---
title: suckle — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «suckle» in the school dictionary: When a mother mammal suckles her baby, she feeds it with milk from her body. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# suckle

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** mother mammal, mammal, baby animal, animal, cow, Mammals · **What happens:** suckle, feed, drink, purr, push, become · **To what, where:** baby, body, milk, calf, field, young

<!-- .vabout -->
«suckle» in the school dictionary: its 2 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: [suckle in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/suckle.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
When a mother mammal suckles her baby, she feeds it with milk from her body.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suckle:m1:1
# text = When a mother mammal suckles her baby, she feeds it with milk from her body.
1	When	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	5	mark	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	mother	mother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	mammal	mammal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	suckles	suckle	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	advcl	_	_
6	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	baby	baby	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
9	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	feeds	feed	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
11	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	obj	_	_
12	with	with	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	milk	milk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	_
14	from	from	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	16	nmod:poss	_	_
16	body	body	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **suckle** | present | a mother mammal | mammal's baby |  |  |  |  | vn feeding-39.7 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent baby=Recipient |
| 2 | **feed** | present | mammal | baby |  | mammal's body |  | with milk | vn feeding-39.7 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: agent=Agent it=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 -->
When a baby animal suckles, it drinks milk from its mother.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suckle:m2:1
# text = When a baby animal suckles, it drinks milk from its mother.
1	When	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	5	mark	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	baby	baby	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	animal	animal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	suckles	suckle	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	drinks	drink	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	milk	milk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
10	from	from	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	12	nmod:poss	_	_
12	mother	mother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **suckle** | present | a baby animal |  |  |  |  |  | vn feeding-39.7 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **drink** | present | animal | milk |  |  |  | from animal's mother | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent milk=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The cow suckled her calf in the field.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suckle:x1:1
# text = The cow suckled her calf in the field.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	cow	cow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	suckled	suckle	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|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	calf	calf	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	field	field	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 | **suckle** | past | the cow |  | cow's calf | the field |  |  | vn feeding-39.7 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent calf=Recipient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mammals suckle their young with milk.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suckle:x2:1
# text = Mammals suckle their young with milk.
1	Mammals	mammal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	suckle	suckle	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	young	young	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	milk	milk	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 | **suckle** | present | Mammals | Mammals's young |  |  |  | with milk | vn feeding-39.7 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent young=Recipient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The kittens suckled while the mother cat purred.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suckle:x3:1
# text = The kittens suckled while the mother cat purred.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	kittens	kitten	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	suckled	suckle	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	while	while	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	mother	mother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	cat	cat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
8	purred	purr	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **suckle** | past | the kittens |  |  |  |  |  | vn feeding-39.7 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **purr** | participle | the mother cat |  |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A joey suckles inside its mother's pouch.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suckle:x4:1
# text = A joey suckles inside its mother's pouch.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	joey	joey	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	suckles	suckle	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	inside	inside	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
5	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	mother	mother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	's	's	PART	POS	_	6	case	_	_
8	pouch	pouch	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 | **suckle** | present | a joey |  |  | joey's mother's pouch |  |  | vn feeding-39.7 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Whales suckle their babies underwater.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suckle:x5:1
# text = Whales suckle their babies underwater.
1	Whales	whale	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	suckle	suckle	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	babies	baby	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	underwater	underwater	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **suckle** | present | Whales | Whales's babies |  |  |  | underwater *property* | vn feeding-39.7 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent baby=Recipient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The piglets pushed to suckle from the sow.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suckle:x6:1
# text = The piglets pushed to suckle from the sow.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	piglets	piglet	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
3	pushed	push	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	suckle	suckle	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
6	from	from	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	sow	sow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **push** | participle |  | the piglets *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn push-12-1-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **suckle** | to-infinitive |  |  |  | the sow |  |  | vn feeding-39.7 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The babe became still, just as if it was being suckled.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suckle:x7:1
# text = The babe became still, just as if it was being suckled.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	babe	babe	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	became	become	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	still	still	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
6	just	just	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
7	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
8	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj:pass	_	_
10	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	12	aux:pass	_	_
11	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	12	aux:pass	_	_
12	suckled	suckle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **become** | past | the babe |  |  |  | still |  | vn become-109.1-1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **suckle** *a condition, not said to happen* | past · passive |  | babe |  |  |  |  | vn feeding-39.7 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: subject=Theme |

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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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