---
title: gnaw — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «gnaw» in the school dictionary: To gnaw means to bite or chew something again and again, especially something hard, like a dog with a bone or a mouse with wood. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# gnaw

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** worry, feeling, Beavers, rabbit, things, teeth · **What happens:** gnaw, mean, bite, chew, keep, bother · **To what, where:** something, you, dog, Mice, bag, trees · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«gnaw» in the school dictionary: its 2 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: [gnaw in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/gnaw.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To gnaw means to bite or chew something again and again, especially something hard, like a dog with a bone or a mouse with wood.

<!-- fold The tree, 25 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:gnaw:m1:1
# text = To gnaw means to bite or chew something again and again, especially something hard, like a dog with a bone or a mouse with wood.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	gnaw	gnaw	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	csubj	_	_
3	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	bite	bite	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	chew	chew	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	conj	_	_
8	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	7	obj	_	_
9	again	again	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	again	again	ADV	RB	_	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
13	especially	especially	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	_
14	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	7	conj	_	_
15	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
17	like	like	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
18	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	conj	_	_
20	with	with	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
21	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
22	bone	bone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	nmod	_	_
23	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	25	cc	_	_
24	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	25	det	_	_
25	mouse	mouse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	conj	_	_
26	with	with	ADP	IN	_	27	case	_	_
27	wood	wood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	25	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **gnaw** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn chew-39.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **bite** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn swat-18.2 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **chew** | infinitive |  | something |  |  | again |  | vn chew-39.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Patient |

<!-- .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 -->
If a worry or a feeling gnaws at you, it keeps bothering you for a long time.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:gnaw:m2:1
# text = If a worry or a feeling gnaws at you, it keeps bothering you for a long time.
1	If	if	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	worry	worry	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	feeling	feeling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	_
7	gnaws	gnaw	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	advcl	_	_
8	at	at	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
11	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
12	keeps	keep	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
13	bothering	bother	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	12	xcomp	_	_
14	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	13	obj	_	_
15	for	for	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
17	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
18	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	12	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **gnaw** *a condition, not said to happen* | present | a worry or a feeling |  |  |  |  | at you | vn chew-39.2 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent at you=Patient |
| 2 | **keep** | present | feeling |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **bother** | gerund | feeling *not said here* | you |  |  | time |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus you=Experiencer |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The dog gnawed on a bone under the table.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:gnaw:x1:1
# text = The dog gnawed on a bone under the table.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	gnawed	gnaw	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	bone	bone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	under	under	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	table	table	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **gnaw** | participle |  | the dog *not said here* |  |  |  | on a bone under the table | vn chew-39.2 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent on bone=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mice gnawed through the bag of rice.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:gnaw:x2:1
# text = Mice gnawed through the bag of rice.
1	Mice	mouse	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
2	gnawed	gnaw	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	1	acl	_	_
3	through	through	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	bag	bag	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	rice	rice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **gnaw** | participle |  | Mice *not said here* |  | the bag of rice |  |  | vn chew-39.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Beavers gnaw trees down to build dams.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:gnaw:x3:1
# text = Beavers gnaw trees down to build dams.
1	Beavers	beaver	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	gnaw	gnaw	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	trees	tree	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
4	down	down	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	build	build	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
7	dams	dam	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **gnaw down** | present | Beavers | trees |  |  |  | down *property* | vn chew-39.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent tree=Patient |
| 2 | **build** | to-infinitive | Beavers *not said here* | dams |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset dam=Product |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A rabbit needs things to gnaw so its teeth don't grow too long.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:gnaw:x4:1
# text = A rabbit needs things to gnaw so its teeth don't grow too long.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	rabbit	rabbit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	needs	need	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	gnaw	gnaw	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
7	so	so	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
8	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	teeth	tooth	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	nsubj	_	_
10	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	12	advmod	_	_
12	grow	grow	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
13	too	too	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	_
14	long	long	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	12	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **need** | present | a rabbit | things |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **gnaw** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | things *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn chew-39.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **not** **grow** | present · do-support | rabbit's teeth |  |  |  |  | long *property* | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Guilt gnawed at Sam after he broke the window.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:gnaw:x5:1
# text = Guilt gnawed at Sam after he broke the window.
1	Guilt	guilt	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	gnawed	gnaw	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
3	at	at	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	Sam	Sam	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
5	after	after	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
6	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	broke	break	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	window	window	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **gnaw** | participle | Guilt |  |  |  |  | at Sam | vn chew-39.2 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent at sam=Patient |
| 2 | **break** | past | Guilt | the window |  |  |  |  | vn hurt-40.8.3-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer window=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He felt a gnawing hunger on the long walk.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:gnaw:x6:1
# text = He felt a gnawing hunger on the long walk.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	felt	feel	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	gnawing	gnaw	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	amod	_	_
5	hunger	hunger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	walk	walk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **feel** | past | He | a gnawing hunger |  | the long walk |  |  | vn hunt-35.1 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent hunger=Theme on walk=Location |
| 2 | **gnaw** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn chew-39.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Don't gnaw your pencil!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:gnaw:x7:1
# text = Don't gnaw your pencil!
1	Do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	gnaw	gnaw	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	pencil	pencil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **gnaw** | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* | your pencil |  |  |  |  | vn chew-39.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent pencil=Patient |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The witch returned and began gnawing the oak again.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:gnaw:x8:1
# text = The witch returned and began gnawing the oak again.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	witch	witch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	returned	return	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	began	begin	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
6	gnawing	gnaw	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	xcomp	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	oak	oak	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	again	again	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **return** | past | the witch |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **begin** | past | the witch *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 3 | **gnaw** | gerund | the witch *not said here* | the oak |  |  | again |  | vn chew-39.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent oak=Patient |

<!-- 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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