---
title: grabby — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «grabby» in the school dictionary: Grabby means wanting to grab or take things for yourself, often greedily. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# grabby

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Grabby, grabby person, grabby headline, baby, you, seagulls · **What happens:** mean, want, grab, take, touch, catch · **To what, where:** things, others, attention, turn, chips, you · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«grabby» in the school dictionary: its 3 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: [grabby in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/grabby.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grabby means wanting to grab or take things for yourself, often greedily.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:grabby:m1:1
# text = Grabby means wanting to grab or take things for yourself, often greedily.
1	Grabby	Grabby	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	wanting	want	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	ccomp	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	grab	grab	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	take	take	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	conj	_	_
8	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	_
9	for	for	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	yourself	yourself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=2|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
12	often	often	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
13	greedily	greedily	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Grabby |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **want** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | greedily *property* | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot clause=Theme |
| 3 | **grab** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn steal-10.5-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **take** | infinitive |  | things |  |  |  | for yourself | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP PP.beneficiary»: agent=Agent thing=Theme for yourself=Beneficiary |

<!-- .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}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A grabby person touches or grabs others too much.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:grabby:m2:1
# text = A grabby person touches or grabs others too much.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	grabby	grabby	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	touches	touch	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	grabs	grab	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
7	others	other	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	_
8	too	too	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	much	much	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **touch** | present | a grabby person |  |  |  |  |  | vn contiguous\_location-47.8-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **grab** | present | a grabby person *not said here* | others |  |  |  |  | vn steal-10.5-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent other=Theme |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A grabby headline or idea catches attention quickly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:grabby:m3:1
# text = A grabby headline or idea catches attention quickly.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	grabby	grabby	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	headline	headline	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	idea	idea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	_
6	catches	catch	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	attention	attention	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
8	quickly	quickly	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **catch** | present | a grabby headline or idea | attention |  |  |  | quickly *property* | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent attention=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The baby is very grabby with my hair.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:grabby:x1:1
# text = The baby is very grabby with my hair.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	baby	baby	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	very	very	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	grabby	grabby	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	hair	hair	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 | **is** | present | the baby |  |  |  |  | with my hair; grabby *property* | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Don't be grabby; wait your turn for a biscuit.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:grabby:x2:1
# text = Don't be grabby; wait your turn for a biscuit.
1	Do	do	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
3	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	cop	_	_
4	grabby	grabby	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
6	wait	wait	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	1	parataxis	_	_
7	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	turn	turn	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	for	for	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	biscuit	biscuit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **not** **is** | infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | grabby *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **wait** | infinitive |  | your turn |  |  |  | for a biscuit | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The seagulls got grabby when we opened the chips.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:grabby:x3:1
# text = The seagulls got grabby when we opened the chips.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	seagulls	seagull	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	got	get	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	grabby	grabby	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	xcomp	_	_
5	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	7	advmod	_	_
6	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	opened	open	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	chips	chip	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** | past | the seagulls |  |  |  |  | grabby *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **open** | past | we | the chips |  |  |  |  | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location chip=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My little cousin is grabby with everyone's toys.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:grabby:x4:1
# text = My little cousin is grabby with everyone's toys.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	cousin	cousin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	grabby	grabby	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	everyone	everyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	9	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	's	's	PART	POS	_	7	case	_	_
9	toys	toy	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | My little cousin |  |  |  |  | with everyone's toys; grabby *property* | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
That newspaper headline is a bit grabby.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:grabby:x5:1
# text = That newspaper headline is a bit grabby.
1	That	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	3	det	_	_
2	newspaper	newspaper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	headline	headline	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	bit	bit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl:unmarked	_	_
7	grabby	grabby	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | that newspaper headline |  |  |  |  | a bit *obl:unmarked*; grabby *property* | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
If someone is grabby and it makes you uncomfortable, tell a teacher.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:grabby:x6:1
# text = If someone is grabby and it makes you uncomfortable, tell a teacher.
1	If	if	SCONJ	IN	_	4	mark	_	_
2	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	grabby	grabby	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	advcl	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
6	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	makes	make	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
8	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
9	uncomfortable	uncomfortable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
11	tell	tell	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** *a condition, not said to happen* | present | someone |  |  |  |  | grabby *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **make** | present | it | you |  |  |  | uncomfortable *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.material V NP»: agent=Material you=Product |
| 3 | **tell** *speech: assert* | imperative | you *not said here* |  | a teacher |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent teacher=Recipient |

<!-- 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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