---
title: shearing — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «shearing» in the school dictionary: Shearing is cutting the wool off a sheep, usually once a year. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# shearing

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Shearing, ing form, farmer, We, fast shearer, strong wind · **What happens:** cut off, be, shear, cut, slide, break · **To what, where:** wool, ing form, shearing force, sheep, shearing shed, New Zealand

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Shearing is cutting the wool off a sheep, usually once a year.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:shearing:m1:1
# text = Shearing is cutting the wool off a sheep, usually once a year.
1	Shearing	shearing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	cutting	cut	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	wool	wool	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	off	off	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	sheep	sheep	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
10	usually	usually	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
11	once	once	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Mult	3	advmod	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	year	year	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cut off** | present · progressive | Shearing | the wool |  |  |  | once *property* | tree rules |

<!-- .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 -->
«Shearing» is the -ing form of «shear»: cutting with big scissors (shears) or clippers.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:shearing:m2:1
# text = «Shearing» is the -ing form of «shear»: cutting with big scissors (shears) or clippers.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Shearing	shearing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
6	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	ing	ing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	form	form	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
9	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
10	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	shear	shear	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	14	punct	_	_
14	cutting	cut	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	8	advcl	_	_
15	with	with	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	amod	_	_
17	scissors	scissors	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	obl	_	_
18	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	19	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	shears	shear	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	17	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	19	punct	_	_
21	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	22	cc	_	_
22	clippers	clipper	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	17	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Shearing | the ing form |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **shear** *in a quote* | infinitive | the ing form *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn wipe\_instr-10.4.2-1 «NP.agent V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **cut** | gerund | Shearing *not said here* |  |  |  |  | with big scissors or clippers | vn cut-21.1-1 «NP V PP PP»: agent=Agent with scissors=Instrument |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Shearing is when forces push parts of something in opposite directions so it slides or breaks, as in a «shearing force».

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:shearing:m3:1
# text = Shearing is when forces push parts of something in opposite directions so it slides or breaks, as in a «shearing force».
1	Shearing	shearing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	5	advmod	_	_
4	forces	force	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
5	push	push	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	parts	part	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	6	nmod	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	opposite	opposite	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	directions	direction	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nmod	_	_
12	so	so	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	_
13	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
14	slides	slide	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	advcl	_	_
15	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
16	breaks	break	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	23	punct	_	_
18	as	as	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
19	in	in	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
20	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	23	det	_	_
21	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	23	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	shearing	shearing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	23	compound	_	_
23	force	force	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	23	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Shearing |  |  |  |  | push *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **slide** | present | Shearing |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **break** | present | Shearing *not said here* | a shearing force |  |  |  |  | vn hurt-40.8.3-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer force=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The farmer is shearing the sheep before summer.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:shearing:x1:1
# text = The farmer is shearing the sheep before summer.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	farmer	farmer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	shearing	shear	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	sheep	sheep	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
7	before	before	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	summer	summer	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 | **shear** | present · progressive | the farmer | the sheep |  |  | summer |  | vn wipe\_instr-10.4.2-1 «NP V NP.initial\_location»: agent=Agent sheep=Initial\_Location |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Shearing does not hurt the sheep, like a haircut.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:shearing:x2:1
# text = Shearing does not hurt the sheep, like a haircut.
1	Shearing	shearing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	does	do	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	hurt	hurt	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	sheep	sheep	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
8	like	like	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	haircut	haircut	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **hurt** | present · do-support | Shearing | the sheep |  |  |  |  | vn hurt-40.8.3-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer sheep=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We visited a shearing shed in New Zealand.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:shearing:x3:1
# text = We visited a shearing shed in New Zealand.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	visited	visit	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	shearing	shearing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	shed	shed	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	New	New	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	flat	_	_
8	Zealand	Zealand	PROPN	NNP	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 | **visit** | past | We | a shearing shed |  | New Zealand |  |  | vn meet-36.3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent shed=Co-Agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A fast shearer can finish a sheep in about a minute.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:shearing:x4:1
# text = A fast shearer can finish a sheep in about a minute.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	fast	fast	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	shearer	shearer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	finish	finish	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	sheep	sheep	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	about	about	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	minute	minute	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **finish** | can | a fast shearer | a sheep |  |  | minute |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V NP.eventuality»: agent=Subeventuality sheep=Eventuality |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The strong wind was shearing branches off the trees.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:shearing:x5:1
# text = The strong wind was shearing branches off the trees.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	strong	strong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	wind	wind	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	shearing	shear	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
6	branches	branch	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	_
7	off	off	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	trees	tree	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **shear** | past · progressive | the strong wind | branches |  | the trees |  |  | vn wipe\_instr-10.4.2-1 «NP V NP PP.initial\_location»: agent=Agent branch=Theme off tree=Initial\_Location |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Shearing season is the busiest time on the farm.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:shearing:x6:1
# text = Shearing season is the busiest time on the farm.
1	Shearing	shear	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	csubj	_	_
2	season	season	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	busiest	busy	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	6	amod	_	_
6	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	on	on	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	farm	farm	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 | **shear** | gerund |  |  |  |  | season |  | vn wipe\_instr-10.4.2-1 «NP.agent V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is a** | present | Shearing | the busiest time |  | the farm |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
At last, after fruitlessly shearing off nine of the Chudo-Yudo's heads, and finding himself embedded in the ground up to his armpits, Ivan flings his cap at the hut.

<!-- fold The tree, 31 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:shearing:x7:1
# text = At last, after fruitlessly shearing off nine of the Chudo-Yudo's heads, and finding himself embedded in the ground up to his armpits, Ivan flings his cap at the hut.
1	At	at	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	last	last	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	30	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
4	after	after	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
5	fruitlessly	fruitlessly	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	shearing	shear	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	parataxis	_	_
7	off	off	ADP	RP	_	6	compound:prt	_	_
8	nine	nine	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	6	obl:unmarked	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
11	Chudo	Chudo	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	13	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	Yudo	Yudo	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	15	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	's	's	PART	POS	_	13	case	_	_
15	heads	head	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
17	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
18	finding	find	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	6	conj	_	_
19	himself	himself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	18	obj	_	_
20	embedded	embed	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	18	xcomp	_	_
21	in	in	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
22	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	23	det	_	_
23	ground	ground	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	obl	_	_
24	up	up	ADP	RP	_	20	compound:prt	_	_
25	to	to	ADP	IN	_	27	case	_	_
26	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	27	nmod:poss	_	_
27	armpits	armpit	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	20	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
29	Ivan	Ivan	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	30	nsubj	_	_
30	flings	fling	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
31	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	32	nmod:poss	_	_
32	cap	cap	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	30	obj	_	_
33	at	at	ADP	IN	_	35	case	_	_
34	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	35	det	_	_
35	hut	hut	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	30	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
36	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	30	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **shear off** | gerund |  | nine of the Chudo Yudo's heads |  |  |  | fruitlessly *property* | vn wipe\_instr-10.4.2-1 «NP.agent V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **find** | gerund |  | himself *= he* |  |  |  |  | vn declare-29.4-1-1 «NP V NP ADJ»: agent=Agent himself=Attribute clause=Theme |
| 3 | **embed up** | participle | himself *= he* *not said here* |  |  | the ground |  | to his armpits | vn put-9.1-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent in ground=Destination |
| 4 | **fling** | present | Ivan | Ivan's cap |  | last |  | at the hut | vn throw-17.1-1 «NP V NP PP.destinations»: agent=Agent cap=Theme at last=Destination |

<!-- 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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