---
title: hippopotamus — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «hippopotamus» in the school dictionary: A hippopotamus is a very large, heavy African animal with thick grey skin, a huge mouth and short legs, which spends most of the day in rivers and lakes. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# hippopotamus

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** hippopotamus, short legs, People, Hippos, yawn, hippo · **What happens:** be, spend, call, wallow, not swim, walk · **To what, where:** large heavy African animal, most, rivers, it, hippopotamus, muddy river · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A hippopotamus is a very large, heavy African animal with thick grey skin, a huge mouth and short legs, which spends most of the day in rivers and lakes.

<!-- fold The tree, 29 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hippopotamus:m1:1
# text = A hippopotamus is a very large, heavy African animal with thick grey skin, a huge mouth and short legs, which spends most of the day in rivers and lakes.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	hippopotamus	hippopotamus	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
5	very	very	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	large	large	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
8	heavy	heavy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
9	African	African	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	animal	animal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
11	with	with	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
12	thick	thick	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
13	grey	grey	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	skin	skin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
17	huge	huge	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
18	mouth	mouth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	parataxis	_	_
19	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	21	cc	_	_
20	short	short	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	21	amod	_	_
21	legs	leg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	18	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	24	punct	_	_
23	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	24	nsubj	_	_
24	spends	spend	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	21	acl:relcl	_	_
25	most	most	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	24	obj	_	_
26	of	of	ADP	IN	_	28	case	_	_
27	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	28	det	_	_
28	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	25	nmod	_	_
29	in	in	ADP	IN	_	30	case	_	_
30	rivers	river	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	24	obl	_	_
31	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	32	cc	_	_
32	lakes	lake	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	30	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
33	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a hippopotamus | a large heavy African animal |  |  |  | with thick grey skin | tree rules |
| 2 | **spend** | present | short legs | most of the day |  | rivers and lakes |  |  | vn consume-66-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent most=Asset |

<!-- .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 -->
People usually call it a hippo for short.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hippopotamus:m2:1
# text = People usually call it a hippo for short.
1	People	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	usually	usually	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	call	call	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	obj	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	hippo	hippo	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	xcomp	_	_
7	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	short	short	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** | present | People | it |  |  |  | for short; usually *property* | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP PP.beneficiary»: agent=Agent it=Theme for short=Beneficiary |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The hippopotamus wallowed in the muddy river.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hippopotamus:x1:1
# text = The hippopotamus wallowed in the muddy river.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	hippopotamus	hippopotamus	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	wallowed	wallow	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	muddy	muddy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	river	river	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wallow** | participle |  | the hippopotamus *not said here* |  | the muddy river |  |  | vn marvel-31.3 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Hippos can't really swim; they walk along the river bottom.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hippopotamus:x2:1
# text = Hippos can't really swim; they walk along the river bottom.
1	Hippos	hippo	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
2	ca	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	5	advmod	_	_
4	really	really	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	swim	swim	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	8	punct	_	_
7	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	walk	walk	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
9	along	along	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	river	river	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	compound	_	_
12	bottom	bottom	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **swim** | can | Hippos |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **walk** | present | Hippos *= hippo* |  |  | the river bottom |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme along bottom=Trajectory |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A hippo's yawn shows its huge teeth.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hippopotamus:x3:1
# text = A hippo's yawn shows its huge teeth.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	hippo	hippo	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	yawn	yawn	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	shows	show	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
7	huge	huge	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	teeth	tooth	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **show** | present | a hippo's yawn | yawn's huge teeth |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent tooth=Recipient |
| 2 | **yawn** |  | a hippo |  |  |  |  |  | nom yawn «act intransitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The word «hippopotamus» means «river horse».

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hippopotamus:x4:1
# text = The word «hippopotamus» means «river horse».
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	hippopotamus	hippopotamus	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
6	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	river	river	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	horse	horse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | the word | river horse |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent horse=Topic |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Hippos come out at night to eat grass.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hippopotamus:x5:1
# text = Hippos come out at night to eat grass.
1	Hippos	hippo	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	come	come	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	out	out	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
4	at	at	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	night	night	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	eat	eat	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
8	grass	grass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come out** | present | Hippos |  |  |  | night | out *property* | vn become-109.1 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **eat** | to-infinitive | Hippos *not said here* | grass |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent grass=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Hippos are very dangerous if you get too close.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hippopotamus:x6:1
# text = Hippos are very dangerous if you get too close.
1	Hippos	hippo	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	very	very	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	dangerous	dangerous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
6	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	get	get	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	advcl	_	_
8	too	too	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	close	close	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Hippos |  |  |  |  | dangerous *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **get** *a condition, not said to happen* | present | you |  |  |  |  | close *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We saw a baby hippo at the zoo.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hippopotamus:x7:1
# text = We saw a baby hippo at the zoo.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	saw	see	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	baby	baby	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	hippo	hippo	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	at	at	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	zoo	zoo	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **see** | past | We | a baby hippo |  | the zoo |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer hippo=Stimulus |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Then, of course, no one expects hippopotamuses to jump.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hippopotamus:x8:1
# text = Then, of course, no one expects hippopotamuses to jump.
1	Then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	ExtPos=ADV	8	advmod	_	_
4	course	course	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	fixed	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
6	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	7	det	_	_
7	one	one	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
8	expects	expect	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	hippopotamuses	hippopotamus	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obj	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	jump	jump	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **expect** | present | no one | hippopotamuses |  |  | then |  | vn conjecture-29.5-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent hippopotamus=Theme |
| 2 | **jump** | to-infinitive | no one *not said here* | hippopotamuses *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- 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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