---
title: toil — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «toil» in the school dictionary: To toil is to work very hard for a long time, usually at tiring work. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# toil

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** toil, Toils, farmers, We, Children, he · **What happens:** be, mean, move, toil up, catch, toil · **To what, where:** hill, nets, toils, fields, steep hill, factories · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To toil is to work very hard for a long time, usually at tiring work.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:toil:m1:1
# text = To toil is to work very hard for a long time, usually at tiring work.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	toil	toil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
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	work	work	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	very	very	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	hard	hard	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	5	advmod	_	_
8	for	for	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
13	usually	usually	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	_
14	at	at	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	tiring	tiring	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	work	work	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | toil |  |  |  | time | hard, work *property* | tree rules |

<!-- .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 toil can mean to move slowly and with great effort: «toil up a hill».

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:toil:m2:1
# text = To toil can mean to move slowly and with great effort: «toil up a hill».
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	toil	toil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	move	move	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	slowly	slowly	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
9	with	with	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	great	great	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	effort	effort	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	14	punct	_	_
13	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	toil	toil	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	4	parataxis	_	_
15	up	up	ADP	RP	_	14	compound:prt	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	hill	hill	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | can | toil |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **move** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | toil *not said here* |  |  |  |  | slowly *property* | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP.theme V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **toil up** *in a quote* | infinitive |  | a hill |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Initial\_Location hill=Theme |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Toil is hard, tiring work.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:toil:m3:1
# text = Toil is hard, tiring work.
1	Toil	toil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
5	tiring	tiring	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	work	work	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Toil |  |  |  |  | tiring work *obl*; hard *property* | tree rules |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Toils, plural, are nets or traps: «caught in the toils».

<!-- fold The tree, 10 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:toil:m4:1
# text = Toils, plural, are nets or traps: «caught in the toils».
1	Toils	toil	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
3	plural	plural	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
5	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
6	nets	net	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	traps	trap	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	11	punct	_	_
10	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	caught	catch	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	acl	_	_
12	in	in	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	toils	toil	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Toils | nets or traps |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **catch** *in a quote* | participle |  | nets or traps *not said here* |  | the toils |  |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The farmers toiled in the fields all day.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:toil:x1:1
# text = The farmers toiled in the fields all day.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	farmers	farmer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	toiled	toil	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	fields	field	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
7	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	8	det	_	_
8	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **toil** | past | the farmers |  |  | the fields | day |  | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in field=Trajectory |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We toiled up the steep hill with our backpacks.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:toil:x2:1
# text = We toiled up the steep hill with our backpacks.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	toiled	toil	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	up	up	ADP	RP	_	2	compound:prt	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	steep	steep	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	hill	hill	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
7	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	backpacks	backpack	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **toil up** | past | We | the steep hill |  |  |  | with our backpacks | vn run-51.3.2 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Initial\_Location hill=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Children once toiled in factories and mines.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:toil:x3:1
# text = Children once toiled in factories and mines.
1	Children	child	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	once	once	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Mult	3	advmod	_	_
3	toiled	toil	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	factories	factory	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	mines	mine	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **toil** | past | Children |  |  | factories and mines |  | once *property* | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in factory=Trajectory |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
After years of toil he built his own house.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:toil:x4:1
# text = After years of toil he built his own house.
1	After	after	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	years	year	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	toil	toil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
5	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	built	build	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
8	own	own	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	house	house	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **build** | past | he | his own house |  |  | year | of toil | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent house=Product |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not.»

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:toil:x5:1
# text = «Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not.»
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Consider	consider	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	lilies	lily	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	field	field	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
9	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	11	advmod	_	_
10	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
11	grow	grow	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	14	punct	_	_
13	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
14	toil	toil	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
15	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	14	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **consider** *in a quote* | imperative | you *not said here* | the lilies of the field |  |  |  |  | vn consider-29.9-1-1 «NP V NP ADJ»: agent=Agent lily=Attribute |
| 2 | **grow** *in a quote* | present | lilies *= lily* |  |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **not** **toil** *in a quote* | present | lilies *= lily* |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The ants toiled to carry the crumbs home.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:toil:x6:1
# text = The ants toiled to carry the crumbs home.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	ants	ant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	toiled	toil	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	carry	carry	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	crumbs	crumb	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	_
8	home	home	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **toil** | past | the ants |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **carry** | to-infinitive | the ants *not said here* | the crumbs |  |  |  | home *property* | vn carry-11.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent crumb=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Those who have all the toil do not always get the profit.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:toil:x7:1
# text = Those who have all the toil do not always get the profit.
1	Those	that	PRON	DT	Number=Plur|PronType=Dem	10	nsubj	_	_
2	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	3	nsubj	_	_
3	have	have	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	acl:relcl	_	_
4	all	all	DET	PDT	PronType=Tot	6	det:predet	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	toil	toil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
8	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	10	advmod	_	_
9	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	10	advmod	_	_
10	get	get	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	profit	profit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present |  | all toil |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent toil=Patient |
| 2 | **not** **get** | present · do-support | Those | the profit |  |  |  | always *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer profit=Stimulus |

<!-- 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 -->
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