---
title: mayfly — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «mayfly» in the school dictionary: A delicate insect with see-through wings and long tails that lives for years as a young nymph in water but, as a flying adult, often lives only a day or less. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mayfly/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/) / [school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/) / [M](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/) / mayfly

# mayfly

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** long tails, delicate insect, mayfly, We, water, Adult mayflies · **What happens:** see, live, fly, find, be, not eat · **To what, where:** water, mayfly nymphs, stream, working mouths, Thousands, lake

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A delicate insect with see-through wings and long tails that lives for years as a young nymph in water but, as a flying adult, often lives only a day or less.

<!-- fold The tree, 32 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mayfly:m1:1
# text = A delicate insect with see-through wings and long tails that lives for years as a young nymph in water but, as a flying adult, often lives only a day or less.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	delicate	delicate	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	insect	insect	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	30	nsubj	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
5	see	see	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	through	thorough	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	wings	wing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nmod	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
10	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	tails	tail	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	conj	_	_
12	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	13	nsubj	_	_
13	lives	live	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	acl:relcl	_	_
14	for	for	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	years	year	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	obl	_	_
16	as	as	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
17	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
18	young	young	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	19	amod	_	_
19	nymph	nymph	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	_
20	in	in	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
21	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	nmod	_	_
22	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	27	cc	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	22	punct	_	_
24	as	as	ADP	IN	_	27	case	_	_
25	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	27	det	_	_
26	flying	fly	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	27	amod	_	_
27	adult	adult	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
29	often	often	ADV	RB	_	30	advmod	_	_
30	lives	live	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
31	only	only	ADV	RB	_	33	advmod	_	_
32	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	33	det	_	_
33	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	30	obl:unmarked	_	_
34	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	35	cc	_	_
35	less	less	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	33	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
36	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	30	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **see** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **live** | present | long tails |  |  |  | year | as a young nymph in water but a flying adult | vn exist-47.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **fly** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **live** | present | a delicate insect with see through wings and long tails |  |  |  | day | often *property* | vn exist-47.1-1 «NP V»: agent=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.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The mayfly lives under water for a year but flies for only one day.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mayfly:x1:1
# text = The mayfly lives under water for a year but flies for only one day.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	mayfly	mayfly	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	lives	live	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	under	under	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	year	year	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
9	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	flies	fly	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	conj	_	_
11	for	for	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
12	only	only	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
13	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	14	nummod	_	_
14	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **live** | present | the mayfly |  |  | water | day; year |  | vn exist-47.1-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme under water=Location |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We found mayfly nymphs in the stream, so the water was clean.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mayfly:x2:1
# text = We found mayfly nymphs in the stream, so the water was clean.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	found	find	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	mayfly	mayfly	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	nymphs	nymph	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	stream	stream	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
9	so	so	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nsubj	_	_
12	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
13	clean	clean	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **find** | past | We | mayfly nymphs |  | the stream |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent nymph=Topic |
| 2 | **is** | past | the water |  |  |  |  | clean *property* | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Adult mayflies cannot eat because they have no working mouths.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mayfly:x3:1
# text = Adult mayflies cannot eat because they have no working mouths.
1	Adult	adult	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	mayflies	mayfly	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	5	advmod	_	_
5	eat	eat	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
7	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	have	have	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	advcl	_	_
9	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	11	det	_	_
10	working	working	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	compound	_	_
11	mouths	mouth	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **eat** | can | Adult mayflies |  |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **have** | present | mayflies *= mayfly* | no working mouths |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent mouth=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Thousands of mayflies danced above the lake at sunset.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mayfly:x4:1
# text = Thousands of mayflies danced above the lake at sunset.
1	Thousands	thousand	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	of	of	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	mayflies	mayfly	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	nmod	_	_
4	danced	dance	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	above	above	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	lake	lake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
8	at	at	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	sunset	sunset	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **dance** | participle · passive |  | Thousands of mayflies |  | the lake at sunset |  |  | vn modes\_of\_being\_with\_motion-47.3 «PP.location V NP»: subject=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Trout love to eat mayflies.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mayfly:x5:1
# text = Trout love to eat mayflies.
1	Trout	trout	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	love	love	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	eat	eat	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	acl	_	_
5	mayflies	mayfly	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **eat** | to-infinitive |  | mayflies |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent mayfly=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Her interest in chess was like a mayfly: gone by the next day.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:mayfly:x6:1
# text = Her interest in chess was like a mayfly: gone by the next day.
1	Her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	interest	interest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	chess	chess	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
5	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
6	like	like	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	mayfly	mayfly	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	10	punct	_	_
10	gone	go	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	acl	_	_
11	by	by	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	next	next	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | Her interest in chess |  |  |  |  | like a mayfly | tree rules |
| 2 | **go** | participle |  | a mayfly *not said here* |  |  | day |  | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **interest** |  | Her *= she* |  |  | chess |  |  | nom interest «cognition transitive»: poss=agent in=place |

<!-- 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 -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [mayflower](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mayflower/)
- next →: [mayhap](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mayhap/)
- ↑ back to [M in school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/)