---
title: moat — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «moat» in the school dictionary: A moat is a deep, wide ditch dug around a castle or town, usually filled with water, to keep enemies out. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# moat

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** moat, knights, Enemies, Ducks, We, enclosure · **What happens:** be, dig, fill, keep out, surround, lower · **To what, where:** deep wide ditch, castle, enemies, drawbridge, moat, deep moat

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A moat is a deep, wide ditch dug around a castle or town, usually filled with water, to keep enemies out.

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:moat:m1:1
# text = A moat is a deep, wide ditch dug around a castle or town, usually filled with water, to keep enemies out.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	moat	moat	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	deep	deep	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
7	wide	wide	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	ditch	ditch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
9	dug	dig	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	acl	_	_
10	around	around	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	castle	castle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
13	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	town	town	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
16	usually	usually	ADV	RB	_	17	advmod	_	_
17	filled	fill	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	conj	_	_
18	with	with	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
19	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	22	punct	_	_
21	to	to	PART	TO	_	22	mark	_	_
22	keep	keep	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	17	advcl	_	_
23	enemies	enemy	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	22	obj	_	_
24	out	out	ADP	RP	_	22	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a moat | a deep wide ditch |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **dig** | participle |  | a deep wide ditch *not said here* |  | a castle or town |  |  | vn hunt-35.1 «NP V PP.theme PP.location»: agent=Agent around castle=Location |
| 3 | **fill** | participle | a moat *not said here* |  |  |  |  | with water; usually *property* | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP PP.instrument»: agent=Agent with water=Instrument |
| 4 | **keep out** | to-infinitive | a moat *not said here* | enemies |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent enemy=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 castle was surrounded by a moat.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:moat:x1:1
# text = The castle was surrounded by a moat.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	castle	castle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	surrounded	surround	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	by	by	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	moat	moat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl:agent	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **surround** | past · passive | a moat | the castle |  |  |  |  | vn contiguous\_location-47.8 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme subject=Co-Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The knights lowered the drawbridge over the moat.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:moat:x2:1
# text = The knights lowered the drawbridge over the moat.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	knights	knight	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	lowered	lower	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	drawbridge	drawbridge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	over	over	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	moat	moat	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 | **lower** | past | the knights | the drawbridge |  | the moat |  |  | vn put\_direction-9.4 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent drawbridge=Theme over moat=Destination |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Enemies could not cross the deep moat.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:moat:x3:1
# text = Enemies could not cross the deep moat.
1	Enemies	enemy	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
2	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	cross	cross	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	deep	deep	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	moat	moat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **cross** | could | Enemies | the deep moat |  |  |  |  | vn crane-40.3.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent moat=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ducks swim in the old moat now.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:moat:x4:1
# text = Ducks swim in the old moat now.
1	Ducks	duck	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	swim	swim	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	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	moat	moat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
7	now	now	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	2	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **swim** | present | Ducks |  |  | the old moat | now |  | vn run-51.3.2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in moat=Trajectory |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We drew a castle with a moat around it.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:moat:x5:1
# text = We drew a castle with a moat around it.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	drew	draw	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	castle	castle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	moat	moat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
8	around	around	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **draw** | past | We | a castle |  |  |  | with a moat around moat | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent castle=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The lions' enclosure has a moat instead of a fence.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:moat:x6:1
# text = The lions' enclosure has a moat instead of a fence.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	lions	lion	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	'	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	enclosure	enclosure	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	moat	moat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	instead	instead	ADV	RB	ExtPos=ADP	11	case	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	fixed	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	fence	fence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | the lions's enclosure | a moat |  |  |  | instead a fence | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent moat=Patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Its doors are of iron, and round it runs a deep moat, spanned by no bridge.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:moat:x7:1
# text = Its doors are of iron, and round it runs a deep moat, spanned by no bridge.
1	Its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	doors	door	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	iron	iron	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
8	round	round	ADP	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	runs	run	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	15	advcl	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	deep	deep	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	moat	moat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
15	spanned	span	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	conj	_	_
16	by	by	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	18	det	_	_
18	bridge	bridge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Its doors |  |  |  |  | of iron | tree rules |
| 2 | **run** | present | iron | a deep moat |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Initial\_Location moat=Theme |
| 3 | **span** | participle | Its doors *not said here* |  |  |  |  | by no bridge | vn contiguous\_location-47.8 «NP V NP»: agent=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.

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