---
title: snowball — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «snowball» in the school dictionary: A ball of snow pressed together with the hands, often thrown in play. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# snowball

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** We, Sam, you, rumour, One small lie · **What happens:** press, throw, grow, roll, have, make · **To what, where:** ball, play, snowball, snow, snowball fight, park

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A ball of snow pressed together with the hands, often thrown in play.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:snowball:m1:1
# text = A ball of snow pressed together with the hands, often thrown in play.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	ball	ball	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	snow	snow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
5	pressed	press	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
6	together	together	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
7	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	hands	hand	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
11	often	often	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
12	thrown	throw	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
13	in	in	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	play	play	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	12	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **press** | participle |  | a ball of snow *not said here* |  |  |  | with the hands; together *property* | vn push-12-1-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **throw** | participle · passive |  | a ball of snow |  | play |  | often *property* | vn throw-17.1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.destinations»: subject=Theme in play=Destination |

<!-- .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 -->
As a verb, to grow bigger and bigger, faster and faster, like a snowball rolled through snow.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:snowball:m2:1
# text = As a verb, to grow bigger and bigger, faster and faster, like a snowball rolled through snow.
1	As	as	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	verb	verb	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	grow	grow	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	bigger	big	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	6	xcomp	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	bigger	big	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
11	faster	fast	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	7	conj	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	faster	fast	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
15	like	like	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	snowball	snowball	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
18	rolled	roll	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	17	acl	_	_
19	through	through	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
20	snow	snow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **grow** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | as a verb; like a snowball; big *property* | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **roll** | participle |  | a snowball *not said here* |  | snow |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme through snow=Trajectory |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We had a snowball fight in the park.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:snowball:x1:1
# text = We had a snowball fight in the park.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	had	have	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	snowball	snowball	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	fight	fight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	park	park	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | We | a snowball fight |  | the park |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent fight=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Sam rolled a snowball to make a snowman.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:snowball:x2:1
# text = Sam rolled a snowball to make a snowman.
1	Sam	Sam	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	rolled	roll	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	snowball	snowball	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	snowman	snowman	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **roll** | past | Sam | a snowball |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent snowball=Theme |
| 2 | **make** | to-infinitive | Sam *not said here* | a snowman |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset snowman=Product |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Never put stones inside a snowball.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:snowball:x3:1
# text = Never put stones inside a snowball.
1	Never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	2	advmod	_	_
2	put	put	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	stones	stone	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
4	inside	inside	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	snowball	snowball	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 | **not** **put** | imperative | you *not said here* | stones |  | a snowball |  |  | vn put-9.1-2 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent stone=Theme inside snowball=Destination |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Don't throw snowballs at people's faces or at cars.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:snowball:x4:1
# text = Don't throw snowballs at people's faces or at cars.
1	Do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	throw	throw	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	snowballs	snowball	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	at	at	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	's	's	PART	POS	_	6	case	_	_
8	faces	face	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
10	at	at	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	cars	car	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **throw** | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* | snowballs |  | people's faces or cars |  |  | vn throw-17.1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.destinations»: agent=Agent snowball=Theme at face=Destination |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The rumour snowballed until the whole school had heard it.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:snowball:x5:1
# text = The rumour snowballed until the whole school had heard it.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	rumour	rumour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	snowballed	snowball	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	until	until	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	whole	whole	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj:pass	_	_
8	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
9	heard	hear	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	advcl	_	_
10	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **snowball** | past | the rumour |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **hear** | past · perfect · passive |  | the whole school |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
One small lie can snowball into a big problem.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:snowball:x6:1
# text = One small lie can snowball into a big problem.
1	One	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	3	nummod	_	_
2	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	lie	lie	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	snowball	snowball	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	into	into	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	problem	problem	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **snowball** | can | One small lie |  |  | a big problem |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The snowball melted on the warm windowsill.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:snowball:x7:1
# text = The snowball melted on the warm windowsill.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	snowball	snowball	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	melted	melt	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	warm	warm	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	windowsill	windowsill	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **melt** | participle |  | the snowball *not said here* |  | the warm windowsill |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4-1 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

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**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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