---
title: wailing — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «wailing» in the school dictionary: A long, loud, high cry of pain, sadness or anger. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# wailing

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** pain, Wall, Jewish people, baby, We, siren · **What happens:** cry, complain, be, pray, wail, hear · **To what, where:** name, middle, wailing, old house, homework, Western Wall · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A long, loud, high cry of pain, sadness or anger.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wailing:m1:1
# text = A long, loud, high cry of pain, sadness or anger.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
2	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	loud	loud	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	high	high	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	cry	cry	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	pain	pain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
11	sadness	sadness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	anger	anger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cry** |  | pain |  |  |  |  |  | nom cry «communication intransitive»: of=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 -->
A long, high sound like a cry, such as a siren or the wind.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wailing:m2:1
# text = A long, high sound like a cry, such as a siren or the wind.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
2	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	high	high	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	sound	sound	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	like	like	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	cry	cry	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
10	such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|ExtPos=ADP	13	case	_	_
11	as	as	ADP	IN	_	10	fixed	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	siren	siren	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	conj	_	_
14	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	wind	wind	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Complaining loudly and at length.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wailing:m3:1
# text = Complaining loudly and at length.
1	Complaining	complain	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
2	loudly	loudly	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	_
3	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
4	at	at	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	length	length	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **complain** *speech: other* | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | loudly *property* | vn complain-37.8 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Wailing Wall is a name for the Western Wall in Jerusalem, a holy place where Jewish people pray.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wailing:m4:1
# text = The Wailing Wall is a name for the Western Wall in Jerusalem, a holy place where Jewish people pray.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	Wailing	wailing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod:desc	_	_
3	Wall	Wall	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	name	name	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	for	for	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	Western	Western	ADJ	NNP	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	Wall	Wall	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
11	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	Jerusalem	Jerusalem	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
15	holy	holy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	place	place	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	_
17	where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	20	advmod	_	_
18	Jewish	Jewish	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	19	amod	_	_
19	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	20	nsubj	_	_
20	pray	pray	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	16	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the Wall  Wailing | a name and a holy place |  |  |  | for the Western Wall in Jerusalem | tree rules |
| 2 | **pray** | present | Jewish people |  |  |  |  |  | vn long-32.2 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Pivot |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The baby was wailing in the middle of the night.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wailing:x1:1
# text = The baby was wailing in the middle of the night.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	baby	baby	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	wailing	wail	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	middle	middle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	night	night	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wail** | past · progressive | the baby |  |  | the middle of the night |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in middle=Location |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We heard the wailing of a fire engine's siren.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wailing:x2:1
# text = We heard the wailing of a fire engine's siren.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	heard	hear	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	wailing	wailing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	fire	fire	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	engine	engine	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	's	's	PART	POS	_	8	case	_	_
10	siren	siren	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hear** | past | We | the wailing of a fire engine's siren |  |  |  |  | vn see-30.1-1-1 «NP V S»: agent=Experiencer wailing=Stimulus |
| 2 | **wail** |  | a fire engine's siren |  |  |  |  |  | nom wailing «act intransitive»: of=agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The wind was wailing around the old house.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wailing:x3:1
# text = The wind was wailing around the old house.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	wind	wind	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	wailing	wail	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	around	around	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	house	house	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 | **wail** | past · progressive | the wind |  |  | the old house |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme around house=Location |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
There was wailing and crying when the dog ran away.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wailing:x4:1
# text = There was wailing and crying when the dog ran away.
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	wailing	wail	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	xcomp	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	crying	cry	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	3	conj	_	_
6	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	9	advmod	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
9	ran	run	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	advcl	_	_
10	away	away	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **be** | past |  |  |  | there |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **wail** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn animal\_sounds-38 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **cry** *speech: express* | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **run away** | past | the dog |  |  |  |  | away *property* | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Stop wailing about your homework and just start it!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wailing:x5:1
# text = Stop wailing about your homework and just start it!
1	Stop	stop	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	wailing	wail	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	1	xcomp	_	_
3	about	about	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	homework	homework	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
7	just	just	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	start	start	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	1	conj	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stop** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Affector clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **wail** | gerund | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | about your homework | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V PP.topic»: agent=Agent about homework=Topic |
| 3 | **start** | infinitive | you *not said here* | homework |  |  |  |  | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Eventuality |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
People pray at the Western Wall, also called the Wailing Wall.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wailing:x6:1
# text = People pray at the Western Wall, also called the Wailing Wall.
1	People	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	pray	pray	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	at	at	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	Western	Western	ADJ	NNP	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	Wall	Wall	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
8	also	also	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	conj	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	Wailing	wailing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nmod:desc	_	_
12	Wall	Wall	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pray** | present | People |  |  | the Western Wall |  |  | vn long-32.2 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Pivot |
| 2 | **call** | participle | People *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The ghost in the story made a terrible wailing sound.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wailing:x7:1
# text = The ghost in the story made a terrible wailing sound.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	ghost	ghost	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
8	terrible	terrible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
9	wailing	wailing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	sound	sound	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past | the ghost in the story | a terrible wailing sound |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset sound=Product |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In one of the houses he heard cries and wailing.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wailing:x8:1
# text = In one of the houses he heard cries and wailing.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	7	obl	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	houses	house	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nmod	_	_
6	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	heard	hear	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	cries	cry	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	wailing	wailing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hear** | past | he | cries and wailing |  |  |  | in one of the houses | vn see-30.1-1-1 «NP V S»: agent=Experiencer cry=Stimulus |

<!-- 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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