---
title: whorl — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «whorl» in the school dictionary: A whorl is a pattern of curved lines that go round and round, like a spiral. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# whorl

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** whorl, curved lines, petals, thumbprint, Fingerprints, snail shell · **What happens:** be, curve, go, grow, have, show · **To what, where:** pattern, circle, fingerprints, ring, plants, stem

<!-- .vabout -->
«whorl» in the school dictionary: its 4 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: [whorl in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/whorl.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A whorl is a pattern of curved lines that go round and round, like a spiral.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:whorl:m1:1
# text = A whorl is a pattern of curved lines that go round and round, like a spiral.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	whorl	whorl	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	pattern	pattern	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	curved	curve	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	amod	_	_
8	lines	line	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	_
9	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	10	nsubj	_	_
10	go	go	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	acl:relcl	_	_
11	round	round	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	round	round	ADV	RB	_	11	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
15	like	like	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	spiral	spiral	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a whorl | a pattern |  |  |  | of curved lines | tree rules |
| 2 | **curve** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn knead-26.5 «NP.material V PP.product»: agent=Material |
| 3 | **go** | present | curved lines |  |  |  |  | like a spiral; round *property* | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=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 -->
In fingerprints, a whorl is a circle or spiral pattern in the middle of the print.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:whorl:m2:1
# text = In fingerprints, a whorl is a circle or spiral pattern in the middle of the print.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	fingerprints	fingerprint	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	whorl	whorl	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	circle	circle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
10	spiral	spiral	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	pattern	pattern	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	conj	_	_
12	in	in	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	middle	middle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nmod	_	_
15	of	of	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	print	print	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a whorl | a circle or spiral pattern in the middle of the print |  | fingerprints |  |  | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In plants, a whorl is a ring of leaves or petals growing around a stem at the same point.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:whorl:m3:1
# text = In plants, a whorl is a ring of leaves or petals growing around a stem at the same point.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	plants	plant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	whorl	whorl	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	ring	ring	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	leaves	leaf	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nmod	_	_
11	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	petals	petal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	conj	_	_
13	growing	grow	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	12	acl	_	_
14	around	around	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	stem	stem	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	_
17	at	at	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
19	same	same	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	20	amod	_	_
20	point	point	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a whorl | a ring |  | plants |  | of leaves or petals | tree rules |
| 2 | **grow** | gerund | petals *not said here* |  |  | a stem |  | at the same point | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme around stem=Location |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A whorl is one turn of a shell's spiral.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:whorl:m4:1
# text = A whorl is one turn of a shell's spiral.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	whorl	whorl	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	turn	turn	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	shell	shell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	's	's	PART	POS	_	8	case	_	_
10	spiral	spiral	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a whorl | one turn |  |  |  | of a shell's spiral | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My thumbprint has a whorl in the middle.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:whorl:x1:1
# text = My thumbprint has a whorl in the middle.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	thumbprint	thumbprint	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	whorl	whorl	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	middle	middle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | My thumbprint | a whorl |  | the middle |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent whorl=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Fingerprints have loops, arches and whorls.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:whorl:x2:1
# text = Fingerprints have loops, arches and whorls.
1	Fingerprints	fingerprint	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	have	have	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	loops	loop	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
5	arches	arch	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	conj	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	whorls	whorl	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | Fingerprints | loops and arches and whorls |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent loop=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The snail shell has five whorls.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:whorl:x3:1
# text = The snail shell has five whorls.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	snail	snail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	shell	shell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	five	five	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	6	nummod	_	_
6	whorls	whorl	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | the snail shell | five whorls |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent whorl=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The leaves grow in a whorl around the stem.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:whorl:x4:1
# text = The leaves grow in a whorl around the stem.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	leaves	leaf	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	grow	grow	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	whorl	whorl	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	around	around	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	stem	stem	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 | **grow** | present | the leaves |  |  | a whorl |  | around the stem | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in whorl=Location |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The wood showed whorls where the branches had been.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:whorl:x5:1
# text = The wood showed whorls where the branches had been.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	wood	wood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	showed	show	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	whorls	whorl	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	9	advmod	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	branches	branch	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nsubj	_	_
8	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
9	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	4	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **show** | past | the wood | whorls |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent whorl=Recipient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She painted a whorl of blue and white in the sky.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:whorl:x6:1
# text = She painted a whorl of blue and white in the sky.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	painted	paint	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	whorl	whorl	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	blue	blue	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	nmod	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	white	white	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	conj	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	sky	sky	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **paint** | past | She | a whorl of blue |  |  |  |  | vn image\_impression-25.1 «NP V NP.destination»: agent=Agent whorl=Destination |

<!-- 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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