use	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	5	nsubj	_	_
5	frayed	fray	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	ccomp	_	_
6	cable	cable	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
7	—	-	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
10	dangerous	dangerous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **use** | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **fray** | past | that | cable |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent cable=Patient |
| 3 | **is** | present | cable |  |  |  |  | dangerous *property* | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The old rope was badly frayed.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:frayed:x3:1
# text = The old rope was badly frayed.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	rope	rope	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux:pass	_	_
5	badly	badly	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	6	advmod	_	_
6	frayed	fray	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Her shoelace was frayed and finally snapped.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:frayed:x4:1
# text = Her shoelace was frayed and finally snapped.
1	Her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	shoelace	shoelace	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	frayed	fray	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
6	finally	finally	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	snapped	snap	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fray** | past · passive |  | Her shoelace |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: subject=Patient |
| 2 | **snap** | past |  |  |  |  |  | finally *property* | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
After hours of waiting, tempers frayed.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:frayed:x5:1
# text = After hours of waiting, tempers frayed.
1	After	after	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	hours	hour	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	waiting	waiting	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
6	tempers	temper	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
7	frayed	fray	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fray** | past | tempers |  |  |  | hour |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The flag had frayed in the wind.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:frayed:x6:1
# text = The flag had frayed in the wind.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	flag	flag	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	frayed	fray	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	wind	wind	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The blanket's edges were frayed.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:frayed:x7:1
# text = The blanket's edges were frayed.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	blanket	blanket	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	edges	edge	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj:pass	_	_
5	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux:pass	_	_
6	frayed	fray	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Frayed wires can start a fire.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:frayed:x8:1
# text = Frayed wires can start a fire.
1	Frayed	fray	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	amod	_	_
2	wires	wire	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	start	start	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	fire	fire	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fray** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **start** | can | Frayed wires | a fire |  |  |  |  | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent fire=Eventuality |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The shirt-collar was rather frayed out at the edge, so the scissors came to cut off the threads.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:frayed:x9:1
# text = The shirt-collar was rather frayed out at the edge, so the scissors came to cut off the threads.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
2	shirt	shirt	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	collar	collar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj:pass	_	_
5	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux:pass	_	_
6	rather	rather	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	frayed	fray	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
8	out	out	ADP	RP	_	7	compound:prt	_	_
9	at	at	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	edge	edge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
13	so	so	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	scissors	scissors	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	nsubj	_	_
16	came	come	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	_
17	to	to	PART	TO	_	18	mark	_	_
18	cut	cut	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	16	xcomp	_	_
19	off	off	ADP	RP	_	18	compound:prt	_	_
20	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
21	threads	thread	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	18	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fray out** | past · passive |  | the shirt collar |  | the edge |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: subject=Patient |
| 2 | **come** | past | the scissors |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **cut off** | to-infinitive | the scissors *not said here* | the threads |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1 «NP V NP.eventuality»: agent=Affector thread=Eventuality |

<!-- 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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