---
title: torpor — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «torpor» in the school dictionary: Torpor is a state of being very sleepy, slow and inactive, without energy. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# torpor

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Torpor, body temperature, heat, Hummingbirds, whole family, Bats · **What happens:** be, drop, save, last, call, fill · **To what, where:** state, short like state, energy, long lasting torpor, us, torpor · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Torpor is a state of being very sleepy, slow and inactive, without energy.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:torpor:m1:1
# text = Torpor is a state of being very sleepy, slow and inactive, without energy.
1	Torpor	torpor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	state	state	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	8	cop	_	_
7	very	very	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	sleepy	sleepy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
10	slow	slow	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	conj	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	inactive	inactive	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
14	without	without	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	energy	energy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Torpor | a state and energy |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | sleepy *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **be** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 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.

<!-- .note -->
The example in this meaning, parsed on its own:

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"The heat filled us with torpor."

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:torpor:m1e:1
# text = "The heat filled us with torpor."
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	heat	heat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	filled	fill	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	obj	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	torpor	torpor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fill** *in a quote* | past | the heat | us |  |  |  | with torpor | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP PP.instrument»: agent=Agent we=Patient with torpor=Instrument |

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In animals, torpor is a short sleep-like state when body temperature and heartbeat drop to save energy, for example in hummingbirds at night, bats and some mice; long-lasting torpor in winter is called hibernation.

<!-- fold The tree, 36 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:torpor:m2:1
# text = In animals, torpor is a short sleep-like state when body temperature and heartbeat drop to save energy, for example in hummingbirds at night, bats and some mice; long-lasting torpor in winter is called hibernation.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	animals	animal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	torpor	torpor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
7	short	short	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
8	sleep	sleep	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	like	like	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	state	state	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
12	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	17	mark	_	_
13	body	body	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	compound	_	_
14	temperature	temperature	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	nsubj	_	_
15	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
16	heartbeat	heartbeat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	conj	_	_
17	drop	drop	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	advcl	_	_
18	to	to	PART	TO	_	19	mark	_	_
19	save	save	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	17	xcomp	_	_
20	energy	energy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	23	punct	_	_
22	for	for	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
23	example	example	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obl	_	_
24	in	in	ADP	IN	_	25	case	_	_
25	hummingbirds	hummingbird	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	23	nmod	_	_
26	at	at	ADP	IN	_	27	case	_	_
27	night	night	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	25	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	29	punct	_	_
29	bats	bat	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	25	conj	_	_
30	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	32	cc	_	_
31	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	32	det	_	_
32	mice	mouse	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	25	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
33	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	37	punct	_	_
34	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	37	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
35	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	34	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
36	lasting	last	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	37	amod	_	_
37	torpor	torpor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	41	nsubj:pass	_	_
38	in	in	ADP	IN	_	39	case	_	_
39	winter	winter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	37	nmod	_	_
40	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	41	aux:pass	_	_
41	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	11	parataxis	_	_
42	hibernation	hibernation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	41	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
43	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | animals's torpor | a short like state |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **drop** | present | body temperature and heartbeat |  |  |  |  | for example in hummingbirds at night and bats and some mice | tree rules |
| 3 | **save** | to-infinitive | body temperature and heartbeat *not said here* | energy |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent energy=Theme |
| 4 | **last** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn cost-54.2 «NP V NP.value»: agent=Theme |
| 5 | **call** | present · passive |  | long lasting torpor in winter |  |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: subject=Recipient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Hummingbirds go into torpor at night to save energy.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:torpor:x1:1
# text = Hummingbirds go into torpor at night to save energy.
1	Hummingbirds	hummingbird	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	go	go	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	into	into	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	torpor	torpor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
5	at	at	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	night	night	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	save	save	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
9	energy	energy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go** | present | Hummingbirds |  |  | torpor | night |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme into torpor=Initial\_Location |
| 2 | **save** | to-infinitive | Hummingbirds *not said here* | energy |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent energy=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
After the huge Christmas lunch, the whole family sank into torpor.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:torpor:x2:1
# text = After the huge Christmas lunch, the whole family sank into torpor.
1	After	after	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
3	huge	huge	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
4	Christmas	Christmas	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	lunch	lunch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	whole	whole	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	family	family	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
10	sank	sink	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
11	into	into	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	torpor	torpor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sink** | past | the whole family |  |  | torpor | after the huge Christmas lunch |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Bats can enter torpor on cold days.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:torpor:x3:1
# text = Bats can enter torpor on cold days.
1	Bats	bat	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	enter	enter	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	torpor	torpor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	cold	cold	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	days	day	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **enter** | can | Bats | torpor |  |  | day |  | vn escape-51.1-1-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme torpor=Destination |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The heat of the afternoon filled the classroom with torpor.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:torpor:x4:1
# text = The heat of the afternoon filled the classroom with torpor.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	heat	heat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	afternoon	afternoon	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	filled	fill	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	classroom	classroom	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	with	with	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	torpor	torpor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fill** | past | the heat of the afternoon | the classroom |  |  |  | with torpor | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP PP.instrument»: agent=Agent classroom=Patient with torpor=Instrument |
| 2 | **heat** |  | the afternoon |  |  |  |  |  | nom heat «phenomenon intransitive»: of=agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Hibernation is a long kind of torpor.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:torpor:x5:1
# text = Hibernation is a long kind of torpor.
1	Hibernation	hibernation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	kind	kind	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	torpor	torpor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Hibernation | a long kind |  |  |  | of torpor | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The dog lay in a happy torpor by the fire.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:torpor:x6:1
# text = The dog lay in a happy torpor by the fire.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	lay	lie	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	happy	happy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	torpor	torpor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
8	by	by	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	fire	fire	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lie** | past | the dog |  |  | a happy torpor |  | by the fire | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent in torpor=Location |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The sudden noise shook him out of his torpor.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:torpor:x7:1
# text = The sudden noise shook him out of his torpor.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	sudden	sudden	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	noise	noise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	shook	shake	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	obj	_	_
6	out	out	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	torpor	torpor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **shake** | past | the sudden noise | him *= he* |  | noise's torpor |  |  | vn funnel-9.3-1-1 «NP V NP PP.trajectory»: agent=Agent he=Theme out torpor=Trajectory |

<!-- 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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