---
title: ruffle — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «ruffle» in the school dictionary: To make something uneven or messy, like hair, feathers or a smooth surface. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# ruffle

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Grandad, breeze, bird, rude comment, Her, princess · **What happens:** make, annoy, upset, gather, use, ruffle · **To what, where:** something, someone, gathered cloth, hair, surface, feathers · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«ruffle» in the school dictionary: its 4 meanings for a pupil and its 7 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: [ruffle in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/ruffle.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To make something uneven or messy, like hair, feathers or a smooth surface.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ruffle:m1:1
# text = To make something uneven or messy, like hair, feathers or a smooth surface.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	make	make	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	uneven	uneven	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	messy	messy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
8	like	like	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	hair	hair	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
11	feathers	feather	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	conj	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
14	smooth	smooth	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	surface	surface	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  | like hair and feathers or a smooth surface | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset something=Product |

<!-- .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 -->
To annoy or upset someone a little.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ruffle:m2:1
# text = To annoy or upset someone a little.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	annoy	annoy	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	upset	upset	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
5	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	4	obj	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **annoy** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **upset** | infinitive |  | someone |  |  |  | a little *obl:unmarked* | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus someone=Experiencer |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"ruffle someone's feathers".

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ruffle:m2e:1
# text = "ruffle someone's feathers".
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	ruffle	ruffle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	5	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	's	's	PART	POS	_	3	case	_	_
5	feathers	feather	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

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

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A strip of gathered cloth used as decoration on a dress or shirt; a frill.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ruffle:m3:1
# text = A strip of gathered cloth used as decoration on a dress or shirt; a frill.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	strip	strip	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	gathered	gather	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	amod	_	_
5	cloth	cloth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	acl	_	_
7	as	as	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	decoration	decoration	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
9	on	on	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	dress	dress	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	shirt	shirt	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	frill	frill	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **gather** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn herd-47.5.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **use** | participle |  | gathered cloth *not said here* |  |  |  | as decoration on a dress or shirt | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A soft drum roll.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ruffle:m4:1
# text = A soft drum roll.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
2	soft	soft	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
3	drum	drum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	roll	roll	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grandad ruffled my hair and smiled.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ruffle:x1:1
# text = Grandad ruffled my hair and smiled.
1	Grandad	Grandad	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	ruffled	ruffle	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	hair	hair	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	smiled	smile	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ruffle** | past | Grandad | my hair |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus hair=Experiencer |
| 2 | **smile** | past | Grandad *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A breeze ruffled the surface of the lake.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ruffle:x2:1
# text = A breeze ruffled the surface of the lake.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	breeze	breeze	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	ruffled	ruffle	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	surface	surface	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	lake	lake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ruffle** | past | a breeze | the surface of the lake |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus surface=Experiencer |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The bird ruffled its feathers in the cold.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ruffle:x3:1
# text = The bird ruffled its feathers in the cold.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	bird	bird	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	ruffled	ruffle	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	feathers	feather	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	cold	cold	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 | **ruffle** | past | the bird | bird's feathers |  | the cold |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus feather=Experiencer |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Her rude comment ruffled a few feathers.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ruffle:x4:1
# text = Her rude comment ruffled a few feathers.
1	Her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	rude	rude	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	comment	comment	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	ruffled	ruffle	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	few	few	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	feathers	feather	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ruffle** | past | Her rude comment | a few feathers |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus feather=Experiencer |
| 2 | **comment** |  | Her *= she* |  |  |  |  |  | nom comment «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The princess wore a dress with lots of ruffles.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ruffle:x5:1
# text = The princess wore a dress with lots of ruffles.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	princess	princess	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	wore	wear	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	dress	dress	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	lots	lot	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	ruffles	ruffle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wear** | past | the princess | a dress |  |  |  | with lots of ruffles | vn wipe\_manner-10.4.1-1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent dress=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He stayed calm and unruffled during the test.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ruffle:x6:1
# text = He stayed calm and unruffled during the test.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	stayed	stay	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	calm	calm	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	unruffled	unruffl	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	conj	_	_
6	during	during	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	test	test	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stay** | past | He |  |  |  |  | calm *property* | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **unruffl** | participle | He *not said here* |  |  |  | during the test |  | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
'Can you ruffle your fur when you are angry, or purr when you are pleased?' said she.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ruffle:x7:1
# text = 'Can you ruffle your fur when you are angry, or purr when you are pleased?' said she.
1	'	'	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	ruffle	ruffle	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	20	ccomp	_	_
5	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	fur	fur	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	10	mark	_	_
8	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
9	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
10	angry	angry	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	purr	purr	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	conj	_	_
14	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	17	mark	_	_
15	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	17	nsubj	_	_
16	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	17	cop	_	_
17	pleased	pleased	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	'	'	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
20	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
21	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	20	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	20	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ruffle** | can | you | your fur |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus fur=Experiencer |
| 2 | **is** | present | you |  |  |  |  | angry *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **purr** | infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **is** | present | you |  |  |  |  | pleased *property* | tree rules |
| 5 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | she |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |

<!-- 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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