---
title: nightjar — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «nightjar» in the school dictionary: A brown, speckled bird that hunts moths at dusk and at night and makes a long, whirring, churring song. It sleeps on the ground or along a branch in the day, hidden by its camouflage. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nightjar/)

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# nightjar

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** brown speckled bird, song, We, nightjar, feathers, Nightjars · **What happens:** hunt, make, whir, churr, sleep, hide · **To what, where:** moths, long, song, ground, nightjar, heath

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A brown, speckled bird that hunts moths at dusk and at night and makes a long, whirring, churring song. It sleeps on the ground or along a branch in the day, hidden by its camouflage.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* A brown, speckled bird that hunts moths at dusk and at night and makes a long, whirring, churring song.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nightjar:m1:1
# text = A brown, speckled bird that hunts moths at dusk and at night and makes a long, whirring, churring song.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
2	brown	brown	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	speckled	speckled	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	bird	bird	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	hunts	hunt	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	moths	moth	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	_
9	at	at	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	dusk	dusk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
12	at	at	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	night	night	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	conj	_	_
14	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
15	makes	make	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
19	whirring	whir	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	15	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
21	churring	churr	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	19	conj	_	_
22	song	song	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hunt** | present | a brown speckled bird | moths |  |  | dusk |  | vn hunt-35.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent moth=Theme |
| 2 | **make** | present | a brown speckled bird *not said here* | a long |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset long=Product |
| 3 | **whir** | gerund | a brown speckled bird *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **churr** | gerund | a brown speckled bird *not said here* | song |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- .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.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* It sleeps on the ground or along a branch in the day, hidden by its camouflage.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nightjar:m1:2
# text = It sleeps on the ground or along a branch in the day, hidden by its camouflage.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	sleeps	sleep	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	on	on	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	ground	ground	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
7	along	along	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	branch	branch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
14	hidden	hide	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	conj	_	_
15	by	by	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	17	nmod:poss	_	_
17	camouflage	camouflage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sleep** | present | song |  |  | the ground or a branch | day |  | vn snooze-40.4-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **hide** | participle | song *not said here* |  |  |  |  | by song's camouflage | vn concealment-16-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent by camouflage=Location |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We heard a nightjar churring on the heath.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nightjar:x1:1
# text = We heard a nightjar churring on the heath.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	heard	hear	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	nightjar	nightjar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	churring	churr	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	4	acl	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	heath	heath	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hear** | past | We | a nightjar |  |  |  |  | vn see-30.1-1-1 «NP V S»: agent=Experiencer nightjar=Stimulus |
| 2 | **churr** | gerund | a nightjar *not said here* |  |  | the heath |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A nightjar's feathers look just like dead leaves.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nightjar:x2:1
# text = A nightjar's feathers look just like dead leaves.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	nightjar	nightjar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	feathers	feather	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
5	look	look	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	just	just	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
7	like	like	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	dead	dead	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	leaves	leaf	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** | present | a nightjar's feathers |  |  |  |  | like dead leaves | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Stimulus |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Nightjars catch moths in the dark.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nightjar:x3:1
# text = Nightjars catch moths in the dark.
1	Nightjars	nightjar	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	catch	catch	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	moths	moth	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	dark	dark	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **catch** | present | Nightjars | moths |  | the dark |  |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent moth=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The nightjar sat so still we nearly stepped on it.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nightjar:x4:1
# text = The nightjar sat so still we nearly stepped on it.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	nightjar	nightjar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	sat	sit	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	so	so	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	still	still	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
6	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
7	nearly	nearly	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	stepped	step	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	parataxis	_	_
9	on	on	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sit** | past | the nightjar |  |  |  | still |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **step** | past | we |  |  | nightjar |  | nearly *property* | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme on it=Trajectory |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In autumn the nightjars fly back to Africa.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nightjar:x5:1
# text = In autumn the nightjars fly back to Africa.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	autumn	autumn	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	nightjars	nightjar	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
5	fly	fly	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	back	back	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	Africa	Africa	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fly back** | present | the nightjars |  | Africa |  | autumn |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V PP.result»: agent=Theme to africa=Result |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The ranger took us on a walk to listen for nightjars.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:nightjar:x6:1
# text = The ranger took us on a walk to listen for nightjars.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	ranger	ranger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	took	take	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	iobj	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	walk	walk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	listen	listen	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
10	for	for	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	nightjars	nightjar	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **take** | past | the ranger |  | us | a walk |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent we=Theme on walk=Destination |
| 2 | **listen** | to-infinitive | the ranger *not said here* |  |  |  |  | for nightjars | vn rummage-35.5 «NP V PP.location PP.theme»: agent=Agent for nightjar=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.

<!-- /div -->

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