---
title: wick — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «wick» in the school dictionary: A wick is the string in the middle of a candle or the strip in an oil lamp that you light; it soaks up melted wax or oil to keep the flame burning. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# wick

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** wick, you, flame, sports clothes, Melted wax, candle · **What happens:** be, light, soak up, melt, keep, burn · **To what, where:** string, middle, oil lamp, melted wax, flame, wick

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A wick is the string in the middle of a candle or the strip in an oil lamp that you light; it soaks up melted wax or oil to keep the flame burning.

<!-- fold The tree, 33 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wick:m1:1
# text = A wick is the string in the middle of a candle or the strip in an oil lamp that you light; it soaks up melted wax or oil to keep the flame burning.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	wick	wick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	string	string	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
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	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	candle	candle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	strip	strip	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	conj	_	_
15	in	in	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
16	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
17	oil	oil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	compound	_	_
18	lamp	lamp	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nmod	_	_
19	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	21	obj	_	_
20	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	21	nsubj	_	_
21	light	light	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	18	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	24	punct	_	_
23	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	24	nsubj	_	_
24	soaks	soak	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
25	up	up	ADP	RP	_	24	compound:prt	_	_
26	melted	melt	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	27	amod	_	_
27	wax	wax	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	24	obj	_	_
28	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	29	cc	_	_
29	oil	oil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	27	conj	_	_
30	to	to	PART	TO	_	31	mark	_	_
31	keep	keep	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	24	advcl	_	_
32	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	33	det	_	_
33	flame	flame	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	31	obj	_	_
34	burning	burn	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	31	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
35	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a wick | the string |  | the middle of a candle or the strip in a oil lamp |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **light** | present | you | a oil lamp |  |  |  |  | vn preparing-26.3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent that=Product |
| 3 | **soak up** | present | wick | melted wax or oil |  |  |  |  | vn wipe\_manner-10.4.1 «NP V NP.source»: agent=Agent wax=Source |
| 4 | **melt** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4-1 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 5 | **keep** | to-infinitive | wick *not said here* | the flame |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 6 | **burn** | gerund | the flame *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn light\_emission-43.1 «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 -->
To wick (away) is to draw water or sweat away, as some sports clothes do.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wick:m2:1
# text = To wick (away) is to draw water or sweat away, as some sports clothes do.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	wick	wick	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	advcl	_	_
3	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	away	away	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	4	punct	_	_
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	draw	draw	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	sweat	sweat	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	8	conj	_	_
12	away	away	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
14	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	18	mark	_	_
15	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	17	det	_	_
16	sports	sport	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	17	compound	_	_
17	clothes	clothes	NOUN	NNS	Number=Ptan	18	nsubj	_	_
18	do	do	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wick** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | away *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | draw *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **sweat away** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | away *property* | vn breathe-40.1.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **do** | present | some sports clothes |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Light the wick carefully with a long match.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wick:x1:1
# text = Light the wick carefully with a long match.
1	Light	light	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	wick	wick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	carefully	carefully	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	match	match	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Melted wax climbs up the wick and feeds the flame.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wick:x2:1
# text = Melted wax climbs up the wick and feeds the flame.
1	Melted	melt	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	amod	_	_
2	wax	wax	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	climbs	climb	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	up	up	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	wick	wick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	feeds	feed	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	flame	flame	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **melt** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4-1 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **climb up** | present | Melted wax | the wick |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Initial\_Location wick=Theme |
| 3 | **feed** | present | Melted wax *not said here* | the flame |  |  |  |  | vn feeding-39.7 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent flame=Recipient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Trim the wick so the flame is small.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wick:x3:1
# text = Trim the wick so the flame is small.
1	Trim	trim	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	wick	wick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	so	so	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	flame	flame	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
8	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **trim** | imperative | you *not said here* | the wick |  |  |  |  | vn braid-41.2.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent wick=Patient |
| 2 | **is** | present | the flame |  |  |  |  | small *property* | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The candle went out when the wick burned down.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wick:x4:1
# text = The candle went out when the wick burned down.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	candle	candle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	out	out	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	_
5	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	8	advmod	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	wick	wick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
8	burned	burn	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
9	down	down	ADP	RP	_	8	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go out** | past | the candle |  |  |  |  |  | vn interact-36.6 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **burn down** | past | the wick |  |  |  |  |  | vn light\_emission-43.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
These sports socks wick sweat away from your feet.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wick:x5:1
# text = These sports socks wick sweat away from your feet.
1	These	this	DET	DT	Number=Plur|PronType=Dem	3	det	_	_
2	sports	sport	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	compound	_	_
3	socks	sock	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	wick	wick	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	sweat	sweat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
6	away	away	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
7	from	from	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	feet	foot	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In a science test, water climbed up a paper wick.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wick:x6:1
# text = In a science test, water climbed up a paper wick.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	science	science	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	test	test	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	climbed	climb	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	up	up	ADP	RP	_	7	compound:prt	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	paper	paper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	compound	_	_
11	wick	wick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **climb up** | past | water | a paper wick |  | a science test |  |  | vn run-51.3.2 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Initial\_Location wick=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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