---
title: shovel — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «shovel» in the school dictionary: A tool with a long handle and a wide, slightly curved blade for lifting and moving earth, snow, sand or coal. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# shovel

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** wide curved blade, He, Dad, We, builder, fireman · **What happens:** curve, lift, move, put, shovell, use · **To what, where:** earth, something, lot, food, mouth, shovel

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A tool with a long handle and a wide, slightly curved blade for lifting and moving earth, snow, sand or coal.

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:shovel:m1:1
# text = A tool with a long handle and a wide, slightly curved blade for lifting and moving earth, snow, sand or coal.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	tool	tool	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	with	with	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	handle	handle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
9	wide	wide	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
11	slightly	slightly	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
12	curved	curve	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	13	amod	_	_
13	blade	blade	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
14	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	15	mark	_	_
15	lifting	lift	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	13	acl	_	_
16	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
17	moving	move	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	15	conj	_	_
18	earth	earth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	20	punct	_	_
20	snow	snow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	22	punct	_	_
22	sand	sand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	conj	_	_
23	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	24	cc	_	_
24	coal	coal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **curve** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | slightly *property* | vn knead-26.5 «NP.material V PP.product»: agent=Material |
| 2 | **lift** | gerund | a wide curved blade *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn put\_direction-9.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **move** | gerund | a wide curved blade *not said here* | earth and snow and sand or coal |  |  |  |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent earth=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}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To lift and move something with a shovel: shovel snow.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:shovel:m2:1
# text = To lift and move something with a shovel: shovel snow.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	lift	lift	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	move	move	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
5	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	4	obj	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	shovel	shovel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	11	punct	_	_
10	shovel	shovel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	compound	_	_
11	snow	snow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lift** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn put\_direction-9.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **move** | infinitive |  | something |  |  |  | with a shovel and shovel snow | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent something=Theme |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To put a lot of something somewhere quickly and roughly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:shovel:m3:1
# text = To put a lot of something somewhere quickly and roughly.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	put	put	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	lot	lot	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	4	nmod	_	_
7	somewhere	somewhere	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	2	advmod	_	_
8	quickly	quickly	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	roughly	roughly	ADV	RB	_	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **put** | to-infinitive |  | a lot of something |  |  |  | quickly, somewhere *property* | vn invest-13.5.4-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent lot=Goal |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"He shovelled food into his mouth."

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:shovel:m3e:1
# text = "He shovelled food into his mouth."
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	shovelled	shovell	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
5	into	into	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	mouth	mouth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **shovell** *in a quote* | past | He | food |  | his mouth |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dad used a shovel to clear the snow from the drive.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:shovel:x1:1
# text = Dad used a shovel to clear the snow from the drive.
1	Dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	used	use	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	shovel	shovel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	clear	clear	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	snow	snow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	from	from	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	drive	drive	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | past | Dad | a shovel |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent shovel=Patient |
| 2 | **clear** | to-infinitive | Dad *not said here* | the snow |  | the drive |  |  | vn clear-10.3-1 «NP V NP PP.source»: agent=Agent snow=Theme from drive=Source |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We shovelled sand into the bucket.

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

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **shovell** | past | We | sand |  | the bucket |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The builder picked up a shovel and started digging.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:shovel:x3:1
# text = The builder picked up a shovel and started digging.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	builder	builder	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	picked	pick	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	up	up	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	shovel	shovel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	started	start	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
9	digging	dig	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	8	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pick up** | participle | the builder | a shovel |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent shovel=Topic |
| 2 | **start** | past | the builder *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 3 | **dig** | gerund | the builder *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn create-26.4-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He shovelled his dinner into his mouth and ran out to play.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:shovel:x4:1
# text = He shovelled his dinner into his mouth and ran out to play.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	shovelled	shovell	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	dinner	dinner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	into	into	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	mouth	mouth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	ran	run	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
10	out	out	ADP	RP	_	9	compound:prt	_	_
11	to	to	PART	TO	_	12	mark	_	_
12	play	play	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **shovell** | past | He | his dinner |  | his mouth |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **run out** | past | He *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **play** | to-infinitive | He *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn performance-26.7-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In old steam trains, the fireman shovelled coal into the fire.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:shovel:x5:1
# text = In old steam trains, the fireman shovelled coal into the fire.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
2	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
3	steam	steam	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	trains	train	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	fireman	fireman	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
8	shovelled	shovell	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	coal	coal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
10	into	into	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	fire	fire	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **shovell** | past | the fireman | coal |  | old steam trains |  | into the fire | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Bring a shovel and a bucket to the beach.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:shovel:x6:1
# text = Bring a shovel and a bucket to the beach.
1	Bring	bring	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	shovel	shovel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	bucket	bucket	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	beach	beach	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **bring** | imperative | you *not said here* | a shovel and a bucket |  | the beach |  |  | vn bring-11.3-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent shovel=Theme to beach=Destination |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"Come here and sit on this shovel!"

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:shovel:x7:1
# text = "Come here and sit on this shovel!"
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Come	come	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	here	here	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	2	advmod	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	sit	sit	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	8	det	_	_
8	shovel	shovel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come** *in a quote* | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  | here |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **sit** *in a quote* | infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  | this shovel |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent on shovel=Location |

<!-- 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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