---
title: narrowboat — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «narrowboat» in the school dictionary: A long, thin boat made to travel on the narrow canals of Britain, usually about 2 metres wide and up to 22 metres long. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# narrowboat

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** long thin boat, We, horse, uncle, narrowboat, Narrowboats · **What happens:** make, travel, use, float, spend, pull · **To what, where:** long thin boat, 2 metres, narrow canals, boat, narrowboat, lock

<!-- .vabout -->
«narrowboat» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 6 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: [narrowboat in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/narrowboat.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A long, thin boat made to travel on the narrow canals of Britain, usually about 2 metres wide and up to 22 metres long.

<!-- fold The tree, 24 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:narrowboat:m1:1
# text = A long, thin boat made to travel on the narrow canals of Britain, usually about 2 metres wide and up to 22 metres long.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
2	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	thin	thin	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	boat	boat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	acl	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	travel	travel	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	xcomp	_	_
9	on	on	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	narrow	narrow	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	canals	canal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obl	_	_
13	of	of	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	Britain	Britain	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	12	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
16	usually	usually	ADV	RB	_	19	advmod	_	_
17	about	about	ADV	RB	_	18	advmod	_	_
18	2	2	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	19	nummod	_	_
19	metres	metre	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obl	_	_
20	wide	wide	ADV	RB	_	19	advmod	_	_
21	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	26	cc	_	_
22	up	up	ADV	RB	_	24	advmod	_	_
23	to	to	ADP	IN	_	24	case	_	_
24	22	22	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	25	nummod	_	_
25	metres	metre	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	26	obl:unmarked	_	_
26	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	20	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | participle |  | a long thin boat *not said here* |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **travel** | to-infinitive | a long thin boat *not said here* | 2 metres |  | the narrow canals of Britain |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme on canal=Trajectory |

<!-- .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 -->
Such a boat used as a floating home or for holidays.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:narrowboat:m2:1
# text = Such a boat used as a floating home or for holidays.
1	Such	such	DET	PDT	PronType=Ind	3	det:predet	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	boat	boat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	acl	_	_
5	as	as	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	floating	float	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	8	amod	_	_
8	home	home	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
10	for	for	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	holidays	holiday	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | participle |  | such boat *not said here* |  |  |  | as a floating home or holidays | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **float** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We spent a week on a narrowboat on the canal.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:narrowboat:x1:1
# text = We spent a week on a narrowboat on the canal.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	spent	spend	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	week	week	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	narrowboat	narrowboat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
8	on	on	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	canal	canal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **spend** | past | We |  |  |  | week | on a narrowboat *goal*; on the canal | vn consume-66-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent on narrowboat=Goal |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A horse once pulled the narrowboat along the towpath.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:narrowboat:x2:1
# text = A horse once pulled the narrowboat along the towpath.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	horse	horse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	once	once	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Mult	4	advmod	_	_
4	pulled	pull	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	narrowboat	narrowboat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	along	along	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	towpath	towpath	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pull** | past | a horse | the narrowboat |  |  |  | along the towpath; once *property* | vn push-12-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent narrowboat=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The narrowboat was painted with roses and castles.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:narrowboat:x3:1
# text = The narrowboat was painted with roses and castles.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	narrowboat	narrowboat	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	painted	paint	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	roses	rose	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	castles	castle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **paint** | past · passive |  | the narrowboat |  |  |  | with roses and castles | vn image\_impression-25.1 «NP V NP.destination PP.theme»: subject=Destination with rose=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My uncle lives on a narrowboat in London.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:narrowboat:x4:1
# text = My uncle lives on a narrowboat in London.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	uncle	uncle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	lives	live	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	narrowboat	narrowboat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	London	London	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The narrowboat went slowly through the lock.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:narrowboat:x5:1
# text = The narrowboat went slowly through the lock.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	narrowboat	narrowboat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	slowly	slowly	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
5	through	through	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	lock	lock	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 | **go** | past | the narrowboat |  |  | the lock |  | slowly *property* | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme through lock=Initial\_Location |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Narrowboats are only about two metres wide.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:narrowboat:x6:1
# text = Narrowboats are only about two metres wide.
1	Narrowboats	narrowboat	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
3	only	only	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
4	about	about	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	6	nummod	_	_
6	metres	metre	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
7	wide	wide	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Narrowboats | two metres |  |  |  | wide *property* | tree rules |

<!-- 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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