---
title: hurdles — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «hurdles» in the school dictionary: Hurdles are a race in which runners jump over a row of light frames: the 100 metres hurdles. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# hurdles

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Hurdles, runners, 100 metres, hurdle, problem, She · **What happens:** be, jump, hurdle, get past, use, run · **To what, where:** race, one, last hurdle, movable fence panel, something, hurdles

<!-- .vabout -->
«hurdles» in the school dictionary: its 5 meanings for a pupil and its 7 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: [hurdles in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/hurdles.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Hurdles are a race in which runners jump over a row of light frames: the 100 metres hurdles.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hurdles:m1:1
# text = Hurdles are a race in which runners jump over a row of light frames: the 100 metres hurdles.
1	Hurdles	hurdle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	race	race	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	8	obl	_	_
7	runners	runner	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
8	jump	jump	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	acl:relcl	_	_
9	over	over	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	row	row	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
12	of	of	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	light	light	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	compound	_	_
14	frames	frame	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	19	punct	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
17	100	100	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	18	nummod	_	_
18	metres	metre	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	19	nsubj	_	_
19	hurdles	hurdle	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Hurdles | a race |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **jump** | present | runners |  |  | a race |  | over a row of light frames | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in which=Trajectory |
| 3 | **hurdle** | present | the 100 metres |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- .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 hurdle is one of those frames.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hurdles:m2:1
# text = A hurdle is one of those frames.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	hurdle	hurdle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	those	that	DET	DT	Number=Plur|PronType=Dem	7	det	_	_
7	frames	frame	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a hurdle | one |  |  |  | of that frames | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A problem or difficulty you must get past: the last hurdle before the holidays.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hurdles:m3:1
# text = A problem or difficulty you must get past: the last hurdle before the holidays.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	problem	problem	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	difficulty	difficulty	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
5	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
6	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
7	get	get	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
8	past	past	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	12	punct	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	last	last	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	hurdle	hurdle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
13	before	before	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	holidays	holiday	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get past** | must | a problem or difficulty | the last hurdle |  |  | before the holidays | past *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A movable fence panel of woven sticks, used to pen sheep.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hurdles:m4:1
# text = A movable fence panel of woven sticks, used to pen sheep.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
2	movable	movable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
3	fence	fence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	panel	panel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	woven	woven	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	sticks	stick	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
9	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	acl	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	12	mark	_	_
11	pen	pen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	compound	_	_
12	sheep	sheep	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obl:agent	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | participle |  | a movable fence panel of woven's sticks *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 5 {#m5}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
to jump over something while running.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hurdles:m5:1
# text = to jump over something while running.
1	to	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	jump	jump	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	over	over	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obl	_	_
5	while	while	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
6	running	run	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **jump** | to-infinitive |  |  |  | something |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme over something=Trajectory |
| 2 | **run** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She won the girls' hurdles on sports day.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hurdles:x1:1
# text = She won the girls' hurdles on sports day.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	won	win	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	girls	girl	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	'	's	PART	POS	_	4	case	_	_
6	hurdles	hurdle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
7	on	on	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	sports	sport	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	compound	_	_
9	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **win** | past | She | the girls's hurdles |  |  | day |  | vn succeed-74-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent hurdle=Eventuality |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He knocked over the last hurdle.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hurdles:x2:1
# text = He knocked over the last hurdle.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	knocked	knock	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	over	over	ADP	RP	_	2	compound:prt	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	last	last	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	hurdle	hurdle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **knock over** | past | He | the last hurdle |  |  |  |  | vn split-23.2 «NP V NP apart»: agent=Agent hurdle=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Learning to read was a big hurdle for him.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hurdles:x3:1
# text = Learning to read was a big hurdle for him.
1	Learning	learn	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	csubj	_	_
2	to	to	PART	TO	_	3	mark	_	_
3	read	read	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	xcomp	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	hurdle	hurdle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **learn** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn learn-14-2-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **read** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **is a** | past | Learning | a big hurdle |  |  |  | for him *= he* | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We cleared the first hurdle and got the money for the trip.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hurdles:x4:1
# text = We cleared the first hurdle and got the money for the trip.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	cleared	clear	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	first	first	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	5	amod	_	_
5	hurdle	hurdle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	got	get	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	money	money	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
10	for	for	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	trip	trip	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **clear** | past | We | the first hurdle |  |  |  |  | vn clear-10.3-1 «NP V NP.source»: agent=Agent hurdle=Source |
| 2 | **get** | past | We *not said here* | the money |  |  |  | for the trip | vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP PP.source»: agent=Agent money=Theme for trip=Source |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The farmer moved the hurdles to make a new sheep pen.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hurdles:x5:1
# text = The farmer moved the hurdles to make a new sheep pen.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	farmer	farmer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	moved	move	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	hurdles	hurdle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
9	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
10	sheep	sheep	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	compound	_	_
11	pen	pen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **move** | past | the farmer | the hurdles |  |  |  |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent hurdle=Theme |
| 2 | **make** | to-infinitive | the farmer *not said here* | a new sheep pen |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset pen=Product |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The horse jumped the hurdles easily.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hurdles:x6:1
# text = The horse jumped the hurdles easily.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	horse	horse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	jumped	jump	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	hurdles	hurdle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	easily	easily	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **jump** | past | the horse | the hurdles |  |  |  | easily *property* | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme hurdle=Trajectory |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Our class practised hurdles in PE.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:hurdles:x7:1
# text = Our class practised hurdles in PE.
1	Our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	class	class	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	practised	practise	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	hurdles	hurdle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	PE	PE	PROPN	NNP	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 | **practise** | past | Our class | hurdles |  | PE |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- 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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