---
title: ladder — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «ladder» in the school dictionary: A ladder is a piece of equipment for climbing up and down, with two long side pieces joined by steps called rungs. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# ladder

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** ladder, piece, steps, you, Dad, firefighter · **What happens:** be, climb up, join, call, move up, break · **To what, where:** piece, two long side pieces, rungs, series, levels, line · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«ladder» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 9 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: [ladder in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/ladder.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A ladder is a piece of equipment for climbing up and down, with two long side pieces joined by steps called rungs.

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ladder:m1:1
# text = A ladder is a piece of equipment for climbing up and down, with two long side pieces joined by steps called rungs.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	ladder	ladder	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	piece	piece	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	equipment	equipment	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
8	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
9	climbing	climb	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	acl	_	_
10	up	up	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	down	down	ADV	RB	_	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
14	with	with	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
15	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	18	nummod	_	_
16	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
17	side	side	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	compound	_	_
18	pieces	piece	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obl	_	_
19	joined	join	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	18	acl	_	_
20	by	by	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
21	steps	step	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	19	obl	_	_
22	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	21	acl	_	_
23	rungs	rung	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	22	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a ladder | a piece |  |  |  | of equipment | tree rules |
| 2 | **climb up** | gerund | a piece *not said here* |  |  |  |  | with two long side pieces | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **join** | participle |  | two long side pieces *not said here* |  |  |  | by steps | vn mix-22.1-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Patient |
| 4 | **call** | participle | steps *not said here* | rungs |  |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .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 ladder is a series of levels you can move up, like a career ladder.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ladder:m2:1
# text = A ladder is a series of levels you can move up, like a career ladder.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	ladder	ladder	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	series	series	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	levels	level	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	_
8	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
9	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
10	move	move	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	acl:relcl	_	_
11	up	up	ADP	RP	_	10	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
13	like	like	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
15	career	career	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	compound	_	_
16	ladder	ladder	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a ladder | a series |  |  |  | of levels | tree rules |
| 2 | **move up** | can | you | levels *not said here* |  |  |  | like a career ladder | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent level=Theme |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In British English, a ladder is a line of broken threads in tights (in the USA, a «run»).

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ladder:m3:1
# text = In British English, a ladder is a line of broken threads in tights (in the USA, a «run»).
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	British	British	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	English	English	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	ladder	ladder	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	line	line	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	broken	break	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	12	amod	_	_
12	threads	thread	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nmod	_	_
13	in	in	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	tights	tight	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	nmod	_	_
15	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	in	in	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	USA	USA	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	14	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	22	punct	_	_
20	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
21	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	22	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	run	run	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	22	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a ladder | a line |  | British English |  | of broken threads in tights | tree rules |
| 2 | **break** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn hurt-40.8.3-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dad climbed the ladder to clean the gutters.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ladder:x1:1
# text = Dad climbed the ladder to clean the gutters.
1	Dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	climbed	climb	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	ladder	ladder	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	clean	clean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	gutters	gutter	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **climb** | past | Dad | the ladder |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Initial\_Location ladder=Theme |
| 2 | **clean** | to-infinitive | Dad *not said here* | the gutters |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent gutter=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Hold the ladder steady for me.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ladder:x2:1
# text = Hold the ladder steady for me.
1	Hold	hold	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	ladder	ladder	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	steady	steady	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	xcomp	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hold** | imperative | you *not said here* | the ladder |  |  |  | steady *property* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent ladder=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The firefighter carried the child down the ladder.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ladder:x3:1
# text = The firefighter carried the child down the ladder.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	firefighter	firefighter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	carried	carry	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	child	child	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	down	down	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	ladder	ladder	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **carry** | past | the firefighter | the child |  |  |  | down the ladder | vn carry-11.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent child=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I landed on a ladder in Snakes and Ladders.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ladder:x4:1
# text = I landed on a ladder in Snakes and Ladders.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	landed	land	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	on	on	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	ladder	ladder	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	Snakes	snake	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	Ladders	ladder	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **land** | past | I |  |  | a ladder |  | in Snakes and Ladders | vn pocket-9.10-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent on ladder=Destination |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The treehouse has a rope ladder.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ladder:x5:1
# text = The treehouse has a rope ladder.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	treehouse	treehouse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	rope	rope	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	ladder	ladder	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | the treehouse | a rope ladder |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent ladder=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Don't walk under a ladder; something might fall on you.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ladder:x6:1
# text = Don't walk under a ladder; something might fall on you.
1	Do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	walk	walk	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	under	under	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	ladder	ladder	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	10	punct	_	_
8	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	10	nsubj	_	_
9	might	might	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
10	fall	fall	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
11	on	on	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **walk** | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* |  |  | a ladder |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme under ladder=Trajectory |
| 2 | **fall** | might | something |  |  |  |  | on you | vn occur-48.3 «NP V PP»: agent=Theme on you=Location |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My tights have a ladder in them.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ladder:x7:1
# text = My tights have a ladder in them.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	tights	tight	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	have	have	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	ladder	ladder	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | My tights | a ladder |  |  |  | in them *= they* | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent ladder=Patient |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She worked her way up the ladder to become head teacher.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ladder:x8:1
# text = She worked her way up the ladder to become head teacher.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	worked	work	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	up	up	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	ladder	ladder	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	become	become	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
10	head	head	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	compound	_	_
11	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **work** | past | She | her way |  |  |  | up the ladder | vn knead-26.5 «NP V NP.material»: agent=Agent way=Material |
| 2 | **become** | to-infinitive | She *not said here* | head teacher |  |  |  |  | vn become-109.1-1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Are you standing on a ladder?"

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ladder:x9:1
# text = Are you standing on a ladder?"
1	Are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
2	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	standing	stand	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	ladder	ladder	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stand** | present · progressive | you |  |  | a ladder |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent on ladder=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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