---
title: starch — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «starch» in the school dictionary: A white substance found in foods such as bread, rice, pasta and potatoes, which gives the body energy. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# starch

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** bread, person, Starchy foods, Iodine, We, Plants · **What happens:** find, give, use, make, starch, be · **To what, where:** white substance, foods, body energy, powder, clothes, cloth

<!-- .vabout -->
«starch» in the school dictionary: its 4 meanings for a pupil and its 9 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: [starch in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/starch.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A white substance found in foods such as bread, rice, pasta and potatoes, which gives the body energy.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:starch:m1:1
# text = A white substance found in foods such as bread, rice, pasta and potatoes, which gives the body energy.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	white	white	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	substance	substance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	found	find	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	acl	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	foods	food	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	_
7	such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|ExtPos=ADP	9	case	_	_
8	as	as	ADP	IN	_	7	fixed	_	_
9	bread	bread	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
11	rice	rice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
13	pasta	pasta	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	conj	_	_
14	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
15	potatoes	potato	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
17	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	18	nsubj	_	_
18	gives	give	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	conj	_	_
19	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
20	body	body	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	compound	_	_
21	energy	energy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **find** | participle |  | a white substance *not said here* |  | foods such bread and rice and pasta and potatoes |  |  | vn declare-29.4-1-1 «NP V what S\_INF»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **give** | present | bread and rice and pasta and potatoes | the body energy |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent energy=Theme |

<!-- .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 powder or spray used to make clothes stiff.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:starch:m2:1
# text = A powder or spray used to make clothes stiff.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	powder	powder	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	spray	spray	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
5	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	advcl	_	_
8	clothes	clothes	NOUN	NNS	Number=Ptan	7	obj	_	_
9	stiff	stiff	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | participle · passive |  | a powder or spray |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |
| 2 | **make** | to-infinitive |  | clothes |  |  |  | stiff *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset clothes=Product |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To make cloth stiff with starch.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:starch:m3:1
# text = To make cloth stiff with starch.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	make	make	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	cloth	cloth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	stiff	stiff	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	starch	starch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | to-infinitive |  | cloth |  |  |  | stiff *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset cloth=Product |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A person who is starched-up is very stiff, formal and proud in their manner.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:starch:m4:1
# text = A person who is starched-up is very stiff, formal and proud in their manner.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
3	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	5	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	starched	starch	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	up	up	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
9	very	very	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
10	stiff	stiff	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
12	formal	formal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	conj	_	_
13	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	proud	proud	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	conj	_	_
15	in	in	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	17	nmod:poss	_	_
17	manner	manner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **starch** | present · passive |  | a person |  |  |  |  | vn butter-9.9 «NP V NP.destination»: subject=Destination |
| 2 | **is** | present | a person |  |  |  |  | stiff *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **be** |  | a person *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **be** |  | a person *not said here* |  |  | their manner |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Bread, rice and potatoes are full of starch.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:starch:x1:1
# text = Bread, rice and potatoes are full of starch.
1	Bread	bread	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
3	rice	rice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	conj	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	potatoes	potato	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	conj	_	_
6	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	full	full	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	starch	starch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Bread and rice and potatoes |  |  |  |  | of starch; full *property* | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Starchy foods give you energy.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:starch:x2:1
# text = Starchy foods give you energy.
1	Starchy	starchy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	foods	food	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	give	give	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	iobj	_	_
5	energy	energy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | present | Starchy foods | energy | you |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent you=Recipient energy=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Iodine turns blue-black when it touches starch.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:starch:x3:1
# text = Iodine turns blue-black when it touches starch.
1	Iodine	iodine	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	turns	turn	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	blue	blue	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	black	black	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	_
6	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	8	advmod	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	touches	touch	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	_
9	starch	starch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **turn** | present | Iodine |  |  |  |  | black *property* | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP.theme V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **touch** | present | Iodine | starch |  |  |  |  | vn contiguous\_location-47.8-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme starch=Co-Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We tested foods for starch in science.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:starch:x4:1
# text = We tested foods for starch in science.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	tested	test	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	foods	food	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
4	for	for	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	starch	starch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	science	science	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 | **test** | past | We | foods |  | science |  | for starch | vn assessment-34.1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Agent food=Theme for starch=Attribute |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Plants store food as starch.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:starch:x5:1
# text = Plants store food as starch.
1	Plants	plant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	store	store	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	as	as	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	starch	starch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **store** | present | Plants | food |  |  |  | as starch | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent food=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The cook used corn starch to thicken the gravy.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:starch:x6:1
# text = The cook used corn starch to thicken the gravy.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	cook	cook	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	amod	_	_
4	corn	corn	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	starch	starch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	thicken	thicken	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	acl	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	gravy	gravy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **thicken** | to-infinitive |  | the gravy |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent gravy=Patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grandma starched the tablecloth for the party.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:starch:x7:1
# text = Grandma starched the tablecloth for the party.
1	Grandma	grandma	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	starched	starch	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	tablecloth	tablecloth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	party	party	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 | **starch** | past | Grandma | the tablecloth |  |  |  | for the party | vn butter-9.9 «NP V NP.destination»: agent=Agent tablecloth=Destination |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Saliva begins breaking down starch in your mouth.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:starch:x8:1
# text = Saliva begins breaking down starch in your mouth.
1	Saliva	saliva	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	begins	begin	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	breaking	break	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	xcomp	_	_
4	down	down	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	_
5	starch	starch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	mouth	mouth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **begin** | present | Saliva |  |  |  |  |  | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **break down** | gerund | Saliva *not said here* | starch |  | your mouth |  |  | vn break-45.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent starch=Patient |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is true, I was always a fine starched-up gentleman!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:starch:x9:1
# text = It is true, I was always a fine starched-up gentleman!
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
5	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
6	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
7	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	13	advmod	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
9	fine	fine	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
10	starched	starch	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	13	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	up	up	ADP	RP	_	10	compound:prt	_	_
13	gentleman	gentleman	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | It |  |  |  |  | true *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **starch up** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn butter-9.9 «NP V NP.destination»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **is a** | past | I | a fine starched gentleman |  |  |  | always *property* | 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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