---
title: pulsar — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «pulsar» in the school dictionary: A tiny, very heavy, spinning dead star (a neutron star) that sends out beams of radio waves or light, which reach Earth as very regular pulses, like a lighthouse. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# pulsar

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** neutron star, radio waves, pulsar, beam, Jocelyn Bell, pulsars · **What happens:** spin, send out, reach, beam, sweep, discover · **To what, where:** dead star, beams, Earth, radio waves, hundreds, first pulsar · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A tiny, very heavy, spinning dead star (a neutron star) that sends out beams of radio waves or light, which reach Earth as very regular pulses, like a lighthouse.

<!-- fold The tree, 29 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pulsar:m1:1
# text = A tiny, very heavy, spinning dead star (a neutron star) that sends out beams of radio waves or light, which reach Earth as very regular pulses, like a lighthouse.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	tiny	tiny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
4	very	very	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	heavy	heavy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
7	spinning	spin	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	5	advcl	_	_
8	dead	dead	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	star	star	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
10	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	neutron	neutron	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	compound	_	_
13	star	star	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	13	punct	_	_
15	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	16	nsubj	_	_
16	sends	send	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	acl:relcl	_	_
17	out	out	ADP	RP	_	16	compound:prt	_	_
18	beams	beam	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	obj	_	_
19	of	of	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
20	radio	radio	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	compound	_	_
21	waves	wave	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	18	nmod	_	_
22	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	23	cc	_	_
23	light	light	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	26	punct	_	_
25	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	26	nsubj	_	_
26	reach	reach	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	21	acl:relcl	_	_
27	Earth	Earth	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	26	obj	_	_
28	as	as	ADP	IN	_	31	case	_	_
29	very	very	ADV	RB	_	30	advmod	_	_
30	regular	regular	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	31	amod	_	_
31	pulses	pulse	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	26	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
32	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	35	punct	_	_
33	like	like	ADP	IN	_	35	case	_	_
34	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	35	det	_	_
35	lighthouse	lighthouse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	31	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
36	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **spin** | gerund |  | dead star |  |  |  |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent star=Theme |
| 2 | **send out** | present | a neutron star | beams of radio waves or light |  |  |  |  | vn confine-92-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent beam=Theme |
| 3 | **reach** | present | radio waves or light | Earth |  |  |  | as regular pulses and a lighthouse | vn body\_motion-49.2-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Agent earth=Theme |
| 4 | **beam** |  |  | radio waves or light |  |  |  |  | nom beam «communication transitive»: of=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 -->
A pulsar spins hundreds of times a second.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pulsar:x1:1
# text = A pulsar spins hundreds of times a second.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	pulsar	pulsar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	spins	spin	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	hundreds	hundred	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	times	time	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	second	second	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **spin** | present | a pulsar | hundreds of times  a second |  |  |  |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent hundred=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The pulsar's beam sweeps past Earth like a lighthouse.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pulsar:x2:1
# text = The pulsar's beam sweeps past Earth like a lighthouse.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	pulsar	pulsar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	beam	beam	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	sweeps	sweep	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	past	past	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	Earth	Earth	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
8	like	like	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	lighthouse	lighthouse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sweep** | present | the pulsar's beam |  |  | Earth |  | like a lighthouse | vn run-51.3.2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme past earth=Trajectory |
| 2 | **beam** |  | the pulsar |  |  |  |  |  | nom beam «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Jocelyn Bell Burnell discovered the first pulsar.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pulsar:x3:1
# text = Jocelyn Bell Burnell discovered the first pulsar.
1	Jocelyn	Jocelyn	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	Bell	Bell	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	Burnell	Burnell	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	flat	_	_
4	discovered	discover	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	first	first	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	7	amod	_	_
7	pulsar	pulsar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **discover** | past | Jocelyn Bell | the first pulsar |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent pulsar=Topic |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
At first scientists jokingly called the signal "little green men".

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pulsar:x4:1
# text = At first scientists jokingly called the signal "little green men".
1	At	at	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	first	first	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	3	amod	_	_
3	scientists	scientist	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	_
4	jokingly	jokingly	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	signal	signal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	xcomp	_	_
8	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
10	green	green	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	men	man	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** | participle |  | the signal |  |  |  | at first scientists; jokingly *property* | vn animal\_sounds-38 «NP V PP.stimulus»: agent=Agent at scientist=Stimulus |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Pulsars are left over after a supernova.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pulsar:x5:1
# text = Pulsars are left over after a supernova.
1	Pulsars	pulsar	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	left	leave	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	over	over	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
5	after	after	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	supernova	supernova	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **leave over** | present · passive |  | Pulsars |  |  | after a supernova | over *property* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Some pulsars keep time better than clocks on Earth.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pulsar:x6:1
# text = Some pulsars keep time better than clocks on Earth.
1	Some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	2	det	_	_
2	pulsars	pulsar	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	keep	keep	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl:unmarked	_	_
5	better	good	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	3	xcomp	_	_
6	than	than	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	clocks	clock	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	_
8	on	on	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	Earth	Earth	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **keep** | present | some pulsars |  |  |  |  | good *property* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

<!-- 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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