---
title: paralyse — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «paralyse» in the school dictionary: To paralyse someone is to make them lose the ability to move part or all of their body, through injury or illness. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/paralyse/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/) / [school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/) / [P](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/) / paralyse

# paralyse

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** it, snow, you, accident, Heavy snow, she · **What happens:** paralyse, be, lose, move, work, mean · **To what, where:** someone, ability, part, injury, something, city

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To paralyse someone is to make them lose the ability to move part or all of their body, through injury or illness.

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:paralyse:m1:1
# text = To paralyse someone is to make them lose the ability to move part or all of their body, through injury or illness.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	paralyse	paralyse	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	csubj	_	_
3	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
7	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	lose	lose	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	xcomp	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	ability	ability	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
11	to	to	PART	TO	_	12	mark	_	_
12	move	move	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	acl	_	_
13	part	part	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	_
14	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
15	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	13	nmod	_	_
16	of	of	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	18	nmod:poss	_	_
18	body	body	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
20	through	through	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
21	injury	injury	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	_
22	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	23	cc	_	_
23	illness	illness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **paralyse** | to-infinitive |  | someone |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | make *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **lose** | infinitive |  | the ability |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent ability=Eventuality |
| 4 | **move** | to-infinitive |  | part  all |  | injury or illness |  |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V NP PP.trajectory»: agent=Agent part=Theme through injury=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 -->
To paralyse something is to stop it working or moving normally, as snow can paralyse a city.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:paralyse:m2:1
# text = To paralyse something is to stop it working or moving normally, as snow can paralyse a city.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	paralyse	paralyse	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
3	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	stop	stop	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	working	work	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	xcomp	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	moving	move	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	8	conj	_	_
11	normally	normally	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
13	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	16	mark	_	_
14	snow	snow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	nsubj	_	_
15	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	16	aux	_	_
16	paralyse	paralyse	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	conj	_	_
17	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	city	city	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **paralyse** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | stop *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **work** | gerund | it |  |  |  |  |  | vn employment-95.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **move** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | normally *property* | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP.theme V»: agent=Theme |
| 5 | **paralyse** | can | snow | a city |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To be paralysed with fear means to be so frightened that you cannot move or act.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:paralyse:m3:1
# text = To be paralysed with fear means to be so frightened that you cannot move or act.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	3	mark	_	_
2	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	paralysed	paralyse	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	nsubj	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	fear	fear	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
6	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
8	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	cop	_	_
9	so	so	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
10	frightened	frightened	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	ccomp	_	_
11	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	15	mark	_	_
12	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	15	nsubj	_	_
13	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	15	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	15	advmod	_	_
15	move	move	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	advcl	_	_
16	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
17	act	act	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	15	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **paralyse** | to-infinitive · passive |  |  |  |  |  | with fear | tree rules |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **is** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | frightened *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **not** **move** | can | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP.theme V»: agent=Theme |
| 5 | **act** | infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The accident paralysed his legs, so he uses a wheelchair.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:paralyse:x1:1
# text = The accident paralysed his legs, so he uses a wheelchair.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	accident	accident	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	paralysed	paralyse	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	legs	leg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
7	so	so	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
8	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	uses	use	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	wheelchair	wheelchair	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **paralyse** | past | the accident | accident's legs |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **use** | present | accident | a wheelchair |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent wheelchair=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The spider's venom paralyses the fly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:paralyse:x2:1
# text = The spider's venom paralyses the fly.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	spider	spider	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	venom	venom	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	paralyses	paralysis	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	fly	fly	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Heavy snow paralysed the city for three days.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:paralyse:x3:1
# text = Heavy snow paralysed the city for three days.
1	Heavy	heavy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	snow	snow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	paralysed	paralyse	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	city	city	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	three	three	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	8	nummod	_	_
8	days	day	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **paralyse** | past | Heavy snow | the city |  |  | day |  | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She was paralysed with fear when she saw the bear.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:paralyse:x4:1
# text = She was paralysed with fear when she saw the bear.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	paralysed	paralyse	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	fear	fear	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
6	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	8	advmod	_	_
7	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	saw	see	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	bear	bear	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **paralyse** | past · passive |  | She |  |  |  | with fear | tree rules |
| 2 | **see** | past | she | the bear |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer bear=Stimulus |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The power cut paralysed the trains.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:paralyse:x5:1
# text = The power cut paralysed the trains.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	power	power	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	cut	cut	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	paralysed	paralyse	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	trains	train	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **paralyse** | past | the power cut | the trains |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Some illnesses can paralyse muscles for a short time.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:paralyse:x6:1
# text = Some illnesses can paralyse muscles for a short time.
1	Some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	2	det	_	_
2	illnesses	illness	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	paralyse	paralyse	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	muscles	muscle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	short	short	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	time	time	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 | **paralyse** | can | some illnesses | muscles |  |  | time |  | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Therein lives a poor paralysed girl; the window of her little room looks northward, the sun does not enter here.

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:paralyse:x7:1
# text = Therein lives a poor paralysed girl; the window of her little room looks northward, the sun does not enter here.
1	Therein	therein	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
2	lives	live	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
4	poor	poor	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
5	paralysed	paralyse	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	amod	_	_
6	girl	girl	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	14	punct	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	window	window	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nsubj	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
11	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	13	nmod:poss	_	_
12	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	room	room	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	_
14	looks	look	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	parataxis	_	_
15	northward	northward	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	sun	sun	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	nsubj	_	_
19	does	do	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	21	aux	_	_
20	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	21	advmod	_	_
21	enter	enter	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	14	conj	_	_
22	here	here	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	21	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **live** | present |  | a poor paralysed girl |  |  |  | therein *property* | vn lodge-46 «NP V ADV»: agent=Theme girl=Location |
| 2 | **paralyse** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **look** | present | the window of window's little room |  |  |  |  | northward *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Stimulus |
| 4 | **not** **enter** | present · do-support | the sun |  |  | here |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1-2 «NP V»: agent=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 -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [paralympics](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/paralympics/)
- next →: [paralysis](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/paralysis/)
- ↑ back to [P in school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/)