---
title: meagre — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «meagre» in the school dictionary: Small in amount, not enough: «a meagre meal», «meagre wages». Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# meagre

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** you, prisoners, They, We, meagre savings, His · **What happens:** lean, eat, live, have, not be, save · **To what, where:** meagre meal, meagre wage, meagre harvest, meagre rations, war, it

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Small in amount, not enough: «a meagre meal», «meagre wages».

<!-- fold The tree, 10 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:meagre:m1:1
# text = Small in amount, not enough: «a meagre meal», «meagre wages».
1	Small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	csubj	_	_
2	in	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	amount	amount	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
5	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	6	advmod	_	_
6	enough	enough	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	6	punct	_	_
8	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	meagre	meagre	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	meal	meal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
14	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	meagre	meagre	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	wages	wage	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

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

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Thin, lean.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:meagre:m2:1
# text = Thin, lean.
1	Thin	thin	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	lean	lean	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lean** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The prisoners ate a meagre meal of bread and water.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:meagre:x1:1
# text = The prisoners ate a meagre meal of bread and water.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	prisoners	prisoner	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	ate	eat	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	meagre	meagre	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	meal	meal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	bread	bread	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **eat** | past | the prisoners | a meagre meal of bread and water |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent meal=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
They lived on a meagre wage.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:meagre:x2:1
# text = They lived on a meagre wage.
1	They	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	lived	live	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	on	on	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	meagre	meagre	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	wage	wage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **live** | past | They |  |  | a meagre wage |  |  | vn exist-47.1-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme on wage=Location |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We had a meagre harvest after the dry summer.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:meagre:x3:1
# text = We had a meagre harvest after the dry summer.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	meagre	meagre	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	harvest	harvest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	after	after	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	dry	dry	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	summer	summer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | We | a meagre harvest |  |  | summer |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent harvest=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
His meagre savings were not enough for a bike.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:meagre:x4:1
# text = His meagre savings were not enough for a bike.
1	His	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	meagre	meagre	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	savings	savings	NOUN	NNS	Number=Ptan	6	nsubj	_	_
4	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	6	advmod	_	_
6	enough	enough	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
7	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	bike	bike	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **is** | past | His meagre savings |  |  |  |  | for a bike; enough *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **save** |  | His *= he* |  |  |  |  |  | nom savings «possession transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The soup was meagre and thin.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:meagre:x5:1
# text = The soup was meagre and thin.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	soup	soup	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	meagre	meagre	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	thin	thin	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the soup |  |  |  |  | meagre *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **be** |  | the soup *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the war, families had meagre rations.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:meagre:x6:1
# text = In the war, families had meagre rations.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	war	war	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	families	family	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
6	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	meagre	meagre	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	rations	ration	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 | **have** | past | families | meagre rations |  | the war |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent ration=Patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She did not touch it; and the next morning she went off again without taking the meagre breakfast which was left out for her.

<!-- fold The tree, 24 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:meagre:x7:1
# text = She did not touch it; and the next morning she went off again without taking the meagre breakfast which was left out for her.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	touch	touch	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	next	next	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	morning	morning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl:unmarked	_	_
11	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
12	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	parataxis	_	_
13	off	off	ADP	RP	_	12	compound:prt	_	_
14	again	again	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
15	without	without	SCONJ	IN	_	16	mark	_	_
16	taking	take	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	12	advcl	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
18	meagre	meagre	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	compound	_	_
19	breakfast	breakfast	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obj	_	_
20	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	22	nsubj:pass	_	_
21	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	22	aux:pass	_	_
22	left	leave	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	19	acl:relcl	_	_
23	out	out	ADP	RP	_	22	compound:prt	_	_
24	for	for	ADP	IN	_	25	case	_	_
25	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	22	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **touch** | past · do-support | She | it |  |  |  |  | vn contiguous\_location-47.8-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme it=Co-Theme |
| 2 | **go off** | past | she |  |  |  | again; morning |  | vn occur-48.3-2 «NP V ADV»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **take** | gerund | she *not said here* | the meagre breakfast |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent breakfast=Theme |
| 4 | **leave out** | past · passive |  | the meagre breakfast |  |  |  | for her *= she* | vn neglect-75.1 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |

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**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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