---
title: snipe — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «snipe» in the school dictionary: A snipe is a wading bird with a very long straight beak that lives in marshes and wet fields. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# snipe

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** snipe, long straight beak, two brothers, She, older campers, you · **What happens:** be, live, snipe, push, camouflage, keep · **To what, where:** wading bird, marshes, hidden place, someone, online auction, long beak · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«snipe» in the school dictionary: its 4 meanings for a pupil and its 8 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: [snipe in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/snipe.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A snipe is a wading bird with a very long straight beak that lives in marshes and wet fields.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:snipe:m1:1
# text = A snipe is a wading bird with a very long straight beak that lives in marshes and wet fields.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	snipe	snipe	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	wading	wading	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	bird	bird	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	with	with	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
9	very	very	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
10	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
11	straight	straight	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	beak	beak	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
13	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	14	nsubj	_	_
14	lives	live	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	acl:relcl	_	_
15	in	in	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
16	marshes	marsh	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	obl	_	_
17	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
18	wet	wet	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	19	amod	_	_
19	fields	field	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a snipe | a wading bird |  |  |  | with a long straight beak | tree rules |
| 2 | **live** | present | a long straight beak |  |  | marshes and wet fields |  |  | vn lodge-46 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in marsh=Location |

<!-- .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 snipe is to shoot at people from a hidden place far away.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:snipe:m2:1
# text = To snipe is to shoot at people from a hidden place far away.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	snipe	snipe	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	csubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	shoot	shoot	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	at	at	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	_
8	from	from	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	hidden	hidden	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	place	place	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
12	far	far	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	13	advmod	_	_
13	away	away	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **snipe** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn berry-13.7 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  | a hidden place |  | at people; away, shoot *property* | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To snipe at someone is to make nasty, sly little criticisms of them.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:snipe:m3:1
# text = To snipe at someone is to make nasty, sly little criticisms of them.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	snipe	snipe	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	advcl	_	_
3	at	at	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obl	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	make	make	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	nasty	nasty	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
10	sly	sly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
11	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	criticisms	criticism	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obl	_	_
13	of	of	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **snipe** | to-infinitive |  |  |  | someone |  |  | vn berry-13.7 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | make, nasty *property* | tree rules |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To snipe in an online auction or game is to win at the last second.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:snipe:m4:1
# text = To snipe in an online auction or game is to win at the last second.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	snipe	snipe	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	advcl	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	online	online	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	auction	auction	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	game	game	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	win	win	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
12	at	at	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
14	last	last	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	second	second	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **snipe** | to-infinitive |  |  |  | a online auction or game |  |  | vn berry-13.7 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  | second | win *property* | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A snipe pushed its long beak into the mud.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:snipe:x1:1
# text = A snipe pushed its long beak into the mud.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	snipe	snipe	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	pushed	push	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	6	nmod:poss	_	_
5	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	beak	beak	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	into	into	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	mud	mud	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 | **push** | past | a snipe | snipe's long beak |  | the mud |  |  | vn funnel-9.3-1-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent beak=Theme into mud=Destination |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Snipe are well camouflaged in the marsh grass.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:snipe:x2:1
# text = Snipe are well camouflaged in the marsh grass.
1	Snipe	snipe	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
3	well	well	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	4	advmod	_	_
4	camouflaged	camouflage	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	marsh	marsh	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	grass	grass	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 | **camouflage** | present · passive |  | Snipe |  | the marsh grass |  | well *property* | vn butter-9.9 «NP V NP.destination»: subject=Destination |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The two brothers kept sniping at each other all through dinner.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:snipe:x3:1
# text = The two brothers kept sniping at each other all through dinner.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	3	nummod	_	_
3	brothers	brother	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	kept	keep	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	sniping	snipe	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	4	xcomp	_	_
6	at	at	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	each	each	DET	DT	ExtPos=PRON|PronType=Rcp	5	obl	_	_
8	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	fixed	_	_
9	all	all	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
10	through	through	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	dinner	dinner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **keep** | past | the two brothers |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **snipe** | gerund | the two brothers *not said here* |  |  | each |  | through dinner | vn berry-13.7 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Soldiers were sniped at from the rooftops.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:snipe:x4:1
# text = Soldiers were sniped at from the rooftops.
1	Soldiers	soldier	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	sniped	snipe	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	at	at	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	from	from	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	rooftops	rooftop	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **snipe** | past · passive |  | Soldiers |  | the rooftops |  |  | vn berry-13.7 «NP V NP»: subject=Location |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She sniped the last item in the online auction.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:snipe:x5:1
# text = She sniped the last item in the online auction.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	sniped	snipe	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	last	last	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	item	item	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	online	online	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	auction	auction	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **snipe** | past | She | the last item |  | the online auction |  |  | vn berry-13.7 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent item=Location |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The older campers sent us on a snipe hunt as a joke.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:snipe:x6:1
# text = The older campers sent us on a snipe hunt as a joke.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	older	old	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	3	amod	_	_
3	campers	camper	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	sent	send	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	obj	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	snipe	snipe	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	hunt	hunt	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
10	as	as	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	joke	joke	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **send** | past | the older campers | us |  | a snipe hunt |  | as a joke | vn confine-92-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent we=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Stop sniping and say what you really think.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:snipe:x7:1
# text = Stop sniping and say what you really think.
1	Stop	stop	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	sniping	snipe	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	1	xcomp	_	_
3	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	say	say	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	1	conj	_	_
5	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	8	obj	_	_
6	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
7	really	really	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	think	think	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stop** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Affector clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **snipe** | gerund | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn berry-13.7 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **say** *speech: assert* | infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 4 | **think** *speech: other* | present | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn wish-62 «NP V NP»: agent=Pivot what=Theme |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Another time they found a few snipes' eggs in the wood, which was a great event.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:snipe:x8:1
# text = Another time they found a few snipes' eggs in the wood, which was a great event.
1	Another	another	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	2	det	_	_
2	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl:unmarked	_	_
3	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	found	find	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|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	snipes	snipe	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	'	's	PART	POS	_	7	case	_	_
9	eggs	egg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	wood	wood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
14	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	18	nsubj	_	_
15	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	18	cop	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
17	great	great	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
18	event	event	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **find** | past | they | a few snipes's eggs |  | the wood and a great event | time |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent egg=Topic |
| 2 | **is a** | past | the wood and a great event | a great event |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- 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 -->

<!-- pn -->
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