---
title: hairball — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «hairball» in the school dictionary: A ball of hair that forms in the stomach of an animal, especially a cat, after it licks its fur, and is then coughed up. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# hairball

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** ball, cat, Brushing, haired cats, Dad, vet · **What happens:** form, lick, cough up, brush, help, stop · **To what, where:** stomach, fur, hairball, rug, cat, hairballs

<!-- .vabout -->
«hairball» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 5 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: [hairball in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/hairball.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A ball of hair that forms in the stomach of an animal, especially a cat, after it licks its fur, and is then coughed up.

<!-- fold The tree, 25 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hairball:m1:1
# text = A ball of hair that forms in the stomach of an animal, especially a cat, after it licks its fur, and is then coughed up.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	ball	ball	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	hair	hair	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
5	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	6	nsubj	_	_
6	forms	form	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	stomach	stomach	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	animal	animal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
14	especially	especially	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	cat	cat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	20	punct	_	_
18	after	after	SCONJ	IN	_	20	mark	_	_
19	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	20	nsubj	_	_
20	licks	lick	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	parataxis	_	_
21	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	22	nmod:poss	_	_
22	fur	fur	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	27	punct	_	_
24	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	27	cc	_	_
25	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	27	aux:pass	_	_
26	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	27	advmod	_	_
27	coughed	cough	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	20	conj	_	_
28	up	up	ADP	RP	_	27	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **form** | present | a ball of hair |  |  | the stomach of a animal |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in stomach=Location |
| 2 | **lick** | present | ball | ball's fur |  |  |  |  | vn wipe\_manner-10.4.1-1 «NP V NP.source»: agent=Agent fur=Source |
| 3 | **cough up** | present · passive | ball *not said here* |  |  |  | then |  | vn breathe-40.1.2-1 «NP V» |

<!-- .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 tangle of hair, for example in a hairbrush or plughole.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hairball:m2:1
# text = A tangle of hair, for example in a hairbrush or plughole.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	tangle	tangle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	hair	hair	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	example	example	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	hairbrush	hairbrush	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	_
11	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	plughole	plughole	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The cat coughed up a hairball on the rug.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hairball:x1:1
# text = The cat coughed up a hairball on the rug.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	cat	cat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	coughed	cough	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	up	up	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	hairball	hairball	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	on	on	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	rug	rug	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cough up** | past | the cat | a hairball |  | the rug |  |  | vn breathe-40.1.2-1 «NP V NP.theme PP.destination»: agent=Agent hairball=Theme on rug=Destination |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Brushing your cat helps stop hairballs.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hairball:x2:1
# text = Brushing your cat helps stop hairballs.
1	Brushing	brush	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	csubj	_	_
2	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
3	cat	cat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	helps	help	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	stop	stop	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
6	hairballs	hairball	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **brush** | gerund |  |  | your cat |  |  |  | vn spray-9.7-1 «NP V NP.destination»: agent=Agent cat=Destination |
| 2 | **help** | present | Brushing |  |  |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 3 | **stop** | infinitive | Brushing *not said here* | hairballs |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V NP.eventuality»: agent=Subeventuality hairball=Eventuality |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Long-haired cats get more hairballs.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hairball:x3:1
# text = Long-haired cats get more hairballs.
1	Long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	1	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	haired	haired	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	cats	cat	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
5	get	get	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	7	amod	_	_
7	hairballs	hairball	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** | present | haired cats | more hairballs |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer hairball=Stimulus |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dad pulled a huge hairball out of the shower drain.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hairball:x4:1
# text = Dad pulled a huge hairball out of the shower drain.
1	Dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	pulled	pull	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	huge	huge	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	hairball	hairball	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	out	out	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	shower	shower	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	drain	drain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pull** | past | Dad | a huge hairball |  | the shower drain |  |  | vn carry-11.4 «NP V NP PP.initial\_location»: agent=Agent hairball=Theme out drain=Initial\_Location |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The vet gave us food that reduces hairballs.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hairball:x5:1
# text = The vet gave us food that reduces hairballs.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	vet	vet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	gave	give	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	iobj	_	_
5	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	reduces	reduce	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	hairballs	hairball	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | past | the vet | food | us |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent we=Recipient food=Theme |
| 2 | **reduce** | present | food | hairballs |  |  |  |  | vn limit-76 «NP V NP»: agent=Causer hairball=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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