---
title: holdfast — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «holdfast» in the school dictionary: The root-like part at the bottom of seaweed that holds it tightly to rocks. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# holdfast

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** bottom, hook, Something, holdfast, it, Storms · **What happens:** hold, hold on, stick, not be, not take in, tear · **To what, where:** part, something, root, water, kelp, holdfast

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The root-like part at the bottom of seaweed that holds it tightly to rocks.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:holdfast:m1:1
# text = The root-like part at the bottom of seaweed that holds it tightly to rocks.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
2	root	root	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	like	like	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	part	part	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
6	at	at	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	bottom	bottom	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	seaweed	seaweed	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	_
11	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	12	nsubj	_	_
12	holds	hold	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	acl:relcl	_	_
13	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	obj	_	_
14	tightly	tightly	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	_
15	to	to	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
16	rocks	rock	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hold** | present | the bottom of seaweed | part |  |  |  |  | vn conjecture-29.5 «NP V NP to be NP»: agent=Agent it=Theme rock=Eventuality |

<!-- .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 -->
A clamp or hook that holds something firmly, for example to a workbench or wall.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:holdfast:m2:1
# text = A clamp or hook that holds something firmly, for example to a workbench or wall.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	clamp	clamp	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	hook	hook	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	6	nsubj	_	_
6	holds	hold	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	acl:relcl	_	_
7	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	6	obj	_	_
8	firmly	firmly	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
10	for	for	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	example	example	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
12	to	to	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	workbench	workbench	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
15	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
16	wall	wall	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hold** | present | hook | something |  |  |  | for example; to a workbench or wall; firmly *property* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Theme |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Something you can hold on to firmly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:holdfast:m3:1
# text = Something you can hold on to firmly.
1	Something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	4	nsubj	_	_
2	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	hold	hold	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	RP	_	4	compound:prt	_	_
6	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	firmly	firmly	ADV	RB	_	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hold on** | can | Something |  |  |  |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The seaweed's holdfast stuck tightly to the rock.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:holdfast:x1:1
# text = The seaweed's holdfast stuck tightly to the rock.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	seaweed	seaweed	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	holdfast	holdfast	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	stuck	stick	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	tightly	tightly	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	rock	rock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stick** | past | the seaweed's holdfast |  |  |  |  | to the rock; tightly *property* | vn shake-22.3-2 «NP V NP PP»: agent=Agent to rock=Co-Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A holdfast is not a root, because it does not take in water.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:holdfast:x2:1
# text = A holdfast is not a root, because it does not take in water.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	holdfast	holdfast	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	6	advmod	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	root	root	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
8	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
10	does	do	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	aux	_	_
11	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	12	advmod	_	_
12	take	take	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	conj	_	_
13	in	in	ADP	RP	_	12	compound:prt	_	_
14	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **is a** | present | a holdfast | a root |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **take in** | present · do-support | it | water |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent water=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Storms can tear kelp from its holdfast.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:holdfast:x3:1
# text = Storms can tear kelp from its holdfast.
1	Storms	storm	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	tear	tear	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	kelp	kelp	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
5	from	from	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	holdfast	holdfast	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tear** | can | Storms | kelp |  |  |  | from kelp's holdfast | vn split-23.2 «NP V NP PP.co-patient»: agent=Agent kelp=Patient from holdfast=Co-Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The carpenter used a holdfast to clamp the wood to the bench.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:holdfast:x4:1
# text = The carpenter used a holdfast to clamp the wood to the bench.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	carpenter	carpenter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	used	use	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	holdfast	holdfast	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	clamp	clamp	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	wood	wood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
10	to	to	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	bench	bench	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | past | the carpenter | a holdfast |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent holdfast=Patient |
| 2 | **clamp** | to-infinitive | the carpenter *not said here* | the wood |  |  |  | to the bench | vn tape-22.4 «NP V NP PP.co-patient»: agent=Agent wood=Patient to bench=Co-Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Tiny crabs hide inside kelp holdfasts.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:holdfast:x5:1
# text = Tiny crabs hide inside kelp holdfasts.
1	Tiny	tiny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	crabs	crab	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	hide	hide	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	inside	inside	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	kelp	kelp	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	holdfasts	holdfast	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hide** | present | Tiny crabs |  |  | kelp holdfasts |  |  | vn concealment-16-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent inside holdfast=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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