---
title: mantis — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «mantis» in the school dictionary: A mantis, often called a praying mantis, is a long green or brown insect that holds its spiky front legs together as if praying, and uses them to snatch other insects. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# mantis

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** mantis, long green insect, Mantises, praying mantis, we, Baby mantises · **What happens:** call, pray, be, hold, use, snatch · **To what, where:** praying mantis, long green insect, spiky front legs, legs, other insects, heads · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«mantis» in the school dictionary: its 2 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: [mantis in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/mantis.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A mantis, often called a praying mantis, is a long green or brown insect that holds its spiky front legs together as if praying, and uses them to snatch other insects.

<!-- fold The tree, 31 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mantis:m1:1
# text = A mantis, often called a praying mantis, is a long green or brown insect that holds its spiky front legs together as if praying, and uses them to snatch other insects.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	mantis	mantis	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
4	often	often	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	praying	pray	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	8	amod	_	_
8	mantis	mantis	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
10	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	16	cop	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
12	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
13	green	green	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
14	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
15	brown	brown	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	conj	_	_
16	insect	insect	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
17	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	18	nsubj	_	_
18	holds	hold	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	16	acl:relcl	_	_
19	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	22	nmod:poss	_	_
20	spiky	spiky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	22	amod	_	_
21	front	front	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	22	amod	_	_
22	legs	leg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	18	obj	_	_
23	together	together	ADV	RB	_	18	advmod	_	_
24	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	26	mark	_	_
25	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	26	mark	_	_
26	praying	pray	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	18	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	29	punct	_	_
28	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	29	cc	_	_
29	uses	use	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	18	conj	_	_
30	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	29	obj	_	_
31	to	to	PART	TO	_	32	mark	_	_
32	snatch	snatch	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	29	advcl	_	_
33	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	34	amod	_	_
34	insects	insect	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	32	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
35	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	16	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** | participle | a mantis *not said here* | a praying mantis |  |  |  | often *property* | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **pray** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn long-32.2 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Pivot |
| 3 | **is a** | present | a mantis | a long green insect |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **hold** | present | a long green insect | mantis's spiky front legs |  |  |  | together *property* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent leg=Theme |
| 5 | **pray** | gerund | a long green insect *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn long-32.2 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Pivot |
| 6 | **use** | present | a long green insect *not said here* | legs *= leg* |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=Patient |
| 7 | **snatch** | to-infinitive | a long green insect *not said here* | other insects |  |  |  |  | vn obtain-13.5.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent insect=Theme |

<!-- .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 -->
Mantises can turn their heads right round to look behind them.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mantis:m2:1
# text = Mantises can turn their heads right round to look behind them.
1	Mantises	mantis	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	turn	turn	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	heads	head	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	right	right	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	round	round	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	look	look	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
10	behind	behind	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **turn** | can | Mantises | Mantises's heads |  |  |  | round *property* | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent head=Theme |
| 2 | **look** | to-infinitive | Mantises *not said here* |  |  |  |  | behind Mantises *= mantis* | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent behind they=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The praying mantis waited still on the leaf.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mantis:x1:1
# text = The praying mantis waited still on the leaf.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	praying	pray	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	3	amod	_	_
3	mantis	mantis	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	waited	wait	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	still	still	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	leaf	leaf	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pray** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn long-32.2 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Pivot |
| 2 | **wait** | past | the praying mantis |  |  | the leaf | still |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme on leaf=Location |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The mantis snatched a fly with its front legs.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mantis:x2:1
# text = The mantis snatched a fly with its front legs.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	mantis	mantis	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	snatched	snatch	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	fly	fly	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
8	front	front	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	legs	leg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **snatch** | past | the mantis | a fly |  |  |  | with mantis's front legs | vn obtain-13.5.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent fly=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A mantis can turn its head to look behind it.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mantis:x3:1
# text = A mantis can turn its head to look behind it.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	mantis	mantis	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	turn	turn	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	head	head	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	look	look	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	advcl	_	_
9	behind	behind	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **turn** | can | a mantis | mantis's head |  |  |  |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent head=Theme |
| 2 | **look** | to-infinitive | a mantis *not said here* |  |  |  |  | behind mantis | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent behind it=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Some mantises look just like pink flowers.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mantis:x4:1
# text = Some mantises look just like pink flowers.
1	Some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	2	det	_	_
2	mantises	mantis	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	look	look	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	just	just	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
5	like	like	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	pink	pink	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	flowers	flower	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** | present | some mantises |  |  |  |  | like pink flowers | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Stimulus |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The mantis was so well camouflaged we almost missed it.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mantis:x5:1
# text = The mantis was so well camouflaged we almost missed it.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	mantis	mantis	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
4	so	so	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
5	well	well	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	6	advmod	_	_
6	camouflaged	camouflage	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
7	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
8	almost	almost	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	missed	miss	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	ccomp	_	_
10	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **camouflage** | past · passive |  | the mantis |  |  |  | well *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **miss** | past | we | mantis |  |  |  | almost *property* | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer it=Stimulus |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Baby mantises hatch from a foamy egg case.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mantis:x6:1
# text = Baby mantises hatch from a foamy egg case.
1	Baby	baby	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	mantises	mantis	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	hatch	hatch	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	from	from	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
6	foamy	foamy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
7	egg	egg	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	case	case	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 | **hatch** | present | Baby mantises |  |  |  |  | from a foamy egg case | vn grow-26.2.1 «NP.product V PP.patient»: agent=Product from case=Patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is called a praying mantis because of how it holds its legs.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mantis:x7:1
# text = It is called a praying mantis because of how it holds its legs.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	praying	pray	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	amod	_	_
6	mantis	mantis	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	xcomp	_	_
7	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	fixed	_	_
9	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	11	advmod	_	_
10	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
11	holds	hold	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
12	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	13	nmod:poss	_	_
13	legs	leg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** | present · passive |  | It |  |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: subject=Recipient |
| 2 | **pray** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn long-32.2 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Pivot |
| 3 | **hold** | present | mantis | mantis's legs |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent leg=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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