---
title: meerkat — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «meerkat» in the school dictionary: A meerkat is a small, furry animal of the mongoose family that lives in groups in the deserts and dry grasslands of southern Africa. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# meerkat

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** meerkat, mongoose family, Meerkats, One meerkat, others, groups · **What happens:** be, live, stand up, watch, stand, look around · **To what, where:** small furry animal, groups, back legs, watch, mobs, scorpions · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A meerkat is a small, furry animal of the mongoose family that lives in groups in the deserts and dry grasslands of southern Africa.

<!-- fold The tree, 24 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:meerkat:m1:1
# text = A meerkat is a small, furry animal of the mongoose family that lives in groups in the deserts and dry grasslands of southern Africa.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	meerkat	meerkat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
5	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
7	furry	furry	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	animal	animal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	mongoose	mongoose	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	compound	_	_
12	family	family	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	_
13	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	14	nsubj	_	_
14	lives	live	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	acl:relcl	_	_
15	in	in	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
16	groups	group	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	obl	_	_
17	in	in	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	deserts	desert	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	nmod	_	_
20	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	22	cc	_	_
21	dry	dry	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	22	amod	_	_
22	grasslands	grassland	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	19	conj	_	_
23	of	of	ADP	IN	_	25	case	_	_
24	southern	southern	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	25	amod	_	_
25	Africa	Africa	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	22	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a meerkat | a small furry animal |  |  |  | of the mongoose family | tree rules |
| 2 | **live** | present | the mongoose family |  |  | groups in the deserts and dry grasslands of southern Africa |  |  | vn lodge-46 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in group=Location |

<!-- .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 -->
Meerkats are famous for standing up on their back legs to watch for danger.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:meerkat:m2:1
# text = Meerkats are famous for standing up on their back legs to watch for danger.
1	Meerkats	meerkat	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	famous	famous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
5	standing	stand	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	advcl	_	_
6	up	up	ADP	RP	_	5	compound:prt	_	_
7	on	on	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
9	back	back	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	legs	leg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	_
11	to	to	PART	TO	_	12	mark	_	_
12	watch	watch	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	advcl	_	_
13	for	for	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	danger	danger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Meerkats |  |  |  |  | famous *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **stand up** | gerund | Meerkats *not said here* |  |  | Meerkats's back legs |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent on leg=Location |
| 3 | **watch** | to-infinitive | Meerkats *not said here* |  |  |  |  | for danger | vn search-35.2 «NP V PP.theme NP.location»: agent=Agent for danger=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The meerkat stood on its back legs to look around.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:meerkat:x1:1
# text = The meerkat stood on its back legs to look around.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	meerkat	meerkat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	stood	stand	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
6	back	back	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	legs	leg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	look	look	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
10	around	around	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stand** | past | the meerkat |  |  | meerkat's back legs |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent on leg=Location |
| 2 | **look around** | to-infinitive | the meerkat *not said here* |  |  |  |  | around *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Stimulus |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
One meerkat keeps watch while the others look for food.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:meerkat:x2:1
# text = One meerkat keeps watch while the others look for food.
1	One	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	2	nummod	_	_
2	meerkat	meerkat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	keeps	keep	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	watch	watch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
5	while	while	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	others	other	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
8	look	look	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
9	for	for	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **keep** | present | One meerkat | watch |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent watch=Theme |
| 2 | **look** | present | the others |  |  |  |  | for food | vn rummage-35.5 «NP V PP.location PP.theme»: agent=Agent for food=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Meerkats live in groups called mobs or gangs.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:meerkat:x3:1
# text = Meerkats live in groups called mobs or gangs.
1	Meerkats	meerkat	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	live	live	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	groups	group	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
5	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	acl	_	_
6	mobs	mob	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	xcomp	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	gangs	gang	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **live** | present | Meerkats |  |  | groups |  |  | vn lodge-46 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in group=Location |
| 2 | **call** | participle | groups *not said here* | mobs or gangs |  |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Meerkats can eat scorpions without getting hurt by the sting.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:meerkat:x4:1
# text = Meerkats can eat scorpions without getting hurt by the sting.
1	Meerkats	meerkat	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	eat	eat	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	scorpions	scorpion	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	without	without	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
6	getting	get	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	7	aux:pass	_	_
7	hurt	hurt	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	advcl	_	_
8	by	by	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	sting	sting	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **eat** | can | Meerkats | scorpions |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent scorpion=Patient |
| 2 | **hurt** | gerund · passive | the sting |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The meerkats dashed into their burrow when an eagle flew over.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:meerkat:x5:1
# text = The meerkats dashed into their burrow when an eagle flew over.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	meerkats	meerkat	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	dashed	dash	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	into	into	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	burrow	burrow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	10	mark	_	_
8	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	eagle	eagle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
10	flew	fly	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
11	over	over	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **dash** | past | the meerkats |  |  | meerkats's burrow |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme into burrow=Destination |
| 2 | **fly over** | past | a eagle |  |  |  |  | over *property* | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Meerkats live in the Kalahari Desert.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:meerkat:x6:1
# text = Meerkats live in the Kalahari Desert.
1	Meerkats	meerkat	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	live	live	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	Kalahari	Kalahari	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	Desert	Desert	PROPN	NNP	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** | present | Meerkats |  |  | the Kalahari Desert |  |  | vn lodge-46 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in desert=Location |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The baby meerkats came out to play in the sun.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:meerkat:x7:1
# text = The baby meerkats came out to play in the sun.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	baby	baby	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	meerkats	meerkat	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	came	come	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	out	out	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	play	play	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	advcl	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	sun.	sun.	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come out** | past | the baby meerkats |  |  |  |  | out *property* | vn become-109.1 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **play** | to-infinitive | the baby meerkats *not said here* |  |  | the sun. |  |  | vn performance-26.7-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

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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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