---
title: slaughter — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «slaughter» in the school dictionary: To slaughter animals means to kill them for food. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# slaughter

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Slaughter, battle, farmer, lambs, wolves, storm · **What happens:** slaughter, mean, kill, be, beat, provide · **To what, where:** animals, people, many, war, killing, many people · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To slaughter animals means to kill them for food.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:slaughter:m1:1
# text = To slaughter animals means to kill them for food.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	slaughter	slaughter	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	csubj	_	_
3	animals	animal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
4	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	kill	kill	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **slaughter** | to-infinitive |  | animals |  |  |  |  | vn murder-42.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent animal=Patient |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **kill** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  | animals *= animal* |  |  |  | for food | vn remove-10.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=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 -->
To slaughter people means to kill many of them cruelly, for example in a war.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:slaughter:m2:1
# text = To slaughter people means to kill many of them cruelly, for example in a war.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	slaughter	slaughter	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	csubj	_	_
3	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
4	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	kill	kill	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	obj	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nmod	_	_
10	cruelly	cruelly	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
12	for	for	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	example	example	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
14	in	in	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	war	war	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **slaughter** | to-infinitive |  | people |  |  |  |  | vn murder-42.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent people=Patient |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **kill** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  | many of people |  | a war |  | for example; cruelly *property* | vn remove-10.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent many=Theme |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Slaughter is the killing of animals for meat, or the cruel killing of many people.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:slaughter:m3:1
# text = Slaughter is the killing of animals for meat, or the cruel killing of many people.
1	Slaughter	slaughter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	killing	killing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	animals	animal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	_
7	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	meat	meat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	cruel	cruel	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	killing	killing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	_
14	of	of	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Slaughter | the killing or the cruel killing of many people |  |  |  | of animals for meat | tree rules |
| 2 | **kill** |  |  | many people |  |  |  |  | nom killing «event transitive»: of=patient |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To slaughter a team or player means to beat them very easily.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:slaughter:m4:1
# text = To slaughter a team or player means to beat them very easily.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	slaughter	slaughter	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	csubj	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	team	team	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	player	player	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	_
7	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	beat	beat	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	xcomp	_	_
10	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obj	_	_
11	very	very	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
12	easily	easily	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **slaughter** | to-infinitive |  | a team or player |  |  |  |  | vn murder-42.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent team=Patient |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **beat** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  | team |  |  |  | easily *property* | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location they=Theme |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"we got slaughtered 8–0".

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:slaughter:m4e:1
# text = "we got slaughtered 8–0".
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
3	got	get	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	slaughtered	slaughter	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	8	8	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	–	–	SYM	SYM	ExtPos=ADP	7	case	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	0	0	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **slaughter** *in a quote* | past · passive |  | we |  |  |  | 8 – 0 *obl* | vn murder-42.1 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Cattle are slaughtered to provide beef.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:slaughter:x1:1
# text = Cattle are slaughtered to provide beef.
1	Cattle	cattle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	slaughtered	slaughter	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	provide	provide	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	beef	beef	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **slaughter** | present · passive |  | Cattle |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **provide** | to-infinitive |  | beef |  |  |  |  | vn ensure-99 «NP V NP»: agent=Precondition beef=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The battle ended in terrible slaughter.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:slaughter:x2:1
# text = The battle ended in terrible slaughter.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	battle	battle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	ended	end	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	terrible	terrible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	slaughter	slaughter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **end** | past | the battle |  |  | terrible slaughter |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We got slaughtered 7–0 in the final.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:slaughter:x3:1
# text = We got slaughtered 7–0 in the final.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	got	get	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	slaughtered	slaughter	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	7	7	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	3	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	–	–	SYM	SYM	ExtPos=ADP	6	case	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	0	0	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	4	nmod	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	final	final	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **slaughter** | past · passive |  | We |  | the final |  | 7 – 0 *obl:unmarked* | vn murder-42.1 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The farmer sent the pigs to be slaughtered.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:slaughter:x4:1
# text = The farmer sent the pigs to be slaughtered.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	farmer	farmer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	sent	send	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	pigs	pig	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
7	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	aux:pass	_	_
8	slaughtered	slaughter	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **send** | past | the farmer | the pigs |  |  |  |  | vn confine-92-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent pig=Theme |
| 2 | **slaughter** | to-infinitive · passive | the farmer *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn murder-42.1 «NP V NP» |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"Like lambs to the slaughter" means going without knowing the danger.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:slaughter:x5:1
# text = "Like lambs to the slaughter" means going without knowing the danger.
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Like	like	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	lambs	lamb	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
4	to	to	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	slaughter	slaughter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
8	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	going	go	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	8	xcomp	_	_
10	without	without	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
11	knowing	know	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	9	advcl	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	danger	danger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | lambs to the slaughter |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **go** *not said to happen* | gerund | lambs to the slaughter *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **know** | gerund | lambs to the slaughter *not said here* | the danger |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Experiencer danger=Stimulus |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The wolves slaughtered several sheep in the night.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:slaughter:x6:1
# text = The wolves slaughtered several sheep in the night.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	wolves	wolf	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	slaughtered	slaughter	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	several	several	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	sheep	sheep	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	night	night	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 | **slaughter** | past | the wolves | several sheep |  |  | night |  | vn murder-42.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sheep=Patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The storm still continuing, he was obliged to slaughter his yoke oxen for food.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:slaughter:x7:1
# text = The storm still continuing, he was obliged to slaughter his yoke oxen for food.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	storm	storm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	still	still	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	continuing	continue	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
7	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux:pass	_	_
8	obliged	oblige	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	ccomp	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	slaughter	slaughter	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	xcomp	_	_
11	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	13	nmod:poss	_	_
12	yoke	yoke	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	compound	_	_
13	oxen	oxen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	_
14	for	for	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **continue** | gerund | the storm |  |  |  | still |  | vn continue-55.3 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **oblige** | past · passive |  | storm |  |  |  |  | vn compel-59.1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: subject=Patient clause=Result |
| 3 | **slaughter** | to-infinitive |  | storm's yoke oxen |  |  |  | for food | vn murder-42.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent oxen=Patient |

<!-- 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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