---
title: twinkle — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «twinkle» in the school dictionary: To twinkle is to shine with a light that flickers, getting brighter and dimmer quickly, as stars do. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# twinkle

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** light, stars, eyes, person, twinkle, fairy lights · **What happens:** twinkle, be, flicker, get, dimmer, do · **To what, where:** small flickering light, night sky, tree, joke, much, Twinkle · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To twinkle is to shine with a light that flickers, getting brighter and dimmer quickly, as stars do.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:twinkle:m1:1
# text = To twinkle is to shine with a light that flickers, getting brighter and dimmer quickly, as stars do.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	twinkle	twinkle	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	shine	shine	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	light	light	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
9	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	10	nsubj	_	_
10	flickers	flicker	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
12	getting	get	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	5	advcl	_	_
13	brighter	bright	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	12	xcomp	_	_
14	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
15	dimmer	dimmer	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	conj	_	_
16	quickly	quickly	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	20	punct	_	_
18	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	20	mark	_	_
19	stars	star	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	20	nsubj	_	_
20	do	do	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	15	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **twinkle** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn light\_emission-43.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | with a light; shine *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **flicker** | present | a light |  |  |  |  |  | vn light\_emission-43.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **get** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | bright *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |
| 5 | **dimmer** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | quickly *property* | tree rules |
| 6 | **do** | present | stars |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .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 -->
If someone's eyes twinkle, they look bright and happy, often because the person is amused.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:twinkle:m2:1
# text = If someone's eyes twinkle, they look bright and happy, often because the person is amused.
1	If	if	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
2	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	eyes	eye	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
5	twinkle	twinkle	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
7	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	look	look	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	bright	bright	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	xcomp	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	happy	happy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
13	often	often	ADV	RB	_	18	advmod	_	_
14	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	18	mark	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	nsubj	_	_
17	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	18	cop	_	_
18	amused	amused	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **twinkle** *a condition, not said to happen* | present | someone's eyes |  |  |  |  |  | vn light\_emission-43.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **look** | present | eyes *= eye* |  |  |  |  | bright *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |
| 3 | **is** | present | the person |  |  |  |  | amused, often *property* | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A twinkle is a small flickering light, or a happy, cheeky look in the eyes.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:twinkle:m3:1
# text = A twinkle is a small flickering light, or a happy, cheeky look in the eyes.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	twinkle	twinkle	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	flickering	flicker	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	amod	_	_
7	light	light	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
11	happy	happy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
13	cheeky	cheeky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	look	look	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	_
15	in	in	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	eyes	eye	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **flicker** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn light\_emission-43.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **is a** | present | a twinkle | a small flickering light or a happy cheeky look in the eyes |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«In the twinkling of an eye» means very quickly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:twinkle:m4:1
# text = «In the twinkling of an eye» means very quickly.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	In	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	twinkling	twinkling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	eye	eye	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
9	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
10	very	very	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
11	quickly	quickly	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  | in the twinkling of a eye; quickly *property* | vn representation-110.1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Pivot in twinkling=Attribute |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The stars twinkle in the night sky.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:twinkle:x1:1
# text = The stars twinkle in the night sky.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	stars	star	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	twinkle	twinkle	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	night	night	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	sky	sky	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **twinkle** | present | the stars |  |  | the night sky |  |  | vn light\_emission-43.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in sky=Location |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The fairy lights twinkled on the tree.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:twinkle:x2:1
# text = The fairy lights twinkled on the tree.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	fairy	fairy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	lights	light	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	twinkled	twinkle	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	tree	tree	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **twinkle** | past | the fairy lights |  |  | the tree |  |  | vn light\_emission-43.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme on tree=Location |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grandpa's eyes twinkled when he told the joke.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:twinkle:x3:1
# text = Grandpa's eyes twinkled when he told the joke.
1	Grandpa	Grandpa	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	's	PART	POS	_	1	case	_	_
3	eyes	eye	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	twinkled	twinkle	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	7	advmod	_	_
6	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	told	tell	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	joke	joke	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	iobj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **twinkle** | past | Grandpa's eyes |  |  |  |  |  | vn light\_emission-43.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **tell** *speech: assert* | past | Grandpa |  | the joke |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent joke=Recipient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Planets don't twinkle as much as stars.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:twinkle:x4:1
# text = Planets don't twinkle as much as stars.
1	Planets	planet	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
2	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	twinkle	twinkle	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	as	as	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	much	much	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	obj	_	_
7	as	as	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	stars	star	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **twinkle** | present · do-support | Planets | much |  |  |  |  | vn light\_emission-43.1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent much=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We sang «Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star».

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:twinkle:x5:1
# text = We sang «Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star».
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	sang	sing	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	Twinkle	twinkle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
6	Twinkle	twinkle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
8	Little	Little	ADJ	NNP	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	Star	Star	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sing** *speech: express* | past | We | Twinkle and Twinkle |  |  |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location twinkle=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The lights of the town twinkled below the hill.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:twinkle:x6:1
# text = The lights of the town twinkled below the hill.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	lights	light	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	town	town	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	twinkled	twinkle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	acl	_	_
7	below	below	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	hill	hill	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **twinkle** | participle |  | the town *not said here* |  | the hill |  |  | vn light\_emission-43.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme below hill=Location |
| 2 | **light** |  |  | the town |  |  |  |  | nom light «phenomenon transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the twinkling of an eye, the cake was gone.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:twinkle:x7:1
# text = In the twinkling of an eye, the cake was gone.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	twinkling	twinkling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	eye	eye	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	cake	cake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
10	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
11	gone	gone	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the cake |  |  | the twinkling of a eye |  | gone *property* | tree rules |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The king smiled, and his eyes twinkled.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:twinkle:x8:1
# text = The king smiled, and his eyes twinkled.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	king	king	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	smiled	smile	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
6	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	eyes	eye	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
8	twinkled	twinkle	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **smile** | past | the king |  |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **twinkle** | past | king's eyes |  |  |  |  |  | vn light\_emission-43.1 «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 -->
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