---
title: pursuit — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «pursuit» in the school dictionary: Chasing someone or something to catch them. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# pursuit

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** outdoor pursuits, police, police car, cheetah, Hiking, Scientists · **What happens:** chase, catch, try, get, reach, pursue · **To what, where:** someone, them, something, happiness, pursuit, hot pursuit

<!-- .vabout -->
«pursuit» in the school dictionary: its 3 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: [pursuit in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/pursuit.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Chasing someone or something to catch them.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pursuit:m1:1
# text = Chasing someone or something to catch them.
1	Chasing	chase	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
2	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	1	obj	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	conj	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	catch	catch	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	acl	_	_
7	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **chase** | gerund |  | someone |  |  |  |  | vn chase-51.6 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent someone=Theme |
| 2 | **catch** | to-infinitive |  | them *= they* |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=Theme |

<!-- .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.

<!-- .note -->
The example in this meaning, parsed on its own:

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The police were in pursuit of the thief.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pursuit:m1e:1
# text = The police were in pursuit of the thief.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	police	police	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
3	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	pursuit	pursuit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	thief	thief	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the police |  |  | pursuit |  | of the thief | tree rules |

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Trying to get or reach something: the pursuit of happiness.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pursuit:m2:1
# text = Trying to get or reach something: the pursuit of happiness.
1	Trying	try	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
2	to	to	PART	TO	_	3	mark	_	_
3	get	get	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	xcomp	_	_
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	reach	reach	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	conj	_	_
6	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	9	punct	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	pursuit	pursuit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	appos	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	happiness	happiness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **try** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn try-61.1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **get** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |
| 3 | **reach** | infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn body\_motion-49.2-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Agent something=Theme |
| 4 | **pursue** |  |  | happiness |  |  |  |  | nom pursuit «act transitive»: of=patient |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An activity or hobby: outdoor pursuits like hiking and climbing.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pursuit:m3:1
# text = An activity or hobby: outdoor pursuits like hiking and climbing.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	activity	activity	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	hobby	hobby	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	7	punct	_	_
6	outdoor	outdoor	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	pursuits	pursuit	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
8	like	like	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
9	hiking	hike	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	acl	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	climbing	climb	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hike** | gerund | outdoor pursuits *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **climb** | gerund | outdoor pursuits *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The police car raced off in pursuit.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pursuit:x1:1
# text = The police car raced off in pursuit.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	police	police	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	compound	_	_
3	car	car	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	raced	race	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	off	off	ADP	RP	_	4	compound:prt	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	pursuit	pursuit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **race off** | past | the police car |  |  | pursuit |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in pursuit=Trajectory |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The cheetah was in hot pursuit of a gazelle.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pursuit:x2:1
# text = The cheetah was in hot pursuit of a gazelle.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	cheetah	cheetah	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	hot	hot	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	pursuit	pursuit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	gazelle	gazelle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the cheetah |  |  | hot pursuit |  | of a gazelle | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Hiking and canoeing are popular outdoor pursuits.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pursuit:x3:1
# text = Hiking and canoeing are popular outdoor pursuits.
1	Hiking	hike	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	csubj	_	_
2	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
3	canoeing	canoe	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	1	conj	_	_
4	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
5	popular	popular	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
6	outdoor	outdoor	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	pursuits	pursuit	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hike** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **canoe** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn vehicle-51.4.1-1 «NP.theme V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **is a** | present | Hiking | popular outdoor pursuits |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Scientists spend years in pursuit of answers.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pursuit:x4:1
# text = Scientists spend years in pursuit of answers.
1	Scientists	scientist	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	spend	spend	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	years	year	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	pursuit	pursuit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	answers	answer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **spend** | present | Scientists |  |  | pursuit of answers | year |  | vn consume-66-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **pursue** |  |  | answers |  |  |  |  | nom pursuit «act transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A car 10 km behind is in pursuit at 20 km/h faster; it catches up in half an hour.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pursuit:x5:1
# text = A car 10 km behind is in pursuit at 20 km/h faster; it catches up in half an hour.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
2	car	car	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
3	10	10	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	2	flat	_	_
4	km	km	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
5	behind	behind	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	pursuit	pursuit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
9	at	at	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	20	20	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	11	nummod	_	_
11	km/h	km/h	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	_
12	faster	fast	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	11	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	15	punct	_	_
14	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	nsubj	_	_
15	catches	catch	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	acl:relcl	_	_
16	up	up	ADP	RP	_	15	compound:prt	_	_
17	in	in	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
18	half	half	DET	PDT	NumForm=Word|NumType=Frac|PronType=Ind	20	det:predet	_	_
19	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
20	hour	hour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | a car km |  |  | pursuit |  | at 20 km/h | tree rules |
| 2 | **catch up** | present | km | pursuit *not said here* |  |  | hour |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent pursuit=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The pursuit of happiness is important to everyone.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pursuit:x6:1
# text = The pursuit of happiness is important to everyone.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	pursuit	pursuit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	happiness	happiness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
6	important	important	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	everyone	everyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | the pursuit of happiness |  |  |  |  | to everyone; important *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **pursue** |  |  | happiness |  |  |  |  | nom pursuit «act transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Reading is her favourite pursuit.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pursuit:x7:1
# text = Reading is her favourite pursuit.
1	Reading	reading	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
4	favourite	favourite	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	pursuit	pursuit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Reading | her favourite pursuit |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
On she dashed in pursuit, chased and chased.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pursuit:x8:1
# text = On she dashed in pursuit, chased and chased.
1	On	on	SCONJ	IN	_	3	mark	_	_
2	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	dashed	dash	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	pursuit	pursuit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
7	chased	chase	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	acl	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	chased	chase	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **dash** | past | she |  |  | pursuit |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in pursuit=Trajectory |
| 2 | **chase** | participle |  | pursuit *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn chase-51.6 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **chase** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn chase-51.6 «NP V PP.theme»: 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 -->

<!-- pn -->
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