---
title: tomcat — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «tomcat» in the school dictionary: A tomcat (or tom) is a male cat. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# tomcat

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**Who acts:** tomcat, man, big ginger tomcat, Our, stray tomcat, vet · **What happens:** be, mean, chase, live, yowl, fight · **To what, where:** male cat, man, next door, fence, torn ear, tomcat · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«tomcat» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 6 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: [tomcat in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/tomcat.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A tomcat (or tom) is a male cat.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tomcat:m1:1
# text = A tomcat (or tom) is a male cat.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	tomcat	tomcat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
3	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	tom	tom	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	5	punct	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	male	male	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	cat	cat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a tomcat | a male cat |  |  |  |  | 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}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A tomcat can mean a man who chases after many women.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tomcat:m2:1
# text = A tomcat can mean a man who chases after many women.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	tomcat	tomcat	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	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	8	nsubj	_	_
8	chases	chase	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	acl:relcl	_	_
9	after	after	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	women	woman	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | can | a tomcat | a man |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent man=Topic |
| 2 | **chase** | present | a man |  |  |  | after many women |  | vn chase-51.6 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent after woman=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A big ginger tomcat lives next door.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tomcat:x1:1
# text = A big ginger tomcat lives next door.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
2	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
3	ginger	ginger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	tomcat	tomcat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	lives	live	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	next	next	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	door	door	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **live** | present | a big ginger tomcat | next door |  |  |  |  | vn lodge-46 «NP V ADV»: agent=Theme door=Location |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The tomcat yowled on the fence all night.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tomcat:x2:1
# text = The tomcat yowled on the fence all night.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	tomcat	tomcat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	yowled	yowl	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	fence	fence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	8	det	_	_
8	night	night	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 | **yowl** | past | the tomcat |  |  | the fence | night |  | vn animal\_sounds-38 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Our tomcat fights with the neighbours' cats.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tomcat:x3:1
# text = Our tomcat fights with the neighbours' cats.
1	Our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	tomcat	tomcat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	fights	fight	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	neighbours	neighbour	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	'	's	PART	POS	_	6	case	_	_
8	cats	cat	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fight** |  | Our |  |  |  |  | with the neighbours's cats | nom fight «act transitive»: poss=agent with=obl |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A male cat is called a tomcat and a female a queen.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tomcat:x4:1
# text = A male cat is called a tomcat and a female a queen.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	male	male	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	cat	cat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	tomcat	tomcat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	xcomp	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	female	female	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	queen	queen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** | present · passive |  | a male cat |  |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: subject=Recipient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The stray tomcat had a torn ear.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tomcat:x5:1
# text = The stray tomcat had a torn ear.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	stray	stray	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	tomcat	tomcat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	torn	tear	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	amod	_	_
7	ear	ear	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | the stray tomcat | a torn ear |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent ear=Patient |
| 2 | **tear** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The vet said our kitten is a tomcat, not a girl.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tomcat:x6:1
# text = The vet said our kitten is a tomcat, not a girl.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	vet	vet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	kitten	kitten	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	tomcat	tomcat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
10	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	12	advmod	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	girl	girl	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | the vet |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is a** | present | our kitten | a tomcat |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

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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.

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