---
title: sprinkle — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «sprinkle» in the school dictionary: To sprinkle is to scatter small drops or bits over something, like salt, sugar, water or seeds. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# sprinkle

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** sprinkle, Sprinkles, tiny coloured sugar pieces, It, sprinkling, you · **What happens:** be, scatter, decorate, sprinkle, mean, rain · **To what, where:** small drops, something, small amount, tiny coloured sugar pieces, cakes, cheese · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To sprinkle is to scatter small drops or bits over something, like salt, sugar, water or seeds.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sprinkle:m1:1
# text = To sprinkle is to scatter small drops or bits over something, like salt, sugar, water or seeds.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	sprinkle	sprinkle	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	cop	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	scatter	scatter	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
6	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	drops	drop	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	bits	bit	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	conj	_	_
10	over	over	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
13	like	like	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	salt	salt	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
16	sugar	sugar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
18	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	conj	_	_
19	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	20	cc	_	_
20	seeds	seed	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | sprinkle *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **scatter** | to-infinitive |  | small drops or bits |  | something |  |  | vn spray-9.7-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent drop=Theme over something=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 -->
A sprinkle is a small amount scattered.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sprinkle:m2:1
# text = A sprinkle is a small amount scattered.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	sprinkle	sprinkle	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	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	amount	amount	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	scattered	scatter	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a sprinkle | a small amount |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **scatter** | participle |  | a small amount *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn spray-9.7-1 «NP V PP.destination»: agent=Theme |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Sprinkles are tiny coloured sugar pieces for decorating cakes and ice cream.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sprinkle:m3:1
# text = Sprinkles are tiny coloured sugar pieces for decorating cakes and ice cream.
1	Sprinkles	sprinkle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
3	tiny	tiny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
4	coloured	coloured	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
5	sugar	sugar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	pieces	piece	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
7	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
8	decorating	decorate	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	acl	_	_
9	cakes	cake	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obj	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
11	ice	ice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	compound	_	_
12	cream	cream	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Sprinkles | tiny coloured sugar pieces |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **decorate** | gerund | tiny coloured sugar pieces *not said here* | cakes and ice cream |  |  |  |  | vn illustrate-25.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent cake=Destination |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«It's sprinkling» means it is raining lightly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sprinkle:m4:1
# text = «It's sprinkling» means it is raining lightly.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	sprinkling	sprinkle	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	6	csubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
6	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
9	raining	rain	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	6	ccomp	_	_
10	lightly	lightly	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sprinkle** *in a quote* | present · progressive | It |  |  |  |  |  | vn spray-9.7-1 «NP V PP.destination»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **mean** | present | sprinkling |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **rain** | present · progressive | it |  |  |  |  | lightly *property* | vn weather-57 «It V PP.theme» |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Sprinkle some cheese on top of the pasta.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sprinkle:x1:1
# text = Sprinkle some cheese on top of the pasta.
1	Sprinkle	sprinkle	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	3	det	_	_
3	cheese	cheese	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	top	top	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	pasta	pasta	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sprinkle** | imperative | you *not said here* | some cheese |  | top of the pasta |  |  | vn spray-9.7-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent cheese=Theme on top=Destination |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She sprinkled seeds on the soil.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sprinkle:x2:1
# text = She sprinkled seeds on the soil.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	sprinkled	sprinkle	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	seeds	seed	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	soil	soil	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 | **sprinkle** | past | She | seeds |  | the soil |  |  | vn spray-9.7-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent seed=Theme on soil=Destination |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Can I have sprinkles on my ice cream?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sprinkle:x3:1
# text = Can I have sprinkles on my ice cream?
1	Can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
2	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	have	have	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	sprinkles	sprinkle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
7	ice	ice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	cream	cream	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 | **have** | can | I | sprinkles |  | my ice cream |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sprinkle=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It's only sprinkling, so we don't need umbrellas.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sprinkle:x4:1
# text = It's only sprinkling, so we don't need umbrellas.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	only	only	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	sprinkling	sprinkle	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
6	so	so	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
7	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
8	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	10	advmod	_	_
10	need	need	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	conj	_	_
11	umbrellas	umbrella	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sprinkle** | present · progressive | It |  |  |  |  |  | vn spray-9.7-1 «NP V PP.destination»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **not** **need** | present · do-support | we | umbrellas |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Pivot umbrella=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Sprinkle a little water on the plants.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sprinkle:x5:1
# text = Sprinkle a little water on the plants.
1	Sprinkle	sprinkle	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	plants	plant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sprinkle** | imperative | you *not said here* | a little water |  | the plants |  |  | vn spray-9.7-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent water=Theme on plant=Destination |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We sprinkled glitter on our cards.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sprinkle:x6:1
# text = We sprinkled glitter on our cards.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	sprinkled	sprinkle	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	glitter	glitter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	cards	card	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sprinkle** | past | We | glitter |  | our cards |  |  | vn spray-9.7-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent glitter=Theme on card=Destination |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Then she sprinkles her lover's corpse with the water, and he revives.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:sprinkle:x7:1
# text = Then she sprinkles her lover's corpse with the water, and he revives.
1	Then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	3	advmod	_	_
2	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	sprinkles	sprinkle	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	lover	lover	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	's	's	PART	POS	_	5	case	_	_
7	corpse	corpse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
13	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
14	revives	revive	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sprinkle** | present | she | her lover's corpse |  |  | then | with the water | vn spray-9.7-1 «NP V NP.destination PP.theme»: agent=Agent corpse=Destination with water=Theme |
| 2 | **revive** | present | he |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=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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