---
title: nag — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «nag» in the school dictionary: To keep asking or telling someone to do something in an annoying way. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# nag

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** someone, person, Mum, you, I, He · **What happens:** keep, ask, tell, do, worry, hurt · **To what, where:** someone, something, annoying way, nagging doubt, you, me · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«nag» in the school dictionary: its 4 meanings for a pupil and its 8 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: [nag in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/nag.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To keep asking or telling someone to do something in an annoying way.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nag:m1:1
# text = To keep asking or telling someone to do something in an annoying way.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	keep	keep	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	asking	ask	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	xcomp	_	_
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	telling	tell	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	3	conj	_	_
6	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	5	obj	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	xcomp	_	_
9	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	8	obj	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
11	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	annoying	annoying	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **keep** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **ask** *speech: ask* | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **tell** *speech: assert* | gerund |  | someone |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent someone=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 4 | **do** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | someone *not said here* | something |  | a annoying way |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Eventuality |

<!-- .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 -->
To keep worrying or hurting you a little: a nagging doubt, a nagging pain.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nag:m2:1
# text = To keep worrying or hurting you a little: a nagging doubt, a nagging pain.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	keep	keep	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	worrying	worry	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	xcomp	_	_
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	hurting	hurt	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	3	conj	_	_
6	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	5	obj	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	12	punct	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	nagging	nag	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	12	amod	_	_
12	doubt	doubt	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
15	nagging	nag	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	16	amod	_	_
16	pain	pain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **keep** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **worry** | gerund |  | a nagging doubt and a nagging pain |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |
| 3 | **hurt** | gerund |  | you |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP ADJ»: agent=Stimulus you=Experiencer little=Result |
| 4 | **nag** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn bully-59.5 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 5 | **nag** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn bully-59.5 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A person who nags.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nag:m3:1
# text = A person who nags.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	4	nsubj	_	_
4	nags	nag	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **nag** | present | a person |  |  |  |  |  | vn bully-59.5 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An old or weak horse.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nag:m4:1
# text = An old or weak horse.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
2	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	weak	weak	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	conj	_	_
5	horse	horse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mum keeps nagging me to tidy my room.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nag:x1:1
# text = Mum keeps nagging me to tidy my room.
1	Mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	keeps	keep	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	nagging	nag	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	xcomp	_	_
4	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	obj	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	tidy	tidy	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
7	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	room	room	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **keep** | present | Mum |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **nag** | gerund | Mum *not said here* | me |  |  |  |  | vn bully-59.5 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent i=Patient |
| 3 | **tidy** | to-infinitive | Mum *not said here* | my room |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Stop nagging! I'll do it in a minute.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Stop nagging!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nag:x2:1
# text = Stop nagging!
1	Stop	stop	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	nagging	nag	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	1	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stop** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Affector clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **nag** | gerund | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn bully-59.5 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* I'll do it in a minute.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nag:x2:2
# text = I'll do it in a minute.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	'll	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	obj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	minute	minute	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | future | I | it |  |  | minute |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Eventuality |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I had a nagging feeling I'd forgotten something.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nag:x3:1
# text = I had a nagging feeling I'd forgotten something.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	nagging	nag	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	amod	_	_
5	feeling	feeling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	'd	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
8	forgotten	forget	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	5	acl:relcl	_	_
9	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | I | a nagging feeling |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent feeling=Patient |
| 2 | **nag** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn bully-59.5 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **forget** | past · perfect | I | something |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He had a nagging cough for weeks.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nag:x4:1
# text = He had a nagging cough for weeks.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	nagging	nag	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	amod	_	_
5	cough	cough	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	weeks	week	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | He | a nagging cough |  |  | for weeks |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent cough=Patient |
| 2 | **nag** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn bully-59.5 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My sister nagged Dad until he bought ice cream.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nag:x5:1
# text = My sister nagged Dad until he bought ice cream.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	sister	sister	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	nagged	nag	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	Dad	Dad	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
5	until	until	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
6	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	bought	buy	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
8	ice	ice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	cream	cream	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **nag** | past | My sister | Dad |  |  |  |  | vn bully-59.5 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent dad=Patient |
| 2 | **buy** | past | Dad | ice cream |  |  |  |  | vn accept-77.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent cream=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The farmer's old nag could barely pull the cart.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nag:x6:1
# text = The farmer's old nag could barely pull the cart.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	farmer	farmer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	nag	nag	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
6	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
7	barely	barely	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	pull	pull	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	cart	cart	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pull** | could | the farmer's old nag | the cart |  |  |  | barely *property* | vn push-12-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent cart=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Don't be such a nag.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nag:x7:1
# text = Don't be such a nag.
1	Do	do	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	6	advmod	_	_
3	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	cop	_	_
4	such	such	DET	PDT	PronType=Ind	6	det:predet	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	nag	nag	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **not** **is a** | infinitive |  | such nag |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A nagging thought kept me awake.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nag:x8:1
# text = A nagging thought kept me awake.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	nagging	nag	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	3	amod	_	_
3	thought	thought	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	kept	keep	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	obj	_	_
6	awake	awake	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **nag** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn bully-59.5 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **keep** | past | a nagging thought | me |  |  |  | awake *property* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent i=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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