---
title: wean — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «wean» in the school dictionary: To wean a baby or young animal is to slowly stop feeding it only on its mother's milk and start giving it other food. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# wean

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** them, wean, Mum, I, doctor, Scotland · **What happens:** wean, be, feed, start, give, stop · **To what, where:** baby, animal, milk, someone, it, sugar

<!-- .vabout -->
«wean» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 7 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: [wean in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/wean.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To wean a baby or young animal is to slowly stop feeding it only on its mother's milk and start giving it other food.

<!-- fold The tree, 25 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wean:m1:1
# text = To wean a baby or young animal is to slowly stop feeding it only on its mother's milk and start giving it other food.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	wean	wean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	advcl	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	baby	baby	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
6	young	young	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	animal	animal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
10	slowly	slowly	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
11	stop	stop	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
12	feeding	feed	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	11	xcomp	_	_
13	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	obj	_	_
14	only	only	ADV	RB	_	19	advmod	_	_
15	on	on	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
16	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	17	nmod:poss	_	_
17	mother	mother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	's	's	PART	POS	_	17	case	_	_
19	milk	milk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	_
20	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	21	cc	_	_
21	start	start	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	11	conj	_	_
22	giving	give	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	21	xcomp	_	_
23	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	22	obj	_	_
24	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	25	amod	_	_
25	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wean** | to-infinitive |  | a baby or young animal |  |  |  |  | vn free-10.6.3 «NP V NP PP.theme»: agent=Causer baby=Source |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | slowly, stop *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **feed** | gerund |  | animal |  | animal's mother's milk |  |  | vn feeding-39.7 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: agent=Agent it=Theme |
| 4 | **start** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 5 | **give** | gerund |  | animal |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent it=Recipient food=Theme |

<!-- .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 wean someone off something is to help them slowly stop needing or using it («wean off sugar», «wean off screens»).

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wean:m2:1
# text = To wean someone off something is to help them slowly stop needing or using it («wean off sugar», «wean off screens»).
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	wean	wean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	advcl	_	_
3	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	off	off	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obl	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	help	help	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
10	slowly	slowly	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
11	stop	stop	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	obj	_	_
12	needing	need	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	11	xcomp	_	_
13	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	using	use	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	12	conj	_	_
15	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	obj	_	_
16	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	wean	wean	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	8	conj	_	_
19	off	off	ADP	RP	_	18	compound:prt	_	_
20	sugar	sugar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	24	punct	_	_
23	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	24	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	wean	wean	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	18	parataxis	_	_
25	off	off	ADP	RP	_	24	compound:prt	_	_
26	screens	screen	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	24	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	24	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wean** | to-infinitive |  | someone |  |  |  | off something | vn free-10.6.3 «NP V NP PP.theme»: agent=Causer someone=Source |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | help *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **stop** | present | them *= they* |  |  |  |  | slowly *property* | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Affector clause=Eventuality |
| 4 | **need** | gerund | them *= they* *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot |
| 5 | **use** | gerund | them *= they* *not said here* | it |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Patient |
| 6 | **wean off** *in a quote* | infinitive |  | sugar |  |  |  |  | vn free-10.6.3 «NP V NP PP.theme»: agent=Causer sugar=Source |
| 7 | **wean off** *in a quote* | infinitive |  | screens |  |  |  |  | vn free-10.6.3 «NP V NP PP.theme»: agent=Causer screen=Source |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A wean is a small child.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wean:m3:1
# text = A wean is a small child.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	wean	wean	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	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	child	child	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Puppies are weaned at about eight weeks.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wean:x1:1
# text = Puppies are weaned at about eight weeks.
1	Puppies	puppy	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	weaned	wean	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	at	at	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	about	about	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	eight	eight	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	7	nummod	_	_
7	weeks	week	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wean** | present · passive |  | Puppies |  |  | week |  | vn free-10.6.3 «NP V NP PP.theme»: subject=Source |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mum is weaning the baby onto mashed carrots.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wean:x2:1
# text = Mum is weaning the baby onto mashed carrots.
1	Mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	weaning	wean	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	baby	baby	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	onto	onto	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	mashed	mash	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	amod	_	_
8	carrots	carrot	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wean** | present · progressive | Mum | the baby |  | mashed carrots |  |  | vn free-10.6.3 «NP V NP PP.theme»: agent=Causer baby=Source |
| 2 | **mash** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn carve-21.2-1 «NP V ADVP-Middle»: agent=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Lambs are weaned from their mothers in summer.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wean:x3:1
# text = Lambs are weaned from their mothers in summer.
1	Lambs	lamb	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	weaned	wean	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	from	from	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	mothers	mother	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	summer	summer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wean** | present · passive |  | Lambs |  |  | summer | from Lambs's mothers | vn free-10.6.3 «NP V NP PP.theme»: subject=Source |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I am trying to wean myself off fizzy drinks.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wean:x4:1
# text = I am trying to wean myself off fizzy drinks.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	am	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	trying	try	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	wean	wean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	myself	myself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	5	obj	_	_
7	off	off	ADP	RP	_	5	compound:prt	_	_
8	fizzy	fizzy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	drinks	drink	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **try** | present · progressive | I |  |  |  |  |  | vn try-61.1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **wean off** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | I *not said here* | myself |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The doctor weaned him off the medicine slowly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wean:x5:1
# text = The doctor weaned him off the medicine slowly.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	doctor	doctor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	weaned	wean	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	obj	_	_
5	off	off	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	medicine	medicine	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
8	slowly	slowly	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wean** | past | the doctor | him *= he* |  |  |  | off the medicine; slowly *property* | vn free-10.6.3 «NP V NP PP.theme»: agent=Causer he=Source |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
(Scotland) Get the weans ready for school!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wean:x6:1
# text = (Scotland) Get the weans ready for school!
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Scotland	Scotland	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	2	punct	_	_
4	Get	get	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	weans	wean	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
7	ready	ready	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	xcomp	_	_
8	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** | infinitive | Scotland | the weans |  |  |  | ready *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer wean=Stimulus |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The calf was weaned and moved to the field.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wean:x7:1
# text = The calf was weaned and moved to the field.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	calf	calf	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	weaned	wean	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	moved	move	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	conj	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	field	field	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wean** | past · passive |  | the calf |  |  |  |  | vn free-10.6.3 «NP V NP PP.theme»: subject=Source |
| 2 | **move** | participle |  |  |  | the field |  |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V PP.trajectory»: agent=Theme to field=Trajectory |

<!-- 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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