---
title: pelican — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «pelican» in the school dictionary: A pelican is a large water bird with a very long beak and a big stretchy pouch of skin under it, which it uses to scoop up fish. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# pelican

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** pelican, pelican crossing, road, traffic lights, Pelicans, beak · **What happens:** be, use, scoop up, cross, control, press · **To what, where:** large water bird, skin, fish, road, button, pouch

<!-- .vabout -->
«pelican» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 9 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: [pelican in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/pelican.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A pelican is a large water bird with a very long beak and a big stretchy pouch of skin under it, which it uses to scoop up fish.

<!-- fold The tree, 28 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pelican:m1:1
# text = A pelican is a large water bird with a very long beak and a big stretchy pouch of skin under it, which it uses to scoop up fish.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	pelican	pelican	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
5	large	large	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
6	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	bird	bird	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
10	very	very	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
11	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	beak	beak	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	_
13	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
15	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	amod	_	_
16	stretchy	stretchy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	amod	_	_
17	pouch	pouch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	conj	_	_
18	of	of	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
19	skin	skin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	nmod	_	_
20	under	under	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
21	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	19	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	25	punct	_	_
23	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	25	obj	_	_
24	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	25	nsubj	_	_
25	uses	use	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	19	acl:relcl	_	_
26	to	to	PART	TO	_	27	mark	_	_
27	scoop	scoop	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	25	xcomp	_	_
28	up	up	ADP	RP	_	27	compound:prt	_	_
29	fish	fish	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	27	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
30	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a pelican | a large water bird |  |  |  | with a long beak and a big stretchy pouch of skin under skin | tree rules |
| 2 | **use** | present | pelican | skin under skin |  |  |  |  | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent which=Theme clause=Eventuality |
| 3 | **scoop up** | to-infinitive | pelican *not said here* |  | fish |  |  |  | vn funnel-9.3 «NP V NP ADVP»: agent=Agent fish=Destination |

<!-- .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}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: UK — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A pelican crossing is a road crossing with traffic lights that people control by pressing a button.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pelican:m2:1
# text = A pelican crossing is a road crossing with traffic lights that people control by pressing a button.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	pelican	pelican	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	crossing	crossing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	road	road	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	crossing	cross	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	acl	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	traffic	traffic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	lights	light	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	_
11	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	13	nsubj	_	_
12	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	nsubj	_	_
13	control	control	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	acl:relcl	_	_
14	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	15	mark	_	_
15	pressing	press	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	13	advcl	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	button	button	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a pelican crossing | a road |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **cross** | gerund | a road *not said here* |  |  |  |  | with traffic lights | vn contiguous\_location-47.8-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **control** | present | traffic lights |  |  |  |  |  | vn enforce-63 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **press** | gerund | traffic lights *not said here* | a button |  |  |  |  | vn push-12-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent button=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The pelican scooped up a fish in its pouch.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pelican:x1:1
# text = The pelican scooped up a fish in its pouch.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	pelican	pelican	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	scooped	scoop	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	up	up	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	fish	fish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	pouch	pouch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **scoop up** | participle | the pelican *not said here* | a fish |  | fish's pouch |  |  | vn funnel-9.3 «NP V NP PP.trajectory»: agent=Agent in pouch=Trajectory |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Pelicans fly in long lines just above the waves.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pelican:x2:1
# text = Pelicans fly in long lines just above the waves.
1	Pelicans	pelican	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	fly	fly	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	lines	line	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
6	just	just	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
7	above	above	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	waves	wave	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fly** | present | Pelicans |  |  | long lines above the waves |  |  | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «NP V NP.theme PP»: agent=Agent in line=Location |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A pelican's beak can hold more than its stomach.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pelican:x3:1
# text = A pelican's beak can hold more than its stomach.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	pelican	pelican	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	beak	beak	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
5	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	hold	hold	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
7	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	6	obj	_	_
8	than	than	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
10	stomach	stomach	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hold** | can | a pelican's beak | more |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent more=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We saw pelicans on the jetty at the beach.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pelican:x4:1
# text = We saw pelicans on the jetty at the beach.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	saw	see	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	pelicans	pelican	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	jetty	jetty	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
7	at	at	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	beach	beach	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **see** | past | We | pelicans |  | the jetty |  | at the beach | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer pelican=Stimulus |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Press the button at the pelican crossing and wait for the green man.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pelican:x5:1
# text = Press the button at the pelican crossing and wait for the green man.
1	Press	press	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	button	button	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	at	at	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	pelican	pelican	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	crossing	crossing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	wait	wait	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	1	conj	_	_
10	for	for	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	green	green	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **press** | imperative | you *not said here* | the button |  | the pelican crossing |  |  | vn push-12-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent button=Theme |
| 2 | **wait** | infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | for the green man | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Australian pelican has the longest beak of any bird.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pelican:x6:1
# text = The Australian pelican has the longest beak of any bird.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	Australian	Australian	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	pelican	pelican	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	longest	long	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	7	amod	_	_
7	beak	beak	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	10	det	_	_
10	bird	bird	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | the Australian pelican | the longest beak of any bird |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent beak=Patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Brown pelicans dive into the sea from high up.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pelican:x7:1
# text = Brown pelicans dive into the sea from high up.
1	Brown	brown	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	pelicans	pelican	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	dive	dive	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	into	into	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	sea	sea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	from	from	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	high	high	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	up	up	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **dive** | present | Brown pelicans |  |  | the sea |  | from high up | vn meander-47.7 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme into sea=Location |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The pelican shook the water out of its pouch.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pelican:x8:1
# text = The pelican shook the water out of its pouch.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	pelican	pelican	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	shook	shake	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	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	out	out	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	pouch	pouch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **shake** | past | the pelican | the water |  | pelican's pouch |  |  | vn funnel-9.3-1-1 «NP V NP PP.trajectory»: agent=Agent water=Theme out pouch=Trajectory |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Storks and pelicans flew after him in feathery bands, to accompany him to the boundaries of the garden.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pelican:x9:1
# text = Storks and pelicans flew after him in feathery bands, to accompany him to the boundaries of the garden.
1	Storks	stork	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
2	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
3	pelicans	pelican	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	conj	_	_
4	flew	fly	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	after	after	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	obl	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	feathery	feathery	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	bands	band	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
11	to	to	PART	TO	_	12	mark	_	_
12	accompany	accompany	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	conj	_	_
13	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	obj	_	_
14	to	to	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	boundaries	boundary	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	obl	_	_
17	of	of	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	garden	garden	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fly** | past | Storks and pelicans |  |  | feathery bands | after him *= he* |  | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «NP V NP.theme PP»: agent=Agent in band=Location |
| 2 | **accompany** | to-infinitive | Storks and pelicans *not said here* | him *= he* |  | the boundaries of the garden |  |  | vn accompany-51.7 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent he=Theme to boundary=Destination |

<!-- 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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