---
title: wildcat — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «wildcat» in the school dictionary: A wildcat is a wild cat that looks like a big tabby, living in Europe, Africa and Asia; the Scottish wildcat is very rare. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# wildcat

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** wildcat, wild cat, Scottish wildcat, wildcat strike, union, Workers · **What happens:** be, look, live, mean, approve, ring · **To what, where:** wild cat, Europe, wild member, sudden strike, fierce wild person, one

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A wildcat is a wild cat that looks like a big tabby, living in Europe, Africa and Asia; the Scottish wildcat is very rare.

<!-- fold The tree, 24 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wildcat:m1:1
# text = A wildcat is a wild cat that looks like a big tabby, living in Europe, Africa and Asia; the Scottish wildcat is very rare.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	wildcat	wildcat	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	wild	wild	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	cat	cat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	8	nsubj	_	_
8	looks	look	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	acl:relcl	_	_
9	like	like	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	tabby	tabby	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
14	living	live	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	8	conj	_	_
15	in	in	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
16	Europe	Europe	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
18	Africa	Africa	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	16	conj	_	_
19	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	20	cc	_	_
20	Asia	Asia	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	16	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	27	punct	_	_
22	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	24	det	_	_
23	Scottish	Scottish	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	24	amod	_	_
24	wildcat	wildcat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	27	nsubj	_	_
25	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	27	cop	_	_
26	very	very	ADV	RB	_	27	advmod	_	_
27	rare	rare	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a wildcat | a wild cat |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **look** | present | a wild cat |  |  |  |  | like a big tabby | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Stimulus |
| 3 | **live** | gerund | a wild cat *not said here* |  |  | Europe and Africa and Asia |  |  | vn lodge-46 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in europe=Location |
| 4 | **is** | present | the Scottish wildcat |  |  |  |  | rare *property* | tree rules |

<!-- .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 America, wildcat can mean any wild member of the cat family, like a bobcat.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wildcat:m2:1
# text = In America, wildcat can mean any wild member of the cat family, like a bobcat.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	America	America	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	wildcat	wildcat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
5	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
7	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	9	det	_	_
8	wild	wild	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	member	member	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	cat	cat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	compound	_	_
13	family	family	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	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	bobcat	bobcat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | can | wildcat | any wild member of the cat family |  |  |  | like a bobcat; in America | vn representation-110.1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Pivot member=Theme in america=Attribute |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A wildcat strike is a sudden strike by workers without the union's official approval.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wildcat:m3:1
# text = A wildcat strike is a sudden strike by workers without the union's official approval.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	wildcat	wildcat	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	strike	strike	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	sudden	sudden	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	strike	strike	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	by	by	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	workers	worker	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nmod	_	_
10	without	without	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	union	union	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	's	's	PART	POS	_	12	case	_	_
14	official	official	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	approval	approval	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a wildcat strike | a sudden strike |  |  |  | by workers without the union's official approval | tree rules |
| 2 | **approve** |  | the union |  |  |  |  |  | nom approval «act transitive»: poss=agent |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A wildcat is a fierce, wild person.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wildcat:m4:1
# text = A wildcat is a fierce, wild person.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	wildcat	wildcat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
5	fierce	fierce	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
7	wild	wild	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Scottish wildcat is one of Britain's rarest animals.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wildcat:x1:1
# text = The Scottish wildcat is one of Britain's rarest animals.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	Scottish	Scottish	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	wildcat	wildcat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
7	Britain	Britain	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	10	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	's	's	PART	POS	_	7	case	_	_
9	rarest	rare	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	10	amod	_	_
10	animals	animal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	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 | the Scottish wildcat | one |  |  |  | of Britain's rarest animals | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A wildcat looks like a tabby cat with a thick, ringed tail.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wildcat:x2:1
# text = A wildcat looks like a tabby cat with a thick, ringed tail.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	wildcat	wildcat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	looks	look	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	like	like	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	tabby	tabby	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	cat	cat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
10	thick	thick	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
12	ringed	ring	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	13	amod	_	_
13	tail	tail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** | present | a wildcat |  |  |  |  | like a tabby cat; with a thick ringed tail | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Stimulus |
| 2 | **ring** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Workers walked out in a wildcat strike.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wildcat:x3:1
# text = Workers walked out in a wildcat strike.
1	Workers	worker	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	walked	walk	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	out	out	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	wildcat	wildcat	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	strike	strike	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **walk out** | past | Workers |  |  | a wildcat strike |  | out *property* | vn resign-10.11 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Wildcats hide in forests and hunt at night.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wildcat:x4:1
# text = Wildcats hide in forests and hunt at night.
1	Wildcats	wildcat	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	hide	hide	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	forests	forest	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	hunt	hunt	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
7	at	at	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	night	night	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hide** | present | Wildcats |  |  | forests |  |  | vn concealment-16-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent in forest=Location |
| 2 | **hunt** | present | Wildcats *not said here* |  |  |  | night |  | vn hunt-35.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She fought like a wildcat.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wildcat:x5:1
# text = She fought like a wildcat.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	fought	fight	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	like	like	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	wildcat	wildcat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fight** | past | She |  |  |  |  | like a wildcat | vn battle-36.4-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Wildcats should not be kept as pets.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wildcat:x6:1
# text = Wildcats should not be kept as pets.
1	Wildcats	wildcat	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	should	should	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
3	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	5	advmod	_	_
4	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	kept	keep	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	as	as	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	pets	pet	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **keep** | should · passive |  | Wildcats |  |  |  | as pets | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It might have been a wildcat prowling low on soft, stealthy feet.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wildcat:x7:1
# text = It might have been a wildcat prowling low on soft, stealthy feet.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
2	might	might	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
3	have	have	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	aux	_	_
4	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	6	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	wildcat	wildcat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	prowling	prowl	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	acl	_	_
8	low	low	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	7	advmod	_	_
9	on	on	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
10	soft	soft	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
12	stealthy	stealthy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	feet	foot	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | might · perfect | It | a wildcat |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **prowl** | gerund | a wildcat *not said here* |  |  | soft stealthy feet |  | low *property* | vn run-51.3.2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme on foot=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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