---
title: startle — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «startle» in the school dictionary: To startle someone is to surprise or frighten them suddenly, so that they jump or move quickly. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# startle

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** they, Something startling, startling, you, loud bang, phone · **What happens:** startle, be, frighten, jump, move, get · **To what, where:** someone, them, sudden small fright, you, baby, horse

<!-- .vabout -->
«startle» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 8 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: [startle in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/startle.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To startle someone is to surprise or frighten them suddenly, so that they jump or move quickly.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:startle:m1:1
# text = To startle someone is to surprise or frighten them suddenly, so that they jump or move quickly.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	startle	startle	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
3	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	surprise	surprise	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	frighten	frighten	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	6	conj	_	_
9	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	_
10	suddenly	suddenly	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
12	so	so	SCONJ	IN	ExtPos=SCONJ	15	mark	_	_
13	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	12	fixed	_	_
14	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	nsubj	_	_
15	jump	jump	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	parataxis	_	_
16	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
17	move	move	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	15	conj	_	_
18	quickly	quickly	ADV	RB	_	17	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **startle** | to-infinitive |  | someone |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus someone=Experiencer |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | surprise *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **frighten** | infinitive |  | them *= they* |  |  |  | suddenly *property* | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus they=Experiencer |
| 4 | **jump** | present | they |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 5 | **move** | present | they *not said here* |  |  |  |  | quickly *property* | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP.theme V»: agent=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 -->
To be startled is to get a sudden small fright.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:startle:m2:1
# text = To be startled is to get a sudden small fright.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	3	mark	_	_
2	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	startled	startle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	get	get	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
8	sudden	sudden	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
9	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	fright	fright	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **startle** | to-infinitive · passive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle» |
| 2 | **get** | to-infinitive |  | a sudden small fright |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer fright=Stimulus |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Something startling is so surprising that it makes you jump.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:startle:m3:1
# text = Something startling is so surprising that it makes you jump.
1	Something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	compound	_	_
2	startling	startling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	so	so	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	surprising	surprising	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
6	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	makes	make	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	advcl	_	_
9	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	_
10	jump	jump	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Something startling |  |  |  |  | surprising *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **make** | present | startling | you |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **jump** | infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The loud bang startled the baby.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:startle:x1:1
# text = The loud bang startled the baby.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	loud	loud	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	bang	bang	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	startled	startle	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	baby	baby	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **startle** | past | the loud bang | the baby |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus baby=Experiencer |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Don't startle the horse by running behind it.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:startle:x2:1
# text = Don't startle the horse by running behind it.
1	Do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	startle	startle	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	horse	horse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
7	running	run	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	advcl	_	_
8	behind	behind	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **startle** | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* | the horse |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus horse=Experiencer |
| 2 | **run** | gerund | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | behind horse | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme behind it=Trajectory |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The deer was startled and ran into the trees.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:startle:x3:1
# text = The deer was startled and ran into the trees.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	deer	deer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	startled	startle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	ran	run	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
7	into	into	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	trees	tree	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 | **startle** | past · passive |  | the deer |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: subject=Experiencer |
| 2 | **run** | past |  |  |  |  |  | into the trees *result* | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V PP.result»: agent=Theme into tree=Result |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I was startled when my phone rang in the quiet library.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:startle:x4:1
# text = I was startled when my phone rang in the quiet library.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	startled	startle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	7	advmod	_	_
5	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	phone	phone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	rang	ring	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	quiet	quiet	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	library	library	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **startle** | past · passive |  | I |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: subject=Experiencer |
| 2 | **ring** | past | my phone |  |  | the quiet library |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in library=Location |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He gave me a startled look.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:startle:x5:1
# text = He gave me a startled look.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	gave	give	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	iobj	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	startled	startle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	amod	_	_
6	look	look	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | past | He | a startled look | me |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent i=Recipient look=Theme |
| 2 | **startle** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A sudden shout can startle a sleeping dog.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:startle:x6:1
# text = A sudden shout can startle a sleeping dog.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	sudden	sudden	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	shout	shout	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	startle	startle	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	sleeping	sleeping	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **startle** | can | a sudden shout | a sleeping dog |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus dog=Experiencer |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The cat startled when the door slammed.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:startle:x7:1
# text = The cat startled when the door slammed.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	cat	cat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	startled	startle	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	7	advmod	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	door	door	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	slammed	slam	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **startle** | past | the cat |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **slam** | past | the door |  |  |  |  |  | vn bump-18.4-1 «NP V together»: agent=Theme |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
But indeed there was something else, something very astonishing and startling.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:startle:x8:1
# text = But indeed there was something else, something very astonishing and startling.
1	But	but	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
2	indeed	indeed	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
3	there	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	4	expl	_	_
4	was	be	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	4	nsubj	_	_
6	else	else	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
8	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	5	conj	_	_
9	very	very	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
10	astonishing	astonish	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	8	acl	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	startling	startle	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **be** | past | something |  |  | there |  | indeed *property* | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **astonish** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |
| 3 | **startle** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |

<!-- 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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