---
title: trickle — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «trickle» in the school dictionary: To trickle is for a liquid to flow slowly in a thin line or small drops. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# trickle

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** trickle, things, water, Sweat, river, Sand · **What happens:** trickle, be, flow, come, go, arrive · **To what, where:** thin line, thin slow flow, small number, window, face, heat

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To trickle is for a liquid to flow slowly in a thin line or small drops.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trickle:m1:1
# text = To trickle is for a liquid to flow slowly in a thin line or small drops.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	trickle	trickle	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	csubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	for	for	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	liquid	liquid	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	flow	flow	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	acl	_	_
9	slowly	slowly	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	thin	thin	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	line	line	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
14	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
15	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	drops	drop	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **trickle** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn substance\_emission-43.4-1 «NP V»: agent=Source |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | for a liquid | tree rules |
| 3 | **flow** | to-infinitive |  |  |  | a thin line or small drops |  | slowly *property* | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in line=Location |

<!-- .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 trickle is also for people or things to come or go slowly, a few at a time.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trickle:m2:1
# text = To trickle is also for people or things to come or go slowly, a few at a time.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	trickle	trickle	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	also	also	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	conj	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	come	come	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
11	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	go	go	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	conj	_	_
13	slowly	slowly	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	few	few	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	conj	_	_
17	at	at	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
18	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **trickle** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | for people or things | vn substance\_emission-43.4-1 «NP V»: agent=Source |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | also *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **come** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **go** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | slowly *property* | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A trickle is a thin slow flow of liquid.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trickle:m3:1
# text = A trickle is a thin slow flow of liquid.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	trickle	trickle	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	thin	thin	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
6	slow	slow	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	flow	flow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	liquid	liquid	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a trickle | a thin slow flow |  |  |  | of liquid | tree rules |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A trickle is also a small number of people or things arriving slowly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trickle:m4:1
# text = A trickle is also a small number of people or things arriving slowly.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	trickle	trickle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
4	also	also	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	number	number	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nmod	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	conj	_	_
12	arriving	arrive	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	11	acl	_	_
13	slowly	slowly	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a trickle | a small number |  |  |  | of people or things | tree rules |
| 2 | **arrive** | gerund | things *not said here* |  |  |  |  | slowly *property* | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A trickle of water ran down the window.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trickle:x1:1
# text = A trickle of water ran down the window.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	trickle	trickle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
5	ran	run	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	down	down	ADP	RP	_	5	compound:prt	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	window	window	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **run down** | past | a trickle of water | the window |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme window=Trajectory |
| 2 | **trickle** |  | water |  |  |  |  |  | nom trickle «event intransitive»: of=agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Sweat trickled down his face in the heat.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trickle:x2:1
# text = Sweat trickled down his face in the heat.
1	Sweat	sweat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	trickled	trickle	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	down	down	ADP	RP	_	2	compound:prt	_	_
4	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	face	face	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	heat	heat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **trickle down** | past | Sweat | Sweat's face |  | the heat |  |  | vn substance\_emission-43.4-1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location face=Source |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The pupils trickled into class after lunch.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trickle:x3:1
# text = The pupils trickled into class after lunch.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	pupils	pupil	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
3	trickled	trickle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	into	into	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	class	class	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
6	after	after	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	lunch	lunch	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 | **trickle** | participle |  | the pupils *not said here* |  | class | after lunch |  | vn substance\_emission-43.4-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme into class=Location |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In summer the river is only a trickle.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trickle:x4:1
# text = In summer the river is only a trickle.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	summer	summer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	river	river	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
6	only	only	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	trickle	trickle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the river | a trickle |  |  | summer |  | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Sand trickled through her fingers.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trickle:x5:1
# text = Sand trickled through her fingers.
1	Sand	sand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	trickled	trickle	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	through	through	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	fingers	finger	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **trickle** | past | Sand |  |  | Sand's fingers |  |  | vn substance\_emission-43.4-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme through finger=Location |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Letters from fans came in at a trickle.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trickle:x6:1
# text = Letters from fans came in at a trickle.
1	Letters	letter	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
2	from	from	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	fans	fan	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	nmod	_	_
4	came	come	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	in	in	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
6	at	at	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	trickle	trickle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come in** | past | Letters from fans |  |  | a trickle |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme at trickle=Location |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Rain trickled through the cracks in the roof.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trickle:x7:1
# text = Rain trickled through the cracks in the roof.
1	Rain	rain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
2	trickled	trickle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	1	acl	_	_
3	through	through	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	cracks	crack	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	roof	roof	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **trickle** | participle |  | Rain *not said here* |  | the cracks in the roof |  |  | vn substance\_emission-43.4-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme through crack=Location |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The water trickled down the naked sides of the rocks, and snow lay thickly all around.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:trickle:x8:1
# text = The water trickled down the naked sides of the rocks, and snow lay thickly all around.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	trickled	trickle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	down	down	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	naked	naked	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	sides	side	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	rocks	rock	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
13	snow	snow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nsubj	_	_
14	lay	lay	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
15	thickly	thickly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	xcomp	_	_
16	all	all	ADV	RB	_	17	advmod	_	_
17	around	around	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **trickle down** | participle | the water | the naked sides of the rocks |  |  |  |  | vn substance\_emission-43.4-1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location side=Source |
| 2 | **lay** | present | snow |  |  |  |  | around, thickly *property* | vn create-26.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

<!-- 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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