---
title: weaning — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «weaning» in the school dictionary: Slowly getting a baby or a young animal used to eating food instead of drinking only its mother's milk (or formula). Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# weaning

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** someone, they, this, piglets, Weaning, Puppies · **What happens:** get, use, eat, drink, help, give up · **To what, where:** baby, young animal, food, milk, someone, something

<!-- .vabout -->
«weaning» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 6 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: [weaning in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/weaning.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Slowly getting a baby or a young animal used to eating food instead of drinking only its mother's milk (or formula).

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:weaning:m1:1
# text = Slowly getting a baby or a young animal used to eating food instead of drinking only its mother's milk (or formula).
1	Slowly	slowly	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
2	getting	get	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	0	root	_	_
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	_	8	cc	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	young	young	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	animal	animal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	_
9	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	acl	_	_
10	to	to	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
11	eating	eat	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	9	advcl	_	_
12	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	_
13	instead	instead	ADV	RB	ExtPos=SCONJ	15	mark	_	_
14	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	fixed	_	_
15	drinking	drink	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	11	advcl	_	_
16	only	only	ADV	RB	_	20	advmod	_	_
17	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	18	nmod:poss	_	_
18	mother	mother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	's	's	PART	POS	_	18	case	_	_
20	milk	milk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obj	_	_
21	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	23	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	23	cc	_	_
23	formula	formula	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	23	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** | gerund |  | a baby or a young animal |  |  |  | slowly *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer baby=Stimulus |
| 2 | **use** | participle |  | a young animal *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **eat** | gerund |  | food |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent food=Patient |
| 4 | **drink** | gerund |  | food's mother's milk |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent milk=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}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Slowly helping someone to give up something they depend on or are used to.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:weaning:m2:1
# text = Slowly helping someone to give up something they depend on or are used to.
1	Slowly	slowly	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
2	helping	help	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
3	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	give	give	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
6	up	up	ADP	RP	_	5	compound:prt	_	_
7	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	5	obj	_	_
8	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	depend	depend	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	acl:relcl	_	_
10	on	on	ADP	IN	_	9	obl	_	_
11	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
12	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	aux:pass	_	_
13	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	conj	_	_
14	to	to	PART	TO	_	13	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **help** | gerund |  | someone |  |  |  | slowly *property* | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent someone=Beneficiary clause=Theme |
| 2 | **give up** | to-infinitive | someone *not said here* | something |  |  |  |  | vn resign-10.11-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Source |
| 3 | **depend** | present | they |  |  |  |  |  | vn rely-70 «NP V PP.theme S\_ING»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **use** | present · passive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V» |

<!-- .note -->
The example in this meaning, parsed on its own:

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"weaning him off sweets".

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:weaning:m2e:1
# text = "weaning him off sweets".
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	weaning	wean	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
3	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	obj	_	_
4	off	off	ADP	RP	_	2	compound:prt	_	_
5	sweets	sweet	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wean off** *in a quote* | gerund |  | him *= he* |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: Scotland, noun "wean" — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A child; this is a different, Scots word.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:weaning:m3:1
# text = A child; this is a different, Scots word.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	child	child	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	7	punct	_	_
4	this	this	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	7	nsubj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	different	different	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
9	Scots	Scot	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	10	compound	_	_
10	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | this |  |  |  |  | different *property* | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The piglets are weaning now and eating from the trough.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:weaning:x1:1
# text = The piglets are weaning now and eating from the trough.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	piglets	piglet	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	weaning	wean	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	now	now	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	4	advmod	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	eating	eat	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	conj	_	_
8	from	from	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	trough	trough	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wean** | present · progressive | the piglets |  |  |  | now |  | vn free-10.6.3 «NP V NP PP.theme»: agent=Causer |
| 2 | **eat** | gerund | the piglets *not said here* |  |  | the trough |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V PP.source»: agent=Agent from trough=Source |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Weaning a baby starts with soft, mashed food.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:weaning:x2:1
# text = Weaning a baby starts with soft, mashed food.
1	Weaning	wean	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	4	csubj	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	baby	baby	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	starts	start	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
6	soft	soft	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
8	mashed	mash	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	9	amod	_	_
9	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wean** | gerund |  | a baby |  |  |  |  | vn free-10.6.3 «NP V NP PP.theme»: agent=Causer baby=Source |
| 2 | **start** | present | Weaning |  |  |  |  | with soft mashed food | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V PP.subeventuality»: agent=Eventuality with food=Subeventuality |
| 3 | **mash** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn carve-21.2-1 «NP V ADVP-Middle»: agent=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My baby sister was weaned onto mashed banana.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:weaning:x3:1
# text = My baby sister was weaned onto mashed banana.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	baby	baby	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	sister	sister	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	weaned	wean	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	onto	onto	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	mashed	mash	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	amod	_	_
8	banana	banana	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Puppies finish weaning at about eight weeks old.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:weaning:x4:1
# text = Puppies finish weaning at about eight weeks old.
1	Puppies	puppy	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	finish	finish	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	weaning	wean	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	acl	_	_
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	8	obl:unmarked	_	_
8	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **finish** | present | Puppies |  |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |
| 2 | **wean** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn free-10.6.3 «NP V NP PP.theme»: agent=Causer |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dad is weaning himself off sugar in his tea.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:weaning:x5:1
# text = Dad is weaning himself off sugar in his tea.
1	Dad	dad	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	himself	himself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	3	obj	_	_
5	off	off	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	_
6	sugar	sugar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	tea	tea	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 | **wean off** | present · progressive | Dad | Dad |  | Dad's tea |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mum is weaning us off screens before bedtime.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:weaning:x6:1
# text = Mum is weaning us off screens before bedtime.
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	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	obj	_	_
5	off	off	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	_
6	screens	screen	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
7	before	before	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	bedtime	bedtime	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 off** | present · progressive | Mum | us |  |  | before bedtime |  | tree rules |

<!-- 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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