---
title: snowflake — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «snowflake» in the school dictionary: A single piece of snow made of ice crystals, usually with six points or sides. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# snowflake

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**Who acts:** person, snowflake, We, Scientists, He · **What happens:** make, say, be, land, have, cut · **To what, where:** single piece, snowflake, glove, six sides, paper snowflakes, Snowflakes · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«snowflake» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 6 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: [snowflake in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/snowflake.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A single piece of snow made of ice crystals, usually with six points or sides.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:snowflake:m1:1
# text = A single piece of snow made of ice crystals, usually with six points or sides.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	single	single	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	piece	piece	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	snow	snow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	_
6	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	acl	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	ice	ice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	crystals	crystal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
11	usually	usually	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	_
12	with	with	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	six	six	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	14	nummod	_	_
14	points	point	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	_
15	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
16	sides	side	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | participle |  | a single piece of snow *not said here* |  |  |  | of ice crystals; with six points or sides | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset |

<!-- .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: slang, insulting — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A person said to be too easily upset or offended.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:snowflake:m2:1
# text = A person said to be too easily upset or offended.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
5	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	cop	_	_
6	too	too	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	easily	easily	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	upset	upset	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	ccomp	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	offended	offended	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | a person |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | easily, upset *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **be** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A snowflake landed on my glove.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:snowflake:x1:1
# text = A snowflake landed on my glove.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	snowflake	snowflake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	landed	land	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	glove	glove	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **land** | participle |  | a snowflake *not said here* |  | my glove |  |  | vn pocket-9.10-1 «NP V PP.destination»: agent=Theme on glove=Destination |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Every snowflake has six sides.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:snowflake:x2:1
# text = Every snowflake has six sides.
1	Every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	2	det	_	_
2	snowflake	snowflake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	six	six	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	sides	side	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | every snowflake | six sides |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent side=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We cut paper snowflakes for the window.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:snowflake:x3:1
# text = We cut paper snowflakes for the window.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	cut	cut	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	paper	paper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	snowflakes	snowflake	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	window	window	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cut** | present | We | paper snowflakes |  |  |  | for the window | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP P.asset»: agent=Agent snowflake=Product for window=Asset |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Snowflakes drifted down past the streetlight.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:snowflake:x4:1
# text = Snowflakes drifted down past the streetlight.
1	Snowflakes	snowflake	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
2	drifted	drift	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	1	acl	_	_
3	down	down	ADP	RP	_	2	compound:prt	_	_
4	past	past	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	streetlight	streetlight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **drift down** | participle |  | Snowflakes *not said here* |  | the streetlight |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme past streetlight=Trajectory |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Scientists photograph snowflakes under a microscope.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:snowflake:x5:1
# text = Scientists photograph snowflakes under a microscope.
1	Scientists	scientist	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	photograph	photograph	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	snowflakes	snowflake	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
4	under	under	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	microscope	microscope	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 | **photograph** | present | Scientists | snowflakes |  | a microscope |  |  | vn transcribe-25.4 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent snowflake=Theme under microscope=Destination |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
(slang, unkind) He called his cousin a snowflake for crying at the film.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:snowflake:x6:1
# text = (slang, unkind) He called his cousin a snowflake for crying at the film.
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	slang	slang	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
4	unkind	unkind	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	4	punct	_	_
6	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	called	call	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	cousin	cousin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	snowflake	snowflake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	xcomp	_	_
12	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
13	crying	cry	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	11	acl	_	_
14	at	at	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	film	film	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** | past | He | slang |  |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent cousin=Recipient |
| 2 | **cry** *speech: express* | gerund | a snowflake *not said here* |  |  | the film |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme at film=Location |

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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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