---
title: limerick — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «limerick» in the school dictionary: A limerick is a short, funny poem of five lines, with lines 1, 2 and 5 rhyming together and lines 3 and 4 rhyming together (AABBA). Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# limerick

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** limerick, lines, cat, dream, Edward Lear, rhyme scheme · **What happens:** be, rhyme, eat, wake, find, come · **To what, where:** short funny poem, city, shoe, many limericks, five lines, AABBA · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«limerick» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 6 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: [limerick in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/limerick.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A limerick is a short, funny poem of five lines, with lines 1, 2 and 5 rhyming together and lines 3 and 4 rhyming together (AABBA).

<!-- fold The tree, 26 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:limerick:m1:1
# text = A limerick is a short, funny poem of five lines, with lines 1, 2 and 5 rhyming together and lines 3 and 4 rhyming together (AABBA).
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	limerick	limerick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
5	short	short	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
7	funny	funny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	poem	poem	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	five	five	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	11	nummod	_	_
11	lines	line	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
13	with	with	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	lines	line	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	nmod	_	_
15	1	1	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	14	flat	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
17	2	2	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	15	conj	_	_
18	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
19	5	5	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	15	conj	_	_
20	rhyming	rhyme	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	14	acl	_	_
21	together	together	ADV	RB	_	20	advmod	_	_
22	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	23	cc	_	_
23	lines	line	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	conj	_	_
24	3	3	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	23	flat	_	_
25	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	26	cc	_	_
26	4	4	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	24	conj	_	_
27	rhyming	rhyme	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	23	acl	_	_
28	together	together	ADV	RB	_	27	advmod	_	_
29	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	30	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
30	AABBA	AABBA	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
31	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	30	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
32	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a limerick | a short funny poem |  |  |  | of five lines with lines and lines | tree rules |
| 2 | **rhyme** | gerund | lines *not said here* |  |  |  |  | together *property* | vn amalgamate-22.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Patient |
| 3 | **rhyme** | gerund | lines *not said here* |  |  |  |  | together *property* | vn amalgamate-22.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Patient |

<!-- .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}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Limerick is a city and county in Ireland.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:limerick:m2:1
# text = Limerick is a city and county in Ireland.
1	Limerick	Limerick	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	city	city	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	county	county	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	Ireland	Ireland	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Limerick | a city and county in Ireland |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
There once was a cat from Peru, / who dreamed he was eating a shoe. / He woke with a fright, / in the middle of the night, / and found that his dream had come true.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* There once was a cat from Peru, / who dreamed he was eating a shoe.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:limerick:x1:1
# text = There once was a cat from Peru, / who dreamed he was eating a shoe.
1	There	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	3	expl	_	_
2	once	once	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Mult	3	advmod	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	cat	cat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
6	from	from	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	Peru	Peru	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
9	/	/	SYM	,	_	11	cc	_	_
10	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	11	nsubj	_	_
11	dreamed	dream	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
12	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
13	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	14	aux	_	_
14	eating	eat	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	11	ccomp	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	shoe	shoe	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past |  |  |  |  |  | dream *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **eat** | past · progressive | cat | a shoe |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent shoe=Patient |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* / He woke with a fright, / in the middle of the night, / and found that his dream had come true.

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:limerick:x1:2
# text = / He woke with a fright, / in the middle of the night, / and found that his dream had come true.
1	/	/	SYM	,	_	3	cc	_	_
2	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	woke	wake	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	fright	fright	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
8	/	/	SYM	,	_	11	cc	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	middle	middle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
12	of	of	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	night	night	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
16	/	/	SYM	,	_	18	cc	_	_
17	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
18	found	find	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
19	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	23	mark	_	_
20	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	21	nmod:poss	_	_
21	dream	dream	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	23	nsubj	_	_
22	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	23	aux	_	_
23	come	come	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	18	ccomp	_	_
24	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	23	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wake** | past | cat |  |  |  |  | with a fright in the middle of the night | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP PP.instrument»: agent=Agent with fright=Instrument |
| 2 | **find** | past | cat *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn declare-29.4-1-1 «NP V what S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 3 | **come** | past · perfect | cat's dream |  |  |  |  | true *property* | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **dream** |  | cat |  |  |  |  |  | nom dream «cognition transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Edward Lear wrote many limericks.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:limerick:x2:1
# text = Edward Lear wrote many limericks.
1	Edward	Edward	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	Lear	Lear	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	wrote	write	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	limericks	limerick	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write** | past | Edward Lear | many limericks |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent limerick=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A limerick has five lines.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:limerick:x3:1
# text = A limerick has five lines.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	limerick	limerick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	five	five	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	lines	line	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The rhyme scheme of a limerick is AABBA.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:limerick:x4:1
# text = The rhyme scheme of a limerick is AABBA.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	rhyme	rhyme	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	scheme	scheme	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	limerick	limerick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
8	AABBA	AABBA	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the rhyme scheme of a limerick | AABBA |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **scheme** |  |  | a limerick |  |  |  |  | nom scheme «cognition transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Our class wrote limericks about our pets.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:limerick:x5:1
# text = Our class wrote limericks about our pets.
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	wrote	write	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	limericks	limerick	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	about	about	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	pets	pet	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **write** | past | Our class | limericks |  |  |  | about our pets | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent limerick=Recipient about pet=Topic |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Limerick is a city in Ireland on the River Shannon.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:limerick:x6:1
# text = Limerick is a city in Ireland on the River Shannon.
1	Limerick	Limerick	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	city	city	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	Ireland	Ireland	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
7	on	on	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	River	River	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	Shannon	Shannon	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Limerick | a city |  | Ireland |  | on the River Shannon | 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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