---
title: nightfall — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «nightfall» in the school dictionary: The time in the evening when it becomes dark; dusk. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# nightfall

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** it, We, owls, village lights, hikers, Bats · **What happens:** become, reach, begin, hoot, come on, be · **To what, where:** cabin, nightfall, shelter

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«nightfall» 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: [nightfall in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/nightfall.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The time in the evening when it becomes dark; dusk.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nightfall:m1:1
# text = The time in the evening when it becomes dark; dusk.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl:unmarked	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	evening	evening	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	8	mark	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	becomes	become	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	dark	dark	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	11	punct	_	_
11	dusk	dusk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **become** | present | it |  |  |  | dusk; time | dark *property* | vn become-109.1-1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient |

<!-- .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 -->
We must reach the cabin before nightfall.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nightfall:x1:1
# text = We must reach the cabin before nightfall.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	reach	reach	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	cabin	cabin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	before	before	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	nightfall	nightfall	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 | **reach** | must | We | the cabin |  |  | before nightfall |  | vn body\_motion-49.2-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Agent cabin=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
At nightfall, the owls began to hoot.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nightfall:x2:1
# text = At nightfall, the owls began to hoot.
1	At	at	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	nightfall	nightfall	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	owls	owl	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
6	began	begin	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	hoot	hoot	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **begin** | past | the owls |  |  | nightfall |  |  | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **hoot** | to-infinitive | the owls *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The village lights came on at nightfall.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nightfall:x3:1
# text = The village lights came on at nightfall.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	village	village	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	lights	light	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	came	come	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	on	on	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
6	at	at	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	nightfall	nightfall	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come on** | past | the village lights |  |  | nightfall |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme at nightfall=Location |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
By nightfall the hikers were tired.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nightfall:x4:1
# text = By nightfall the hikers were tired.
1	By	by	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	nightfall	nightfall	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	hikers	hiker	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
5	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
6	tired	tired	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the hikers |  |  |  |  | by nightfall; tired *property* | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Bats come out at nightfall.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nightfall:x5:1
# text = Bats come out at nightfall.
1	Bats	bat	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	come	come	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	out	out	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
4	at	at	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	nightfall	nightfall	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come out** | present | Bats |  |  | nightfall |  | out *property* | vn become-109.1 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In winter, nightfall comes early.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nightfall:x6:1
# text = In winter, nightfall comes early.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	winter	winter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	nightfall	nightfall	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	comes	come	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	early	early	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come** | present | nightfall |  |  |  | winter | early *property* | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
At nightfall they took shelter in a thick wood.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nightfall:x7:1
# text = At nightfall they took shelter in a thick wood.
1	At	at	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	nightfall	nightfall	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
3	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	took	take	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	shelter	shelter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	thick	thick	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	wood	wood	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 | **take** | past | they | shelter |  | nightfall |  | in a thick wood | vn fit-54.3 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent shelter=Value in wood=Location |

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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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