---
title: scarecrow — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «scarecrow» in the school dictionary: A scarecrow is a figure made to look like a person, often stuffed with straw and dressed in old clothes, put in a field to scare birds away from crops. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# scarecrow

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** scarecrow, figure, farmer, We, crows, village · **What happens:** be, make, look, stuff, dress, put · **To what, where:** figure, old clothes, field, birds, crops, Someone · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«scarecrow» in the school dictionary: its 2 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: [scarecrow in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/scarecrow.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A scarecrow is a figure made to look like a person, often stuffed with straw and dressed in old clothes, put in a field to scare birds away from crops.

<!-- fold The tree, 30 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scarecrow:m1:1
# text = A scarecrow is a figure made to look like a person, often stuffed with straw and dressed in old clothes, put in a field to scare birds away from crops.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	scarecrow	scarecrow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	figure	figure	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	acl	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	look	look	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	xcomp	_	_
9	like	like	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
13	often	often	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	_
14	stuffed	stuff	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	parataxis	_	_
15	with	with	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
16	straw	straw	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	_
17	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
18	dressed	dress	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	14	conj	_	_
19	in	in	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
20	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	21	amod	_	_
21	clothes	clothes	NOUN	NNS	Number=Ptan	18	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	23	punct	_	_
23	put	put	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	21	acl	_	_
24	in	in	ADP	IN	_	26	case	_	_
25	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	26	det	_	_
26	field	field	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	23	obl	_	_
27	to	to	PART	TO	_	28	mark	_	_
28	scare	scare	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	23	advcl	_	_
29	birds	bird	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	28	obj	_	_
30	away	away	ADV	RB	_	28	advmod	_	_
31	from	from	ADP	IN	_	32	case	_	_
32	crops	crop	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	28	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
33	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a scarecrow | a figure |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **make** | participle |  | a figure *not said here* |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **look** | to-infinitive | a figure *not said here* |  |  |  |  | like a person | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Stimulus |
| 4 | **stuff** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | with straw; often *property* | vn spray-9.7-2 «NP V NP.destination PP.theme»: agent=Agent with straw=Theme |
| 5 | **dress** | participle |  |  |  | old clothes |  |  | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 6 | **put** | participle |  | old clothes *not said here* |  | a field |  |  | vn put-9.1-2 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent in field=Destination |
| 7 | **scare away** | to-infinitive |  | birds |  | crops |  | away *property* | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus bird=Experiencer |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Someone who looks thin and messy can be jokingly called a scarecrow.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scarecrow:m2:1
# text = Someone who looks thin and messy can be jokingly called a scarecrow.
1	Someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	10	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	3	nsubj	_	_
3	looks	look	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	acl:relcl	_	_
4	thin	thin	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	xcomp	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	messy	messy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	_
7	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
8	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	aux:pass	_	_
9	jokingly	jokingly	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
10	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	scarecrow	scarecrow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** | present |  |  |  |  |  | thin *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |
| 2 | **call** | can · passive |  | Someone |  |  |  | jokingly *property* | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: subject=Recipient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The farmer put a scarecrow in the cornfield.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scarecrow:x1:1
# text = The farmer put a scarecrow in the cornfield.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	farmer	farmer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	put	put	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	scarecrow	scarecrow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	cornfield	cornfield	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 | **put** | past | the farmer | a scarecrow |  | the cornfield |  |  | vn put-9.1-2 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent scarecrow=Theme in cornfield=Destination |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We made a scarecrow for the school garden.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scarecrow:x2:1
# text = We made a scarecrow for the school garden.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	scarecrow	scarecrow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	garden	garden	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past | We | a scarecrow |  |  |  | for the school garden | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP PP.beneficiary»: agent=Agent scarecrow=Material for garden=Beneficiary |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The crows weren't scared of the scarecrow at all.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scarecrow:x3:1
# text = The crows weren't scared of the scarecrow at all.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	crows	crow	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
3	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	5	advmod	_	_
5	scared	scared	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	scarecrow	scarecrow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
9	at	at	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **is** | past | the crows |  |  |  |  | of the scarecrow at all; scared *property* | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In «The Wizard of Oz», the Scarecrow wants a brain.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scarecrow:x4:1
# text = In «The Wizard of Oz», the Scarecrow wants a brain.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
2	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	Wizard	Wizard	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	Oz	Oz	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	Scarecrow	scarecrow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
11	wants	want	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	brain	brain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **want** | present | the Scarecrow | a brain |  |  |  | in the Wizard of Oz | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Pivot brain=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Our village holds a scarecrow competition every summer.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scarecrow:x5:1
# text = Our village holds a scarecrow competition every summer.
1	Our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	village	village	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	holds	hold	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	scarecrow	scarecrow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	competition	competition	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	8	det	_	_
8	summer	summer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hold** | present | Our village | a scarecrow competition |  |  | summer |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent competition=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
After the windy walk, my hair made me look like a scarecrow.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:scarecrow:x6:1
# text = After the windy walk, my hair made me look like a scarecrow.
1	After	after	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	windy	windy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	walk	walk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	hair	hair	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
8	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	_
10	look	look	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	xcomp	_	_
11	like	like	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	scarecrow	scarecrow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past | my hair | me |  |  | after the windy walk |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **look** | infinitive | me *not said here* |  |  |  |  | like a scarecrow | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Stimulus |

<!-- 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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