---
title: quaver — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «quaver» in the school dictionary: A note that lasts half a beat in common time — half as long as a crotchet; in the USA it is called an eighth note. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# quaver

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** note, voice, person, quaver, Two quavers, anyone · **What happens:** last, call, quaver, shake, be, make · **To what, where:** beat, USA, one beat, goodbye, anyone, voice · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A note that lasts half a beat in common time — half as long as a crotchet; in the USA it is called an eighth note.

<!-- fold The tree, 25 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:quaver:m1:1
# text = A note that lasts half a beat in common time — half as long as a crotchet; in the USA it is called an eighth note.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	note	note	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	4	nsubj	_	_
4	lasts	last	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	acl:relcl	_	_
5	half	half	DET	PDT	NumForm=Word|NumType=Frac|PronType=Ind	7	det:predet	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	beat	beat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	common	common	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
11	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	12	punct	_	_
12	half	half	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing|NumForm=Word|NumType=Frac	10	conj	_	_
13	as	as	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	_
14	long	long	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	4	advmod	_	_
15	as	as	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	crotchet	crotchet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	24	punct	_	_
19	in	in	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
20	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
21	USA	USA	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	24	obl	_	_
22	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	24	nsubj:pass	_	_
23	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	24	aux:pass	_	_
24	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
25	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	27	det	_	_
26	eighth	eighth	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	27	amod	_	_
27	note	note	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	24	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **last** | present | a note | half beat |  |  | time | long *property* | vn cost-54.2 «NP V NP.value»: agent=Theme beat=Value |
| 2 | **call** | present · passive | a note *not said here* | beat |  | the USA |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: subject=Recipient |

<!-- .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: verb — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
When a voice quavers, it shakes because the person is afraid, nervous, old or upset.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:quaver:m2:1
# text = When a voice quavers, it shakes because the person is afraid, nervous, old or upset.
1	When	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	4	mark	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	voice	voice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	quavers	quaver	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	shakes	shake	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
11	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
12	afraid	afraid	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
14	nervous	nervous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
16	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	conj	_	_
17	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
18	upset	upset	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **quaver** *speech: other* | present | a voice |  |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **shake** | present | voice |  |  |  |  |  | vn shake-22.3-2 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Patient |
| 3 | **is** | present | the person |  |  |  |  | afraid *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **be** |  | the person *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 5 | **be** |  | the person *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 6 | **be** |  | the person *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A shake or tremble in the voice.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:quaver:m3:1
# text = A shake or tremble in the voice.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	shake	shake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	tremble	tremble	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	voice	voice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A quaver lasts half as long as a crotchet.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:quaver:x1:1
# text = A quaver lasts half as long as a crotchet.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	quaver	quaver	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	lasts	last	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	half	half	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Frac	6	advmod	_	_
5	as	as	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	long	long	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	3	advmod	_	_
7	as	as	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	crotchet	crotchet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **last** | present | a quaver |  |  |  |  | long *property* | vn cost-54.2 «NP V NP.value»: agent=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Two quavers make one beat in 4/4 time.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:quaver:x2:1
# text = Two quavers make one beat in 4/4 time.
1	Two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	2	nummod	_	_
2	quavers	quaver	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	make	make	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	beat	beat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	4/4	4/4	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	8	nummod	_	_
8	time	time	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 | **make** | present | Two quavers | one beat |  |  | time |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset beat=Product |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Her voice quavered as she said goodbye.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:quaver:x3:1
# text = Her voice quavered as she said goodbye.
1	Her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	voice	voice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	quavered	quaver	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
5	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
7	goodbye	goodbye	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **quaver** *speech: other* | past | Her voice |  |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | voice | goodbye |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent goodbye=Topic |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Is anyone there?» he asked with a quaver in his voice.

<!-- fold The tree, 11 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:quaver:x4:1
# text = «Is anyone there?» he asked with a quaver in his voice.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	anyone	anyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	8	nsubj	_	_
4	there	there	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	3	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
7	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	asked	ask	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	with	with	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	quaver	quaver	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
12	in	in	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	14	nmod:poss	_	_
14	voice	voice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** *in a quote* | present |  | anyone |  | there |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **ask** *speech: ask* | past | anyone |  |  | his voice |  | with a quaver | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In America a quaver is called an eighth note.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:quaver:x5:1
# text = In America a quaver is called an eighth note.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	America	America	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	quaver	quaver	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj:pass	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux:pass	_	_
6	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
7	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	eighth	eighth	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	note	note	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** | present · passive |  | a quaver |  | America |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: subject=Recipient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The quavers were joined together with a beam.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:quaver:x6:1
# text = The quavers were joined together with a beam.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	quavers	quaver	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	joined	join	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	together	together	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	beam	beam	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **join** | past · passive |  | the quavers |  |  |  | with a beam; together *property* | vn mix-22.1-2-1 «NP V NP PP.co-patient»: subject=Patient with beam=Co-Patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The old man's voice quavered as he sang.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:quaver:x7:1
# text = The old man's voice quavered as he sang.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	's	's	PART	POS	_	3	case	_	_
5	voice	voice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	quavered	quaver	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
8	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	sang	sing	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **quaver** *speech: other* | past | the old man's voice |  |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **sing** *speech: express* | past | voice |  |  |  |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP.location V PP.theme»: agent=Location |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A semibreve equals eight quavers.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:quaver:x8:1
# text = A semibreve equals eight quavers.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	semibreve	semibreve	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	equals	equal	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	eight	eight	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	quavers	quaver	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **equal** | present | a semibreve | eight quavers |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- 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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