---
title: locust — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «locust» in the school dictionary: A large kind of grasshopper that sometimes gathers in huge swarms that fly far and eat all the crops. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# locust

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** that, huge swarms, Locusts, one, swarm, God · **What happens:** gather, fly, eat, be, plague, use · **To what, where:** huge swarms, crops, one, locusts, Egypt, whole field · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«locust» in the school dictionary: its 4 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: [locust in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/locust.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A large kind of grasshopper that sometimes gathers in huge swarms that fly far and eat all the crops.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:locust:m1:1
# text = A large kind of grasshopper that sometimes gathers in huge swarms that fly far and eat all the crops.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	large	large	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	kind	kind	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	grasshopper	grasshopper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	_
6	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	8	nsubj	_	_
7	sometimes	sometimes	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	8	advmod	_	_
8	gathers	gather	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	parataxis	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	huge	huge	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	swarms	swarm	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obl	_	_
12	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	13	nsubj	_	_
13	fly	fly	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	acl:relcl	_	_
14	far	far	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	13	advmod	_	_
15	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
16	eat	eat	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	13	conj	_	_
17	all	all	DET	PDT	PronType=Tot	19	det:predet	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	crops	crop	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **gather** | present | that |  |  | huge swarms |  | sometimes *property* | vn herd-47.5.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **fly** | present | huge swarms |  |  |  |  | far *property* | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **eat** | infinitive | huge swarms *not said here* | all crops |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent crop=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: Bible — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Locusts are one of the plagues of Egypt in the Book of Exodus; John the Baptist ate locusts and wild honey.

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:locust:m2:1
# text = Locusts are one of the plagues of Egypt in the Book of Exodus; John the Baptist ate locusts and wild honey.
1	Locusts	locust	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	18	nsubj	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	plagues	plague	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nmod	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	Egypt	Egypt	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	Book	Book	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	_
12	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	Exodus	Exodus	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	11	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	18	punct	_	_
15	John	John	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	18	nsubj	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	Baptist	Baptist	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	15	flat	_	_
18	ate	eat	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
19	locusts	locust	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	18	obj	_	_
20	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	22	cc	_	_
21	wild	wild	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	22	amod	_	_
22	honey	honey	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	18	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Locusts | one |  |  |  | of the plagues of Egypt in the Book of Exodus | tree rules |
| 2 | **eat** | past | one | locusts and wild honey |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent locust=Patient |
| 3 | **plague** |  |  | Egypt in the Book of Exodus |  |  |  |  | nom plague «state transitive»: of=patient |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Sometimes used for a cicada, a loud buzzing insect.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:locust:m3:1
# text = Sometimes used for a cicada, a loud buzzing insect.
1	Sometimes	sometimes	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	2	advmod	_	_
2	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
3	for	for	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	cicada	cicada	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
8	loud	loud	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
9	buzzing	buzzing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	insect	insect	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | for a cicada and a loud buzzing insect; sometimes *property* | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A kind of tree (the locust tree or carob).

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:locust:m4:1
# text = A kind of tree (the locust tree or carob).
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	kind	kind	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	tree	tree	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
5	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	locust	locust	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	tree	tree	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	appos	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	carob	carob	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A swarm of locusts can eat a whole field in one day.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:locust:x1:1
# text = A swarm of locusts can eat a whole field in one day.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	swarm	swarm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	locusts	locust	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nmod	_	_
5	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	eat	eat	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	whole	whole	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	field	field	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	12	nummod	_	_
12	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **eat** | can | a swarm of locusts | a whole field |  |  | day |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent field=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Locusts are a kind of grasshopper.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:locust:x2:1
# text = Locusts are a kind of grasshopper.
1	Locusts	locust	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	kind	kind	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	grasshopper	grasshopper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the Bible, God sent locusts to cover the land of Egypt.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:locust:x3:1
# text = In the Bible, God sent locusts to cover the land of Egypt.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	Bible	Bible	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	God	God	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	sent	send	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	locusts	locust	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	cover	cover	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	land	land	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
12	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	Egypt	Egypt	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	11	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **send** | past | God | locusts |  | the Bible |  |  | vn confine-92-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent locust=Theme in bible=Destination |
| 2 | **cover** | to-infinitive | God *not said here* | the land of Egypt |  |  |  |  | vn fill-9.8-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme land=Destination |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
John the Baptist ate locusts and wild honey.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:locust:x4:1
# text = John the Baptist ate locusts and wild honey.
1	John	John	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	Baptist	Baptist	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	1	flat	_	_
4	ate	eat	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	locusts	locust	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
7	wild	wild	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	honey	honey	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **eat** | past | John | locusts and wild honey |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent locust=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Farmers in East Africa feared the locust swarms.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:locust:x5:1
# text = Farmers in East Africa feared the locust swarms.
1	Farmers	farmer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
2	in	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	East	East	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	Africa	Africa	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	1	nmod	_	_
5	feared	fear	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	locust	locust	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
8	swarms	swarm	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fear** | past | Farmers in East Africa |  |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Experiencer clause=Stimulus |
| 2 | **swarm** | present | the locust |  |  |  |  |  | vn swarm-47.5.1-1 «PP.location V PP.theme»: agent=Location |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Some people around the world eat roasted locusts.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:locust:x6:1
# text = Some people around the world eat roasted locusts.
1	Some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	2	det	_	_
2	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
3	around	around	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	world	world	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	eat	eat	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	roasted	roast	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	amod	_	_
8	locusts	locust	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **eat** | present | some people around the world | roasted locusts |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent locust=Patient |
| 2 | **roast** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn cooking-45.3 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A BOY was hunting for locusts.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:locust:x7:1
# text = A BOY was hunting for locusts.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	BOY	BOY	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	hunting	hunt	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	locusts	locust	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hunt** | past · progressive | a BOY |  |  |  |  | for locusts | vn hunt-35.1 «NP V PP.theme PP.location»: agent=Agent for locust=Theme |

<!-- 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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