---
title: little — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «little» in the school dictionary: Little means small in size: a little house. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# little

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Little, some, we, little box, little sister, I · **What happens:** mean, milk, learn, hold, be, have · **To what, where:** little brother, small amount, much, 4 crayons, three, little more juice · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«little» in the school dictionary: its 5 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: [little in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/little.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Little means small in size: a little house.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:little:m1:1
# text = Little means small in size: a little house.
1	Little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	size	size	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	9	punct	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	house	house	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Little |  |  |  |  | small *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: 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 -->
Little means young: my little brother.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:little:m2:1
# text = Little means young: my little brother.
1	Little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	young	young	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	2	punct	_	_
5	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
6	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	brother	brother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Little | my little brother |  |  |  | young *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent brother=Topic |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«A little» means a small amount, some: a little milk.

<!-- fold The tree, 10 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:little:m3:1
# text = «A little» means a small amount, some: a little milk.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
5	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	amount	amount	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
10	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	14	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	14	punct	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	milk	milk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | a little | a small amount |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent amount=Topic |
| 2 | **milk** |  | some |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Little» without «a» means not much, almost none: little time.

<!-- fold The tree, 10 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:little:m4:1
# text = «Little» without «a» means not much, almost none: little time.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
4	without	without	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
8	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	10	advmod	_	_
10	much	much	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
12	almost	almost	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
13	none	none	PRON	NN	PronType=Neg	8	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	16	punct	_	_
15	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Little | much |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent much=Topic |

## Meaning 5 {#m5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
As an adverb, a little means slightly: a little tired.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:little:m5:1
# text = As an adverb, a little means slightly: a little tired.
1	As	as	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	adverb	adverb	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	nsubj	_	_
7	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	slightly	slightly	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	7	punct	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	obl:unmarked	_	_
12	tired	tired	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | a little |  |  |  |  | as a adverb; slightly, tired *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Agent as adverb=Attribute |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
First, a little revision of what we learned before …

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:little:x1:1
# text = First, a little revision of what we learned before …
1	First	first	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	revision	revision	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	5	nmod	_	_
8	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	learned	learn	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	acl:relcl	_	_
10	before	before	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
11	…	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **learn** | past | we |  |  |  |  | before *property* | vn learn-14-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A little box holds 4 crayons.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:little:x2:1
# text = A little box holds 4 crayons.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	box	box	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	holds	hold	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	4	4	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	6	nummod	_	_
6	crayons	crayon	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hold** | present | a little box | 4 crayons |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent crayon=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My little sister is three.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:little:x3:1
# text = My little sister is three.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	sister	sister	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	three	three	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | My little sister | three |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Can I have a little more juice?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:little:x4:1
# text = Can I have a little more juice?
1	Can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
2	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	have	have	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
5	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
6	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	7	amod	_	_
7	juice	juice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | can | I | a little more juice |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent juice=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
There is little water left in the bottle.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:little:x5:1
# text = There is little water left in the bottle.
1	There	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	2	expl	_	_
2	is	be	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
5	left	leave	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	acl	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	bottle	bottle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **be** | present | little water |  |  | there |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **leave** | participle |  | little water *not said here* |  |  |  | in the bottle *result* | vn become-109.1-1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient in bottle=Result |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I am a little tired after the race.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:little:x6:1
# text = I am a little tired after the race.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
2	am	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	obl:unmarked	_	_
5	tired	tired	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
6	after	after	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	race	race	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | I |  |  |  | after the race | a little *obl:unmarked*; tired *property* | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Little by little the snowman melted.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:little:x7:1
# text = Little by little the snowman melted.
1	Little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	nsubj	_	_
2	by	by	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
3	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	snowman	snowman	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nmod	_	_
6	melted	melt	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **melt** | past | Little by the little snowman |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4-1 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The three little pigs built three houses.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:little:x8:1
# text = The three little pigs built three houses.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
2	three	three	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	4	nummod	_	_
3	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	pigs	pig	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
5	built	build	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	three	three	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	7	nummod	_	_
7	houses	house	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **build** | past | the three little pigs | three houses |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent house=Product |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"I can!" said the little Rabbit.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:little:x9:1
# text = "I can!" said the little Rabbit.
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
6	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	Rabbit	Rabbit	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | the little Rabbit |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |

<!-- 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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