---
title: tremble — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «tremble» in the school dictionary: To tremble is to shake slightly and without wanting to, because you are cold, afraid, excited or weak. 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/T/tremble/)

<!-- 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/) / [T](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/) / tremble

# tremble

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** you, things, tremble, hands, I, ground · **What happens:** tremble, be, want, shake, go, go past · **To what, where:** little, small earthquake, small shaking movement, stage, puppy, cold rain · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«tremble» in the school dictionary: its 3 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: [tremble in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/tremble.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To tremble is to shake slightly and without wanting to, because you are cold, afraid, excited or weak.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tremble:m1:1
# text = To tremble is to shake slightly and without wanting to, because you are cold, afraid, excited or weak.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	tremble	tremble	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	shake	shake	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	slightly	slightly	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
8	without	without	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
9	wanting	want	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	5	advcl	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
12	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	15	mark	_	_
13	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	15	nsubj	_	_
14	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	15	cop	_	_
15	cold	cold	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
17	afraid	afraid	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
19	excited	excited	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	conj	_	_
20	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	21	cc	_	_
21	weak	weak	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	19	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tremble** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn modes\_of\_being\_with\_motion-47.3 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | shake, slightly *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **want** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot |
| 4 | **is** | present | you |  |  |  |  | cold *property* | tree rules |
| 5 | **be** |  | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 6 | **be** |  | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | 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 -->
When things tremble, they shake a little, like leaves in the wind or the ground in a small earthquake.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tremble:m2:1
# text = When things tremble, they shake a little, like leaves in the wind or the ground in a small earthquake.
1	When	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	3	advmod	_	_
2	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	tremble	tremble	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	shake	shake	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
10	like	like	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	leaves	leaf	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	_
12	in	in	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	wind	wind	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nmod	_	_
15	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	ground	ground	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	conj	_	_
18	in	in	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
19	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
20	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	21	amod	_	_
21	earthquake	earthquake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tremble** | present | things |  |  |  |  |  | vn modes\_of\_being\_with\_motion-47.3 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **shake** | present | things *= thing* | a little |  | a small earthquake |  | like leaves in the wind or the ground | vn funnel-9.3-1-1 «NP V NP PP.trajectory»: agent=Agent little=Theme in earthquake=Trajectory |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A tremble is a small shaking movement.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tremble:m3:1
# text = A tremble is a small shaking movement.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	tremble	tremble	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
5	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
6	shaking	shaking	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	movement	movement	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a tremble | a small shaking movement |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My hands trembled before I went on stage.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tremble:x1:1
# text = My hands trembled before I went on stage.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	hands	hand	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	trembled	tremble	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	before	before	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
5	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
7	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	stage	stage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tremble** | participle | My hands |  |  |  |  |  | vn modes\_of\_being\_with\_motion-47.3 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **go** | past | I |  |  | stage |  |  | vn occur-48.3-2 «NP V PP»: agent=Theme on stage=Location |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The puppy trembled in the cold rain.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tremble:x2:1
# text = The puppy trembled in the cold rain.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	puppy	puppy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	trembled	tremble	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	cold	cold	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	rain	rain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tremble** | participle |  | the puppy *not said here* |  | the cold rain |  |  | vn modes\_of\_being\_with\_motion-47.3 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in rain=Location |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The ground trembled when the train went past.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tremble:x3:1
# text = The ground trembled when the train went past.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	ground	ground	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	trembled	tremble	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	7	advmod	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	train	train	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
8	past	past	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tremble** | past | the ground |  |  |  |  |  | vn modes\_of\_being\_with\_motion-47.3 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **go past** | past | the train |  |  |  |  | past *property* | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Her voice trembled as she said sorry.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tremble:x4:1
# text = Her voice trembled as she said sorry.
1	Her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	voice	voice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	trembled	tremble	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
5	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
7	sorry	sorry	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tremble** | past | Her voice |  |  |  |  |  | vn modes\_of\_being\_with\_motion-47.3 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **say** *speech: apologize* | past | voice |  |  |  |  | sorry *property* | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The leaves trembled in the breeze.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tremble:x5:1
# text = The leaves trembled in the breeze.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	leaves	leaf	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
3	trembled	tremble	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	breeze	breeze	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tremble** | participle |  | the leaves *not said here* |  | the breeze |  |  | vn modes\_of\_being\_with\_motion-47.3 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in breeze=Location |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He trembled with excitement as he opened the present.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tremble:x6:1
# text = He trembled with excitement as he opened the present.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	trembled	tremble	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	with	with	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	excitement	excitement	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
5	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
6	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	opened	open	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	present	present	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tremble** | past | He |  |  |  |  | with excitement | vn modes\_of\_being\_with\_motion-47.3 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **open** | past | he | the present |  |  |  |  | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location present=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
There was a tremble in his voice.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tremble:x7:1
# text = There was a tremble in his voice.
1	There	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	2	expl	_	_
2	was	be	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	tremble	tremble	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	voice	voice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **be** | past | a tremble in tremble's voice |  |  | there |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Anastasia trembled, and burst into tears.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tremble:x8:1
# text = Anastasia trembled, and burst into tears.
1	Anastasia	Anastasia	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	trembled	tremble	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	burst	burst	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
6	into	into	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	tears	tear	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tremble** | past | Anastasia |  |  |  |  |  | vn modes\_of\_being\_with\_motion-47.3 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **burst** | past | Anastasia *not said here* |  |  | tears |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- 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: [trellis](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/trellis/)
- next →: [tremendous](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tremendous/)
- ↑ back to [T in school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/)