---
title: napkin — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «napkin» in the school dictionary: A napkin is a square piece of cloth or paper used at meals to wipe your mouth and fingers and keep your clothes clean. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# napkin

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** napkin, you, I, We, She, John · **What happens:** be, use, wipe, keep, mean, wrap · **To what, where:** square piece, paper, meals, mouth, clothes, diaper · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«napkin» in the school dictionary: its 3 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: [napkin in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/napkin.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A napkin is a square piece of cloth or paper used at meals to wipe your mouth and fingers and keep your clothes clean.

<!-- fold The tree, 24 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:napkin:m1:1
# text = A napkin is a square piece of cloth or paper used at meals to wipe your mouth and fingers and keep your clothes clean.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	napkin	napkin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	square	square	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	piece	piece	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	cloth	cloth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	paper	paper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	_
11	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	10	acl	_	_
12	at	at	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	meals	meal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	obl	_	_
14	to	to	PART	TO	_	15	mark	_	_
15	wipe	wipe	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	advcl	_	_
16	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	17	nmod:poss	_	_
17	mouth	mouth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obj	_	_
18	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
19	fingers	finger	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	17	conj	_	_
20	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	21	cc	_	_
21	keep	keep	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	15	conj	_	_
22	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	23	nmod:poss	_	_
23	clothes	clothes	NOUN	NNS	Number=Ptan	21	obj	_	_
24	clean	clean	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	21	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a napkin | a square piece or paper |  |  |  | of cloth | tree rules |
| 2 | **use** | participle |  | paper *not said here* |  | meals |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **wipe** | to-infinitive |  | your mouth and fingers |  |  |  |  | vn wipe\_manner-10.4.1-1 «NP V NP.source»: agent=Agent mouth=Source |
| 4 | **keep** | infinitive |  | your clothes |  |  |  | clean *property* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent clothes=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.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In some countries «napkin» (or «nappy») once meant a baby's diaper.

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:napkin:m2:1
# text = In some countries «napkin» (or «nappy») once meant a baby's diaper.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	3	det	_	_
3	countries	country	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	obl	_	_
4	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	napkin	napkin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
7	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
9	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	nappy	nappy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	10	punct	_	_
13	once	once	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Mult	14	advmod	_	_
14	meant	mean	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	baby	baby	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	's	's	PART	POS	_	16	case	_	_
18	diaper	diaper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	14	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | past | napkin | a baby's diaper |  |  |  | in some countries; once *property* | vn representation-110.1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Pivot diaper=Theme in country=Attribute |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A napkin can also be a square cloth used to wrap and carry things.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:napkin:m3:1
# text = A napkin can also be a square cloth used to wrap and carry things.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	napkin	napkin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
4	also	also	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
5	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	cop	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	square	square	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	cloth	cloth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
9	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	acl	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	wrap	wrap	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	advcl	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	carry	carry	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	conj	_	_
14	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | can | a napkin | a square cloth |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **use** | participle |  | a square cloth *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **wrap** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn spray-9.7-1 «NP V PP.destination»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **carry** | infinitive |  | things |  |  |  |  | vn carry-11.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent thing=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Put your napkin on your lap.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:napkin:x1:1
# text = Put your napkin on your lap.
1	Put	put	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
3	napkin	napkin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	lap	lap	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 | **put** | imperative | you *not said here* | your napkin |  | your lap |  |  | vn put-9.1-2 «NP V PP.destination NP»: agent=Agent napkin=Theme on lap=Destination |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Wipe your mouth with a napkin.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:napkin:x2:1
# text = Wipe your mouth with a napkin.
1	Wipe	wipe	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
3	mouth	mouth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	napkin	napkin	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 | **wipe** | imperative | you *not said here* | your mouth |  |  |  | with a napkin | vn wipe\_manner-10.4.1-1 «NP V NP.source»: agent=Agent mouth=Source |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Can I have a paper napkin, please?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:napkin:x3:1
# text = Can I have a paper napkin, please?
1	Can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
2	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	have	have	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	paper	paper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	napkin	napkin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
8	please	please	INTJ	UH	_	3	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We folded the napkins into triangles.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:napkin:x4:1
# text = We folded the napkins into triangles.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	folded	fold	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	napkins	napkin	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	into	into	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	triangles	triangle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fold** | past | We | the napkins |  |  |  | into triangles *result* | vn bend-45.2 «NP V NP PP.result»: agent=Agent napkin=Patient into triangle=Result |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Fold the napkin in half and then in half again to make quarters.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:napkin:x5:1
# text = Fold the napkin in half and then in half again to make quarters.
1	Fold	fold	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	napkin	napkin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	half	half	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing|NumForm=Word|NumType=Frac	1	obl	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
7	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	9	advmod	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	half	half	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing|NumForm=Word|NumType=Frac	5	conj	_	_
10	again	again	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	_
11	to	to	PART	TO	_	12	mark	_	_
12	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	advcl	_	_
13	quarters	quarter	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fold** | imperative | you *not said here* | the napkin |  | half and half | again |  | vn bend-45.2 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent napkin=Patient |
| 2 | **make** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* | quarters |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset quarter=Product |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She set the table with plates and napkins.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:napkin:x6:1
# text = She set the table with plates and napkins.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	set	set	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	table	table	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	plates	plate	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	napkins	napkin	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 | **set** | past | She | the table |  |  |  | with plates and napkins | vn other\_cos-45.4-1 «NP V NP PP.instrument»: agent=Agent table=Patient with plate=Instrument |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Then John answered, "I am a merchant"; and opening his napkin he showed her its contents.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:napkin:x7:1
# text = Then John answered, "I am a merchant"; and opening his napkin he showed her its contents.
1	Then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	3	advmod	_	_
2	John	John	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	answered	answer	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
5	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
7	am	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	merchant	merchant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
13	opening	open	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	17	csubj	_	_
14	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	15	nmod:poss	_	_
15	napkin	napkin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obj	_	_
16	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	17	nsubj	_	_
17	showed	show	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
18	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	17	iobj	_	_
19	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	20	nmod:poss	_	_
20	contents	contents	NOUN	NNS	Number=Ptan	17	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **answer** *speech: assert* | past | John |  |  |  | then |  | vn reciprocate-112-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is a** *in a quote* | present | John | a merchant |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **open** | gerund |  | John's napkin |  |  |  |  | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location napkin=Theme |
| 4 | **show** | past | John | napkin's contents | her *= she* |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent she=Recipient contents=Topic |

<!-- 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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