---
title: swarm — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «swarm» in the school dictionary: A swarm is a big group of insects, such as bees, wasps or locusts, flying together. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/swarm/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/) / [school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/) / [S](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/) / swarm

# swarm

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** swarm, big group, large crowd, place, beach, Locust swarms · **What happens:** be, fly, move together, swarm, fly out, eat · **To what, where:** big group, large crowd, large busy group, bees, hive, tree

<!-- .vabout -->
«swarm» in the school dictionary: its 4 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: [swarm in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/swarm.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A swarm is a big group of insects, such as bees, wasps or locusts, flying together.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:swarm:m1:1
# text = A swarm is a big group of insects, such as bees, wasps or locusts, flying together.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	swarm	swarm	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	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	group	group	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	insects	insect	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
10	such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|ExtPos=ADP	12	case	_	_
11	as	as	ADP	IN	_	10	fixed	_	_
12	bees	bee	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
14	wasps	wasp	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	conj	_	_
15	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
16	locusts	locust	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
18	flying	fly	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	acl	_	_
19	together	together	ADV	RB	_	18	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a swarm | a big group |  |  |  | of insects and bees and wasps or locusts | tree rules |
| 2 | **fly** | gerund | a big group *not said here* |  |  |  |  | together *property* | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «NP 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 -->
A swarm of people is a large crowd moving together.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:swarm:m2:1
# text = A swarm of people is a large crowd moving together.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	swarm	swarm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nmod	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	large	large	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	crowd	crowd	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
9	moving	move	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	8	acl	_	_
10	together	together	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a swarm of people | a large crowd |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **move together** | gerund | a large crowd *not said here* |  |  |  |  | together *property* | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP.theme V»: agent=Theme |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To swarm is to move in a large, busy group: bees swarmed around the hive.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:swarm:m3:1
# text = To swarm is to move in a large, busy group: bees swarmed around the hive.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	swarm	swarm	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	csubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	move	move	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
8	large	large	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
10	busy	busy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	group	group	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	13	punct	_	_
13	bees	bee	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	nmod	_	_
14	swarmed	swarm	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	13	acl	_	_
15	around	around	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	hive	hive	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **swarm** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn swarm-47.5.1-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  | a large busy group  bees |  | move *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **swarm** | participle |  | bees *not said here* |  | the hive |  |  | vn swarm-47.5.1-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme around hive=Location |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A place swarming with something is full of it: the beach was swarming with tourists.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:swarm:m4:1
# text = A place swarming with something is full of it: the beach was swarming with tourists.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	place	place	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	swarming	swarm	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	acl	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	3	obl	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|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	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	14	punct	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	beach	beach	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nsubj	_	_
13	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	14	aux	_	_
14	swarming	swarm	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	7	advcl	_	_
15	with	with	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
16	tourists	tourist	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **swarm** | gerund | a place *not said here* |  |  |  |  | with something | vn swarm-47.5.1-1 «PP.location V PP.theme»: agent=Location with something=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | present | a place |  |  |  |  | of it; full *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **swarm** | past · progressive | the beach |  |  |  |  | with tourists | vn swarm-47.5.1-1 «PP.location V PP.theme»: agent=Location with tourist=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A swarm of bees flew out of the tree.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:swarm:x1:1
# text = A swarm of bees flew out of the tree.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	swarm	swarm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	bees	bee	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nmod	_	_
5	flew	fly	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	out	out	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	tree	tree	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fly out** | past | a swarm of bees | the tree |  |  |  |  | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location tree=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Locust swarms can eat a whole field of crops.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:swarm:x2:1
# text = Locust swarms can eat a whole field of crops.
1	Locust	Locust	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	swarms	swarm	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	eat	eat	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	whole	whole	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	field	field	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	crops	crop	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **eat** | can | Locust swarms | a whole field of crops |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent field=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Fans swarmed onto the pitch after the match.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:swarm:x3:1
# text = Fans swarmed onto the pitch after the match.
1	Fans	fan	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
2	swarmed	swarm	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	1	acl	_	_
3	onto	onto	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	pitch	pitch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	after	after	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	match	match	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **swarm** | participle |  | Fans *not said here* |  | the pitch | after the match |  | vn swarm-47.5.1-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The park was swarming with children.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:swarm:x4:1
# text = The park was swarming with children.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	park	park	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	swarming	swarm	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	children	child	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **swarm** | past · progressive | the park |  |  |  |  | with children | vn swarm-47.5.1-1 «PP.location V PP.theme»: agent=Location with child=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
If you see a swarm of wasps, walk away calmly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:swarm:x5:1
# text = If you see a swarm of wasps, walk away calmly.
1	If	if	SCONJ	IN	_	3	mark	_	_
2	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	see	see	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	advcl	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	swarm	swarm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	wasps	wasp	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
9	walk	walk	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
10	away	away	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
11	calmly	calmly	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **see** *a condition, not said to happen* | present | you | a swarm of wasps |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer swarm=Stimulus |
| 2 | **walk away** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | away, calmly *property* | vn resign-10.11-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Flies swarmed around the bin.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:swarm:x6:1
# text = Flies swarmed around the bin.
1	Flies	fly	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
2	swarmed	swarm	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	1	acl	_	_
3	around	around	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	bin	bin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **swarm** | participle |  | Flies *not said here* |  | the bin |  |  | vn swarm-47.5.1-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme around bin=Location |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A swarm can hold thousands of bees.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:swarm:x7:1
# text = A swarm can hold thousands of bees.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	swarm	swarm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	hold	hold	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	thousands	thousand	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	bees	bee	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hold** | can | a swarm | thousands of bees |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent thousand=Theme |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A swarm of hungry blood-sucking flies settled upon him.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:swarm:x8:1
# text = A swarm of hungry blood-sucking flies settled upon him.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	swarm	swarm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
4	hungry	hungry	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
5	blood	blood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	sucking	suck	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	8	amod	_	_
8	flies	fly	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nmod	_	_
9	settled	settle	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
10	upon	upon	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **suck** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn chew-39.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **settle** | past | a swarm of hungry sucking flies |  |  |  |  | upon him *= he* | vn correspond-36.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

<!-- 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 -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [sward](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sward/)
- next →: [swat](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/swat/)
- ↑ back to [S in school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/)