---
title: quirk — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «quirk» in the school dictionary: A strange or unusual habit or way of behaving: «One of her quirks is wearing odd socks.». Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# quirk

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** way, strange habit, strange thing, One, two, friends · **What happens:** behave, wear, happen, bear, eat, be · **To what, where:** odd socks, they, eating cereal, train, quirks, little quirks

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A strange or unusual habit or way of behaving: «One of her quirks is wearing odd socks.».

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:quirk:m1:1
# text = A strange or unusual habit or way of behaving: «One of her quirks is wearing odd socks.».
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
2	strange	strange	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	unusual	unusual	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	conj	_	_
5	habit	habit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	nsubj	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
8	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
9	behaving	behave	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	12	punct	_	_
11	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	One	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	5	appos	_	_
13	of	of	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	15	nmod:poss	_	_
15	quirks	quirk	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	nmod	_	_
16	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	17	aux	_	_
17	wearing	wear	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
18	odd	odd	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	19	amod	_	_
19	socks	sock	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	17	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	17	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	17	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	17	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **behave** | gerund | way *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn masquerade-29.6-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **wear** *in a quote* | present · progressive | a strange habit or way | odd socks |  |  |  |  | vn wipe\_manner-10.4.1-1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent sock=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.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A strange thing that happens by chance: «By a quirk of fate, they were born on the same day.».

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:quirk:m2:1
# text = A strange thing that happens by chance: «By a quirk of fate, they were born on the same day.».
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	strange	strange	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	thing	thing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
4	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	5	nsubj	_	_
5	happens	happen	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	acl:relcl	_	_
6	by	by	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	chance	chance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	12	punct	_	_
9	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	By	by	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	quirk	quirk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
13	of	of	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	fate	fate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
16	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	18	nsubj:pass	_	_
17	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	18	aux:pass	_	_
18	born	bear	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	12	parataxis	_	_
19	on	on	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
20	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
21	same	same	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	22	amod	_	_
22	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	12	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **happen** | present | a strange thing |  |  |  |  | by chance | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Theme by chance=Location |
| 2 | **bear** *in a quote* | past · passive |  | they |  |  | day |  | vn birth-28.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A sudden twist or turn, like a quick curl in handwriting.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:quirk:m3:1
# text = A sudden twist or turn, like a quick curl in handwriting.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	sudden	sudden	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	twist	twist	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	turn	turn	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
7	like	like	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	quick	quick	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	curl	curl	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	_
11	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	handwriting	handwriting	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
One of Dad's quirks is eating cereal for dinner.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:quirk:x1:1
# text = One of Dad's quirks is eating cereal for dinner.
1	One	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	8	nsubj	_	_
2	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
3	Dad	Dad	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	's	's	PART	POS	_	3	case	_	_
5	quirks	quirk	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	nmod	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
7	eating	eat	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	8	amod	_	_
8	cereal	cereal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
9	for	for	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	dinner	dinner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **eat** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is a** | present | One of Dad's quirks | eating cereal |  |  |  | for dinner | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
By a quirk of fate, the two lost friends sat next to each other on the train.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:quirk:x2:1
# text = By a quirk of fate, the two lost friends sat next to each other on the train.
1	By	by	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	quirk	quirk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	fate	fate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	9	nsubj	_	_
9	lost	lose	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
10	friends	friend	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	nsubj	_	_
11	sat	sit	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	conj	_	_
12	next	next	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
13	to	to	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	each	each	DET	DT	ExtPos=PRON|PronType=Rcp	11	obl	_	_
15	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	fixed	_	_
16	on	on	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	train	train	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lose** | past | the two |  |  |  |  | by a quirk of fate | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **sit** | past | friends |  |  | the train |  | to each; next *property* | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent on train=Location |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The house has some quirks, like a door that opens by itself.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:quirk:x3:1
# text = The house has some quirks, like a door that opens by itself.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	house	house	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	5	det	_	_
5	quirks	quirk	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
7	like	like	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	door	door	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	appos	_	_
10	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	11	nsubj	_	_
11	opens	open	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	acl:relcl	_	_
12	by	by	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	itself	itself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | the house | some quirks |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent quirk=Patient |
| 2 | **open** | present | a door |  |  |  |  | by house | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme by itself=Location |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Every pet has its little quirks.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:quirk:x4:1
# text = Every pet has its little quirks.
1	Every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	2	det	_	_
2	pet	pet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
5	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	quirks	quirk	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | every pet | pet's little quirks |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent quirk=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
English spelling is full of quirks.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:quirk:x5:1
# text = English spelling is full of quirks.
1	English	English	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	spelling	spelling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	full	full	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	quirks	quirk	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | English spelling |  |  |  |  | of quirks; full *property* | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A quirk of the rules let the team play an extra match.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:quirk:x6:1
# text = A quirk of the rules let the team play an extra match.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	quirk	quirk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	rules	rule	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nmod	_	_
6	let	let	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	team	team	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	play	play	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	xcomp	_	_
10	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	extra	extra	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	match	match	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **let** | infinitive | a quirk of the rules | the team |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **play** | infinitive | the team *not said here* | a extra match |  |  |  |  | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent match=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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