---
title: tail — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «tail» in the school dictionary: The part at the back end of an animal's body that sticks out and can often move. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# tail

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** body, Verb, dog, cat, lizard, you · **What happens:** stick out, move, follow, wag, use, balance · **To what, where:** someone, tail, long bright tail, tails, FINE BUSHY TAIL

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The part at the back end of an animal's body that sticks out and can often move.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tail:m1:1
# text = The part at the back end of an animal's body that sticks out and can often move.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	part	part	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	at	at	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	back	back	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	end	end	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
8	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	animal	animal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	's	's	PART	POS	_	9	case	_	_
11	body	body	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
12	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	13	nsubj	_	_
13	sticks	stick	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	acl:relcl	_	_
14	out	out	ADP	RP	_	13	compound:prt	_	_
15	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
16	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	18	aux	_	_
17	often	often	ADV	RB	_	18	advmod	_	_
18	move	move	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	13	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stick out** | present | a animal's body |  |  |  |  |  | vn shake-22.3-2 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **move** | can | a animal's body *not said here* |  |  |  |  | often *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 -->
The back part of something: the tail of a plane, the tail of a comet.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tail:m2:1
# text = The back part of something: the tail of a plane, the tail of a comet.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	back	back	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	part	part	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	8	punct	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	tail	tail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	appos	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	plane	plane	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	tail	tail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	conj	_	_
15	of	of	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	comet	comet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Tails: the side of a coin without the head picture.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tail:m3:1
# text = Tails: the side of a coin without the head picture.
1	Tails	tail	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	4	punct	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	side	side	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	appos	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	coin	coin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
8	without	without	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	head	head	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	compound	_	_
11	picture	picture	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Verb: to follow someone closely and secretly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tail:m4:1
# text = Verb: to follow someone closely and secretly.
1	Verb	verb	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	4	punct	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	follow	follow	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	4	obj	_	_
6	closely	closely	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	secretly	secretly	ADV	RB	_	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **follow** | to-infinitive | Verb | someone |  |  |  | closely *property* | vn chase-51.6 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent someone=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The dog wagged its tail.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tail:x1:1
# text = The dog wagged its tail.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	wagged	wag	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	tail	tail	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 | **wag** | past | the dog | dog's tail |  |  |  |  | vn crane-40.3.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent tail=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A cat uses its tail to balance.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tail:x2:1
# text = A cat uses its tail to balance.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	cat	cat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	uses	use	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	tail	tail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	balance	balance	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | present | a cat | cat's tail |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent tail=Patient |
| 2 | **balance** | to-infinitive | a cat *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Heads or tails?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tail:x3:1
# text = Heads or tails?
1	Heads	head	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
2	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
3	tails	tail	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A lizard can drop its tail to escape.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tail:x4:1
# text = A lizard can drop its tail to escape.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	lizard	lizard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	drop	drop	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	tail	tail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	escape	escape	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **drop** | can | a lizard | lizard's tail |  |  |  |  | vn put\_direction-9.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent tail=Theme |
| 2 | **escape** | to-infinitive | a lizard *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Never pull an animal's tail.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tail:x5:1
# text = Never pull an animal's tail.
1	Never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	2	advmod	_	_
2	pull	pull	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	animal	animal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	's	's	PART	POS	_	4	case	_	_
6	tail	tail	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 | **not** **pull** | imperative | you *not said here* | a animal's tail |  |  |  |  | vn push-12-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent tail=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We sat at the tail of the plane.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tail:x6:1
# text = We sat at the tail of the plane.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	sat	sit	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	at	at	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	tail	tail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	plane	plane	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sit** | past | We |  |  | the tail of the plane |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent at tail=Location |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The comet had a long bright tail.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tail:x7:1
# text = The comet had a long bright tail.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	comet	comet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
5	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
6	bright	bright	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	tail	tail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | the comet | a long bright tail |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent tail=Patient |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Tadpoles lose their tails as they turn into frogs.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tail:x8:1
# text = Tadpoles lose their tails as they turn into frogs.
1	Tadpoles	tadpole	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	lose	lose	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	tails	tail	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
6	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	turn	turn	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	_
8	into	into	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	frogs	frog	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lose** | present | Tadpoles | Tadpoles's tails |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent tail=Eventuality |
| 2 | **turn** | present | Tadpoles *= tadpole* |  |  |  |  | into frogs *result* | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V PP.result»: agent=Theme into frog=Result |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
RABBIT LOST HIS FINE BUSHY TAIL

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tail:x9:1
# text = RABBIT LOST HIS FINE BUSHY TAIL
1	RABBIT	rabbit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	LOST	lose	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	HIS	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
4	FINE	fine	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
5	BUSHY	bushy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	TAIL	tail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lose** | past | RABBIT | RABBIT's FINE BUSHY TAIL |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent tail=Eventuality |

<!-- 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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