---
title: spiky — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «spiky» in the school dictionary: Something spiky has many sharp points sticking out: a spiky cactus, a spiky shell. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# spiky

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Something, many sharp points, Spiky hair, spiky person, Hedgehogs, you · **What happens:** have, stick out, be, stick up, not touch, use · **To what, where:** many sharp points, points, spiky backs, cactus, gel, hair

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Something spiky has many sharp points sticking out: a spiky cactus, a spiky shell.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:spiky:m1:1
# text = Something spiky has many sharp points sticking out: a spiky cactus, a spiky shell.
1	Something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	3	nsubj	_	_
2	spiky	spiky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	amod	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
5	sharp	sharp	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	points	point	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
7	sticking	stick	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	acl	_	_
8	out	out	ADP	RP	_	7	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	12	punct	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	spiky	spiky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	cactus	cactus	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
15	spiky	spiky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	shell	shell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | Something | many sharp points and a spiky cactus |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent point=Patient |
| 2 | **stick out** | gerund | many sharp points and a spiky cactus *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn shake-22.3-2 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Patient |

<!-- .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 -->
Spiky hair is stiff and sticks up in points.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:spiky:m2:1
# text = Spiky hair is stiff and sticks up in points.
1	Spiky	spiky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	hair	hair	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	stiff	stiff	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	sticks	stick	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
7	up	up	ADP	RP	_	6	compound:prt	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	points	point	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Spiky hair |  |  |  |  | stiff *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **stick up** | present | Spiky hair *not said here* |  |  | points |  |  | vn spray-9.7-1 «NP V PP.destination»: agent=Theme in point=Destination |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A spiky person is easily annoyed and unfriendly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:spiky:m3:1
# text = A spiky person is easily annoyed and unfriendly.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	spiky	spiky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	easily	easily	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	annoyed	annoyed	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	unfriendly	unfriendly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | a spiky person |  |  |  |  | annoyed, easily *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **be** |  | a spiky person *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Hedgehogs have spiky backs.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:spiky:x1:1
# text = Hedgehogs have spiky backs.
1	Hedgehogs	hedgehog	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	have	have	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	spiky	spiky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	backs	back	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Don't touch the cactus, it's very spiky.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:spiky:x2:1
# text = Don't touch the cactus, it's very spiky.
1	Do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	touch	touch	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	cactus	cactus	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
9	very	very	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
10	spiky	spiky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **touch** | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* | the cactus |  |  |  |  | vn contiguous\_location-47.8-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme cactus=Co-Theme |
| 2 | **is** | present | cactus |  |  |  |  | spiky *property* | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He used gel to make his hair spiky.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:spiky:x3:1
# text = He used gel to make his hair spiky.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	used	use	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	gel	gel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
6	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	hair	hair	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	spiky	spiky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | past | He | gel |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent gel=Patient |
| 2 | **make** | to-infinitive | He *not said here* | his hair |  |  |  | spiky *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset hair=Product |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The conker case is green and spiky.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:spiky:x4:1
# text = The conker case is green and spiky.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	conker	conker	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	case	case	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	green	green	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	spiky	spiky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | the conker case |  |  |  |  | green *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **be** |  | the conker case *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A spiky shape has lots of points, like a star.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:spiky:x5:1
# text = A spiky shape has lots of points, like a star.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	spiky	spiky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	shape	shape	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	lots	lot	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	points	point	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
9	like	like	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	star	star	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | a spiky shape | lots of points and a star |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent lot=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grandpa gets a bit spiky when he is tired.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:spiky:x6:1
# text = Grandpa gets a bit spiky when he is tired.
1	Grandpa	grandpa	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	gets	get	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	bit	bit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl:unmarked	_	_
5	spiky	spiky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	_
6	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	9	mark	_	_
7	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
9	tired	tired	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** | present | Grandpa |  |  |  |  | spiky *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **is** | present | Grandpa |  |  |  |  | tired *property* | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The sea urchin is the spikiest thing in the rock pool.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:spiky:x7:1
# text = The sea urchin is the spikiest thing in the rock pool.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	sea	sea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	urchin	urchin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	spikiest	spiky	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	7	amod	_	_
7	thing	thing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	rock	rock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	compound	_	_
11	pool	pool	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the sea urchin | the spikiest thing |  | the rock pool |  |  | 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 -->

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