---
title: hiccup — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «hiccup» in the school dictionary: A hiccup is a sudden, short "hic" sound you make when a muscle under your lungs jumps by itself. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# hiccup

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** hiccup, sudden short hic, you, muscle, Hiccups, our · **What happens:** be, sound, make, jump, have, plan · **To what, where:** sudden short hic, many, small problem, hiccups, fizzy pop, breath

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A hiccup is a sudden, short "hic" sound you make when a muscle under your lungs jumps by itself.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hiccup:m1:1
# text = A hiccup is a sudden, short "hic" sound you make when a muscle under your lungs jumps by itself.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	hiccup	hiccup	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
5	sudden	sudden	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
7	short	short	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
8	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	hic	hic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	9	punct	_	_
11	sound	sound	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	acl:relcl	_	_
12	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
13	make	make	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	conj	_	_
14	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	20	mark	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	muscle	muscle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	nsubj	_	_
17	under	under	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
18	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	19	nmod:poss	_	_
19	lungs	lung	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	nmod	_	_
20	jumps	jump	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	advcl	_	_
21	by	by	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
22	itself	itself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	20	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** *in a quote* | present | a hiccup | a sudden short hic |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **sound** | present | a sudden short hic *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Stimulus |
| 3 | **make** | present | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **jump** | present | a muscle under your lungs |  |  |  |  | by muscle | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme by itself=Trajectory |

<!-- .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 -->
Hiccups (or the hiccups) is having many of these one after another.

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hiccup:m2:1
# text = Hiccups (or the hiccups) is having many of these one after another.
1	Hiccups	hiccup	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
2	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	hiccups	hiccup	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	5	punct	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
8	having	have	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
9	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	obj	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	these	this	DET	DT	Number=Plur|PronType=Dem	12	det	_	_
12	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	9	nmod	_	_
13	after	after	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	another	another	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	12	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present · progressive | Hiccups | many of this one after another |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent many=Patient |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A hiccup is a small problem or delay.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hiccup:m3:1
# text = A hiccup is a small problem or delay.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	hiccup	hiccup	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	problem	problem	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	delay	delay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a hiccup | a small problem or delay |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- .note -->
The example in this meaning, parsed on its own:

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"a small hiccup in our plans".

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hiccup:m3e:1
# text = "a small hiccup in our plans".
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	hiccup	hiccup	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	plans	plan	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **plan** *in a quote* |  | our |  |  |  |  |  | nom plan «cognition transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I got the hiccups after drinking fizzy pop too fast.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hiccup:x1:1
# text = I got the hiccups after drinking fizzy pop too fast.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	got	get	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	hiccups	hiccup	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	after	after	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
6	drinking	drink	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
7	fizzy	fizzy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	pop	pop	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	too	too	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
10	fast	fast	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** | past | I | the hiccups |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer hiccup=Stimulus |
| 2 | **drink** | gerund | I *not said here* | fizzy pop |  |  |  | fast *property* | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent pop=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Hold your breath to stop your hiccups.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hiccup:x2:1
# text = Hold your breath to stop your hiccups.
1	Hold	hold	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	breath	breath	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	stop	stop	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	advcl	_	_
6	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	hiccups	hiccup	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hold** | imperative | you *not said here* | your breath |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent breath=Theme |
| 2 | **stop** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* | your hiccups |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V NP.eventuality»: agent=Subeventuality hiccup=Eventuality |
| 3 | **hiccup** |  | your |  |  |  |  |  | nom hiccup «state intransitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The baby hiccuped after her milk.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hiccup:x3:1
# text = The baby hiccuped after her milk.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	baby	baby	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	hiccuped	hiccup	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	after	after	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	milk	milk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hiccup** | past | the baby |  |  |  | after baby's milk |  | vn hiccup-40.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"Hic!" went the hiccup in the middle of the quiet test.

<!-- fold The tree, 11 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hiccup:x4:1
# text = "Hic!" went the hiccup in the middle of the quiet test.
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Hic	hic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
5	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	hiccup	hiccup	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	middle	middle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
11	of	of	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	quiet	quiet	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	test	test	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go** | past | Hic | the hiccup |  | the middle of the quiet test |  |  | vn meander-47.7 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location hiccup=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
There was a small hiccup: the bus was late.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hiccup:x5:1
# text = There was a small hiccup: the bus was late.
1	There	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	2	expl	_	_
2	was	be	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	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	hiccup	hiccup	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	10	punct	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	bus	bus	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
9	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
10	late	late	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **be** | past | a small hiccup |  |  | there |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | past | the bus |  |  |  |  | late *property* | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Apart from one hiccup, the play went perfectly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hiccup:x6:1
# text = Apart from one hiccup, the play went perfectly.
1	Apart	apart	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
2	from	from	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	4	nummod	_	_
4	hiccup	hiccup	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	play	play	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
8	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	perfectly	perfectly	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go** | past | the play |  |  | one hiccup |  | apart, perfectly *property* | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Theme from hiccup=Initial\_Location |

<!-- 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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