---
title: vulture — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «vulture» in the school dictionary: A vulture is a large bird with a bald or nearly bald head that eats the meat of dead animals. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# vulture

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** vulture, bald head, person, someone, head, Vultures · **What happens:** be, eat, wait, take, trouble, circle · **To what, where:** large bird, meat, person, advantage, Vultures, savannah · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«vulture» in the school dictionary: its 2 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: [vulture in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/vulture.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A vulture is a large bird with a bald or nearly bald head that eats the meat of dead animals.

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:vulture:m1:1
# text = A vulture is a large bird with a bald or nearly bald head that eats the meat of dead animals.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	vulture	vulture	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	large	large	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	bird	bird	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	with	with	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
9	bald	bald	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
11	nearly	nearly	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
12	bald	bald	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	conj	_	_
13	head	head	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
14	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	15	nsubj	_	_
15	eats	eat	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	acl:relcl	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	meat	meat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obj	_	_
18	of	of	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
19	dead	dead	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	20	amod	_	_
20	animals	animal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	17	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a vulture | a large bird |  |  |  | with a bald head | tree rules |
| 2 | **eat** | present | a bald head | the meat of dead animals |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent meat=Patient |

<!-- .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}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A vulture is a person who waits to take advantage of someone else's trouble or bad luck.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:vulture:m2:1
# text = A vulture is a person who waits to take advantage of someone else's trouble or bad luck.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	vulture	vulture	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	waits	wait	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	take	take	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	xcomp	_	_
10	advantage	advantage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
11	of	of	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
12	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	15	nmod:poss	_	_
13	else	else	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	's	's	PART	POS	_	12	case	_	_
15	trouble	trouble	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
16	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
17	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
18	luck	luck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a vulture | a person |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **wait** | present | a person |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **take** | to-infinitive | a person *not said here* | advantage |  |  |  | of someone's trouble or bad luck | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP PP.initial\_location»: agent=Agent advantage=Theme of trouble=Initial\_Location |
| 4 | **trouble** |  | someone |  |  |  |  |  | nom trouble «cognition transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Vultures circled high over the savannah.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:vulture:x1:1
# text = Vultures circled high over the savannah.
1	Vultures	vulture	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
2	circled	circle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	1	acl	_	_
3	high	high	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	2	advmod	_	_
4	over	over	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	savannah	savannah	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **circle** | participle |  | Vultures *not said here* |  | the savannah |  | high *property* | vn contiguous\_location-47.8 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A vulture's bald head stays clean when it feeds.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:vulture:x2:1
# text = A vulture's bald head stays clean when it feeds.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	vulture	vulture	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	bald	bald	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	head	head	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	stays	stay	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	clean	clean	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	xcomp	_	_
8	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	10	mark	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	feeds	feed	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stay** | present | a vulture's bald head |  |  |  |  | clean *property* | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **feed** | present | head |  |  |  |  |  | vn gorge-39.6 «NP V PP.patient»: agent=Agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Vultures are nature's clean-up crew.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:vulture:x3:1
# text = Vultures are nature's clean-up crew.
1	Vultures	vulture	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	nature	nature	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	's	's	PART	POS	_	3	case	_	_
5	clean	clean	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	up	up	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	crew	crew	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** | present | Vultures |  |  |  |  | 's nature | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Without vultures, dead animals would spread disease.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:vulture:x4:1
# text = Without vultures, dead animals would spread disease.
1	Without	without	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	vultures	vulture	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	dead	dead	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	animals	animal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
6	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
7	spread	spread	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
8	disease	disease	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **spread** | would | dead animals | disease |  |  |  | without vultures | vn appear-48.1.1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location disease=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The condor is a kind of New World vulture.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:vulture:x5:1
# text = The condor is a kind of New World vulture.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	condor	condor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	kind	kind	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	New	New	ADJ	NNP	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	World	World	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	vulture	vulture	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
As soon as the shop closed, buyers came like vultures for the cheap stock.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:vulture:x6:1
# text = As soon as the shop closed, buyers came like vultures for the cheap stock.
1	As	as	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
2	soon	soon	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	9	advmod	_	_
3	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	shop	shop	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	closed	close	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	9	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
8	buyers	buyer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nsubj	_	_
9	came	come	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
10	like	like	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	vultures	vulture	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obl	_	_
12	for	for	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
14	cheap	cheap	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	stock	stock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **close** | participle | the shop |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **come** | past | buyers |  |  |  |  | like vultures for the cheap stock; soon *property* | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My aunt is a real culture vulture — she visits every museum.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:vulture:x7:1
# text = My aunt is a real culture vulture — she visits every museum.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	aunt	aunt	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	real	real	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
6	culture	culture	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	vulture	vulture	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	10	punct	_	_
9	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	visits	visit	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	_
11	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	12	det	_	_
12	museum	museum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | My aunt | a real culture vulture |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **visit** | present | vulture | every museum |  |  |  |  | vn meet-36.3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent museum=Co-Agent |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Vulture thought this reasonable, and let Lambikin pass.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:vulture:x8:1
# text = The Vulture thought this reasonable, and let Lambikin pass.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	Vulture	Vulture	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	thought	think	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	this	this	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	5	nsubj	_	_
5	reasonable	reasonable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	let	let	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	ccomp	_	_
9	Lambikin	Lambikin	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
10	pass	pass	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **think** *speech: other* | past | the Vulture |  |  |  |  |  | vn consider-29.9-2 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 2 | **let** | infinitive |  | Lambikin |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **pass** | infinitive | Lambikin *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «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 -->

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