---
title: tug — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «tug» in the school dictionary: To tug is to pull something suddenly and firmly. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# tug

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** tug, small strong boat, She, class, you, sad film · **What happens:** tug, be, push, pull, show, win · **To what, where:** quick strong pull, small strong boat, big ships, harbour, sudden sad feeling, sleeve

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To tug is to pull something suddenly and firmly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tug:m1:1
# text = To tug is to pull something suddenly and firmly.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	tug	tug	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	pull	pull	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	5	obj	_	_
7	suddenly	suddenly	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	firmly	firmly	ADV	RB	_	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tug** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn split-23.2 «NP V apart»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | pull, suddenly *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 -->
A tug is a quick, strong pull.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tug:m2:1
# text = A tug is a quick, strong pull.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	tug	tug	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
5	quick	quick	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
7	strong	strong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	pull	pull	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 | a tug | a quick strong pull |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A tug (or tugboat) is a small, strong boat that pushes and pulls big ships in a harbour.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tug:m3:1
# text = A tug (or tugboat) is a small, strong boat that pushes and pulls big ships in a harbour.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	tug	tug	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
3	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	tugboat	tugboat	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	12	cop	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
9	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
11	strong	strong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	boat	boat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
13	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	14	nsubj	_	_
14	pushes	push	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	acl:relcl	_	_
15	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
16	pulls	pull	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	conj	_	_
17	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
18	ships	ship	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	obj	_	_
19	in	in	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
20	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
21	harbour	harbour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	12	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a tug | a small strong boat |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **push** | present | a small strong boat |  |  |  |  |  | vn push-12-1-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **pull** | present | a small strong boat *not said here* | big ships |  | a harbour |  |  | vn push-12-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent ship=Theme |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«A tug at your heart» is a sudden sad or loving feeling.

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tug:m4:1
# text = «A tug at your heart» is a sudden sad or loving feeling.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	tug	tug	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nsubj	_	_
4	at	at	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	heart	heart	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	cop	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
10	sudden	sudden	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
11	sad	sad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	loving	loving	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	conj	_	_
14	feeling	feeling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	14	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a tug at your heart | a sudden sad feeling |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She tugged my sleeve to show me the rainbow.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tug:x1:1
# text = She tugged my sleeve to show me the rainbow.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	tugged	tug	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	sleeve	sleeve	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	show	show	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
7	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	6	iobj	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	rainbow	rainbow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tug** | past | She | my sleeve |  |  |  |  | vn split-23.2 «NP V NP apart»: agent=Agent sleeve=Patient |
| 2 | **show** | to-infinitive | She *not said here* | the rainbow | me |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent i=Recipient rainbow=Topic |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Our class won the tug of war.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tug:x2:1
# text = Our class won the tug of war.
1	Our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	class	class	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	won	win	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	tug	tug	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	war	war	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **win** | past | Our class | the tug of war |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent tug=Eventuality |
| 2 | **tug** |  |  | war |  |  |  |  | nom tug «act transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Give the rope a good tug.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tug:x3:1
# text = Give the rope a good tug.
1	Give	give	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	rope	rope	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	tug	tug	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | imperative | you *not said here* | the rope |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent rope=Recipient tug=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A tug pushed the big ship into the dock.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tug:x4:1
# text = A tug pushed the big ship into the dock.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	tug	tug	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	pushed	push	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	ship	ship	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	into	into	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	dock	dock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **push** | past | a tug | the big ship |  | the dock |  |  | vn funnel-9.3-1-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent ship=Theme into dock=Destination |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The dog tugged on its lead.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tug:x5:1
# text = The dog tugged on its lead.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	tugged	tug	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	lead	lead	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 | **tug** | participle |  | the dog *not said here* |  |  |  | on dog's lead | vn push-12-1 «NP V PP-Conative»: agent=Agent on lead=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The sad film gave my heart a tug.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tug:x6:1
# text = The sad film gave my heart a tug.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	sad	sad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	film	film	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	gave	give	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	heart	heart	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	tug	tug	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | past | the sad film | my heart |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent heart=Recipient tug=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Pulling with more force helps your team in a tug of war.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tug:x7:1
# text = Pulling with more force helps your team in a tug of war.
1	Pulling	pull	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	csubj	_	_
2	with	with	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	4	amod	_	_
4	force	force	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
5	helps	help	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	team	team	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	tug	tug	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
11	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	war	war	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pull** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | with more force | vn help-72.1-2 «NP V PP.beneficiary»: agent=Agent with force=Beneficiary |
| 2 | **help** | present | Pulling | your team |  | a tug of war |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent team=Beneficiary |
| 3 | **tug** |  |  | war |  |  |  |  | nom tug «act transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
At last young Lambton felt a mighty tug at his line.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tug:x8:1
# text = At last young Lambton felt a mighty tug at his line.
1	At	at	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
2	last	last	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
3	young	young	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	Lambton	Lambton	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
5	felt	feel	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	mighty	mighty	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	tug	tug	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
9	at	at	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	11	nmod:poss	_	_
11	line	line	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **feel** | past |  | a mighty tug |  | last young Lambton |  | at Lambton's line | vn hunt-35.1 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent tug=Theme at lambton=Location |

<!-- 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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