---
title: pest — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «pest» in the school dictionary: A pest is an insect or animal that harms crops, food, gardens or homes, such as rats, mice, cockroaches or greenfly. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# pest

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** pest, insect, child, Rabbits, Slugs, pests · **What happens:** be, harm, keep, bother, eat, call · **To what, where:** insect, crops, annoying person, you, big pest, pests · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«pest» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 8 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: [pest in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/pest.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A pest is an insect or animal that harms crops, food, gardens or homes, such as rats, mice, cockroaches or greenfly.

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pest:m1:1
# text = A pest is an insect or animal that harms crops, food, gardens or homes, such as rats, mice, cockroaches or greenfly.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	pest	pest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	insect	insect	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	animal	animal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
8	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	9	nsubj	_	_
9	harms	harm	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
10	crops	crop	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
12	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
14	gardens	garden	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	conj	_	_
15	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
16	homes	home	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	20	punct	_	_
18	such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|ExtPos=ADP	20	case	_	_
19	as	as	ADP	IN	_	18	fixed	_	_
20	rats	rat	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	22	punct	_	_
22	mice	mouse	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	24	punct	_	_
24	cockroaches	cockroach	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	conj	_	_
25	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	26	cc	_	_
26	greenfly	greenfly	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a pest | a insect or animal |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **harm** | present | a insect or animal | crops and food and gardens or homes and rats and mice and cockroaches or greenfly |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus crop=Experiencer |

<!-- .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 -->
A pest is also an annoying person, especially a child who keeps bothering you.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pest:m2:1
# text = A pest is also an annoying person, especially a child who keeps bothering you.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	pest	pest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
4	also	also	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
5	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	annoying	annoying	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
9	especially	especially	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	child	child	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	_
12	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	13	nsubj	_	_
13	keeps	keep	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	acl:relcl	_	_
14	bothering	bother	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	13	xcomp	_	_
15	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	14	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a pest | a annoying person and a child |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **keep** | present | a child |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **bother** | gerund | a child *not said here* | you |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus you=Experiencer |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Rabbits are a big pest for farmers in Australia.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pest:x1:1
# text = Rabbits are a big pest for farmers in Australia.
1	Rabbits	rabbit	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	pest	pest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	farmers	farmer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	Australia	Australia	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Rabbits | a big pest |  |  |  | for farmers in Australia | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Slugs are pests that eat lettuces.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pest:x2:1
# text = Slugs are pests that eat lettuces.
1	Slugs	slug	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	pests	pest	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
4	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	5	nsubj	_	_
5	eat	eat	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	acl:relcl	_	_
6	lettuces	lettuce	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Slugs | pests |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **eat** | present | pests | lettuces |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent lettuce=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ladybirds eat aphids, which are garden pests.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pest:x3:1
# text = Ladybirds eat aphids, which are garden pests.
1	Ladybirds	ladybird	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	eat	eat	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	aphids	aphid	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
5	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	8	nsubj	_	_
6	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
7	garden	garden	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	pests	pest	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **eat** | present | Ladybirds | aphids and garden pests |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent aphid=Patient |
| 2 | **is a** | present | aphids and garden pests | garden pests |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We called pest control to get rid of the mice.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pest:x4:1
# text = We called pest control to get rid of the mice.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	called	call	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	pest	pest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	control	control	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	xcomp	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	get	get	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	acl	_	_
7	rid	rid	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	xcomp	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	mice	mouse	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** | past | We | pest control |  |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **get** | to-infinitive | We *not said here* | pest control *not said here* |  |  |  | rid *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My little sister is being a pest again!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pest:x5:1
# text = My little sister is being a pest again!
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	sister	sister	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
5	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	7	cop	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	pest	pest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	again	again	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | My little sister | a pest |  |  | again |  | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Keep food covered so pests don't get in.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pest:x6:1
# text = Keep food covered so pests don't get in.
1	Keep	keep	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
3	covered	cover	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	so	so	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
5	pests	pest	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
6	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	8	advmod	_	_
8	get	get	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	advcl	_	_
9	in	in	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **keep** | imperative | you *not said here* | food |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent food=Theme |
| 2 | **cover** | participle |  | food *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn fill-9.8-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **not** **get in** | present · do-support | pests |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Stop being a pest and let me finish my homework.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pest:x7:1
# text = Stop being a pest and let me finish my homework.
1	Stop	stop	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	pest	pest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	xcomp	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	let	let	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	1	conj	_	_
7	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	finish	finish	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	xcomp	_	_
9	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
10	homework	homework	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stop** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |
| 2 | **is a** | gerund | you *not said here* | a pest |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **let** | infinitive | you *not said here* | me |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **finish** | infinitive | me *not said here* | my homework |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V NP.eventuality»: agent=Subeventuality homework=Eventuality |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Pest Maiden arrives, and thrusts her arm in at his window.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pest:x8:1
# text = The Pest Maiden arrives, and thrusts her arm in at his window.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	Pest	Pest	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	Maiden	Maiden	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	arrives	arrive	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	thrusts	thrust	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
8	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	arm	arm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
11	at	at	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	13	nmod:poss	_	_
13	window	window	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **arrive** | present | the Pest Maiden |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **thrust** | present | the Pest Maiden *not said here* | Maiden's arm |  | his window |  |  | vn carry-11.4-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent arm=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 -->

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