---
title: portcullis — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «portcullis» in the school dictionary: A heavy grid of iron or wooden bars that slides down in grooves to close a castle gateway. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# portcullis

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** wooden bars, guards, portcullis, We, Arrows · **What happens:** slide down, close, lower, keep out, crash down, see · **To what, where:** grooves, castle gateway, portcullis, enemy, old portcullis, castle

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A heavy grid of iron or wooden bars that slides down in grooves to close a castle gateway.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:portcullis:m1:1
# text = A heavy grid of iron or wooden bars that slides down in grooves to close a castle gateway.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	heavy	heavy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	grid	grid	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	iron	iron	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
7	wooden	wooden	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	bars	bar	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	conj	_	_
9	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	10	nsubj	_	_
10	slides	slide	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	acl:relcl	_	_
11	down	down	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
12	in	in	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	grooves	groove	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obl	_	_
14	to	to	PART	TO	_	15	mark	_	_
15	close	close	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	advcl	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
17	castle	castle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	compound	_	_
18	gateway	gateway	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **slide down** | present | wooden bars |  |  | grooves |  | down *property* | vn run-51.3.2-2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in groove=Trajectory |
| 2 | **close** | to-infinitive | wooden bars *not said here* | a castle gateway |  |  |  |  | vn crane-40.3.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent gateway=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 -->
The guards lowered the portcullis to keep out the enemy.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:portcullis:x1:1
# text = The guards lowered the portcullis to keep out the enemy.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	guards	guard	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	lowered	lower	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	portcullis	portcullis	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	keep	keep	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
8	out	out	ADP	RP	_	7	compound:prt	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	enemy	enemy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lower** | past | the guards | the portcullis |  |  |  |  | vn put\_direction-9.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent portcullis=Theme |
| 2 | **keep out** | to-infinitive | the guards *not said here* | the enemy |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent enemy=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The portcullis crashed down just behind the knight.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:portcullis:x2:1
# text = The portcullis crashed down just behind the knight.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	portcullis	portcullis	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	crashed	crash	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	down	down	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	_
5	just	just	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
6	behind	behind	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	knight	knight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **crash down** | past | the portcullis |  |  |  |  | behind the knight | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme behind knight=Location |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We saw the old portcullis at the castle.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:portcullis:x3:1
# text = We saw the old portcullis at the castle.
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	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	portcullis	portcullis	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	at	at	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	castle	castle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The portcullis was raised with chains and a winch.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:portcullis:x4:1
# text = The portcullis was raised with chains and a winch.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	portcullis	portcullis	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	raised	raise	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	chains	chain	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	winch	winch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **raise** | past · passive |  | the portcullis |  |  |  | with chains and a winch | vn remedy-45.7 «NP V NP PP.instrument»: subject=Patient with chain=Instrument |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A portcullis appears on the badge of Parliament.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:portcullis:x5:1
# text = A portcullis appears on the badge of Parliament.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	portcullis	portcullis	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	appears	appear	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	badge	badge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	Parliament	Parliament	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **appear** | present | a portcullis |  |  | the badge of Parliament |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme on badge=Location |
| 2 | **badge** |  |  | Parliament |  |  |  |  | nom badge «communication transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Arrows flew through the bars of the portcullis.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:portcullis:x6:1
# text = Arrows flew through the bars of the portcullis.
1	Arrows	arrow	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	flew	fly	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	through	through	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	bars	bar	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	portcullis	portcullis	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fly** | past | Arrows |  |  | the bars of the portcullis |  |  | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme through bar=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.

<!-- /div -->

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