---
title: kneel — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «kneel» in the school dictionary: To kneel is to go down or stay with one or both knees on the ground. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# kneel

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** She, you, they, We, children, lovers · **What happens:** kneel, be, stay, kneel down, tie, check · **To what, where:** shoelace, knight, grass, church

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To kneel is to go down or stay with one or both knees on the ground.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:kneel:m1:1
# text = To kneel is to go down or stay with one or both knees on the ground.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	kneel	kneel	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	csubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	go	go	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	down	down	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	stay	stay	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	conj	_	_
9	with	with	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	8	obl	_	_
11	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
12	both	both	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	13	det	_	_
13	knees	knee	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	conj	_	_
14	on	on	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	ground	ground	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **kneel** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | down, go *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **stay** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | with one or both knees on the ground | vn lodge-46 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme with one=Location |

<!-- .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.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She knelt down to tie her shoelace.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:kneel:x1:1
# text = She knelt down to tie her shoelace.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	knelt	kneel	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	down	down	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	tie	tie	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
6	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	shoelace	shoelace	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **kneel down** | past | She |  |  |  |  | down *property* | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **tie** | to-infinitive | She *not said here* | her shoelace |  |  |  |  | vn mix-22.1-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent shoelace=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Kneel beside the person and check if they are breathing.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:kneel:x2:1
# text = Kneel beside the person and check if they are breathing.
1	Kneel	kneel	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	beside	beside	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	check	check	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	1	conj	_	_
7	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
8	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
9	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
10	breathing	breathe	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	6	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **kneel** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | beside the person | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent beside person=Location |
| 2 | **check** | infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn assessment-34.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **breathe** *a condition, not said to happen* | present · progressive | they |  |  |  |  |  | vn breathe-40.1.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The knight knelt before the queen.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:kneel:x3:1
# text = The knight knelt before the queen.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	knight	knight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	knelt	kneel	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	before	before	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	queen	queen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **kneel** | participle |  | the knight *not said here* |  |  | before the queen |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent before queen=Location |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We knelt on the grass to look at the ants.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:kneel:x4:1
# text = We knelt on the grass to look at the ants.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	knelt	kneel	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	on	on	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	grass	grass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	look	look	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
8	at	at	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	ants	ant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **kneel** | past | We |  |  | the grass |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent on grass=Location |
| 2 | **look** | to-infinitive | We *not said here* |  |  |  |  | at the ants | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent at ant=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grandma kneels on a cushion when she gardens.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:kneel:x5:1
# text = Grandma kneels on a cushion when she gardens.
1	Grandma	grandma	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	kneels	kneel	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
3	on	on	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	cushion	cushion	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	8	advmod	_	_
7	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	gardens	garden	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **garden** |  | she |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The children knelt to pray in the church.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:kneel:x6:1
# text = The children knelt to pray in the church.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	children	child	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	knelt	kneel	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	pray	pray	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	church	church	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **kneel** | past | the children |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **pray** | to-infinitive | the children *not said here* |  |  | the church |  |  | vn long-32.2 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Pivot |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Now the lovers kneel down, and one of them sings:

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:kneel:x7:1
# text = Now the lovers kneel down, and one of them sings:
1	Now	now	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	4	advmod	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	lovers	lover	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	kneel	kneel	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	advcl	_	_
5	down	down	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
8	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	11	nsubj	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nmod	_	_
11	sings	sing	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **kneel down** | present | the lovers |  |  |  | now | down *property* | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **sing** *speech: express* | present | one of lovers |  |  |  |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

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**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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