---
title: wilderness — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «wilderness» in the school dictionary: A wilderness is a wild area of land that people have not changed, with no towns, farms or roads. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# wilderness

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** wilderness, that, Bible, Israelites, Jesus, Bears · **What happens:** be, not change, say, wander, fast, leave out · **To what, where:** wild area, towns, desert, wilderness, Canadian wilderness, frozen wilderness · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«wilderness» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 8 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: [wilderness in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/wilderness.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A wilderness is a wild area of land that people have not changed, with no towns, farms or roads.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wilderness:m1:1
# text = A wilderness is a wild area of land that people have not changed, with no towns, farms or roads.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	wilderness	wilderness	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	area	area	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	land	land	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
9	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	13	nsubj	_	_
10	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	nsubj	_	_
11	have	have	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	aux	_	_
12	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	13	advmod	_	_
13	changed	change	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	6	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
15	with	with	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	17	det	_	_
17	towns	town	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
19	farms	farm	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	17	conj	_	_
20	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	21	cc	_	_
21	roads	road	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	19	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a wilderness | a wild area |  |  |  | of land | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **change** | present · perfect | that | no towns and farms or roads |  |  |  |  | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent town=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}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The wilderness is the desert where, the Bible says, the Israelites wandered for forty years and Jesus fasted for forty days.

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wilderness:m2:1
# text = The wilderness is the desert where, the Bible says, the Israelites wandered for forty years and Jesus fasted for forty days.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	wilderness	wilderness	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	desert	desert	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	10	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	Bible	Bible	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
10	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	Israelites	Israelite	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	14	nsubj	_	_
14	wandered	wander	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	ccomp	_	_
15	for	for	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	forty	forty	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	17	nummod	_	_
17	years	year	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	obl	_	_
18	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	20	cc	_	_
19	Jesus	Jesus	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	20	nsubj	_	_
20	fasted	fast	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	14	conj	_	_
21	for	for	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
22	forty	forty	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	23	nummod	_	_
23	days	day	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	20	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the wilderness | the desert |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | the Bible |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **wander** | past | the Israelites |  |  |  | year |  | vn run-51.3.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **fast** | past | Jesus |  |  |  | day |  | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the wilderness (idiom): left out, without power or importance for a time.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wilderness:m3:1
# text = In the wilderness (idiom): left out, without power or importance for a time.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	wilderness	wilderness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	idiom	idiom	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	8	punct	_	_
8	left	leave	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	acl	_	_
9	out	out	ADP	RP	_	8	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
11	without	without	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	power	power	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
13	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	importance	importance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	conj	_	_
15	for	for	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **leave out** | participle |  | the wilderness *not said here* |  |  | time | without power or importance | vn neglect-75.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Bears live deep in the Canadian wilderness.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wilderness:x1:1
# text = Bears live deep in the Canadian wilderness.
1	Bears	bear	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	live	live	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	deep	deep	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	Canadian	Canadian	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	wilderness	wilderness	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 | **live** | present | Bears |  |  | the Canadian wilderness |  | deep *property* | vn lodge-46 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in wilderness=Location |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The explorers crossed the frozen wilderness.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wilderness:x2:1
# text = The explorers crossed the frozen wilderness.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	explorers	explorer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	crossed	cross	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	frozen	freeze	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	amod	_	_
6	wilderness	wilderness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cross** | past | the explorers | the frozen wilderness |  |  |  |  | vn crane-40.3.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent wilderness=Patient |
| 2 | **freeze** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4-1 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Moses led the people through the wilderness.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wilderness:x3:1
# text = Moses led the people through the wilderness.
1	Moses	Moses	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	led	lead	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	through	through	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	wilderness	wilderness	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 | **lead** | past | Moses | the people |  | the wilderness |  |  | vn accompany-51.7 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent people=Theme through wilderness=Destination |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Jesus spent forty days in the wilderness.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wilderness:x4:1
# text = Jesus spent forty days in the wilderness.
1	Jesus	Jesus	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	spent	spend	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	forty	forty	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	4	nummod	_	_
4	days	day	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	wilderness	wilderness	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 | **spend** | past | Jesus |  |  | the wilderness | day |  | vn consume-66-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Our garden became a wilderness when nobody weeded it.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wilderness:x5:1
# text = Our garden became a wilderness when nobody weeded it.
1	Our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	garden	garden	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	became	become	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	wilderness	wilderness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	xcomp	_	_
6	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	8	advmod	_	_
7	nobody	nobody	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	8	nsubj	_	_
8	weeded	weed	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **become** | past | Our garden | a wilderness |  |  |  |  | vn become-109.1-1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **weed** | past | nobody | garden |  |  |  |  | vn pit-10.7 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Source |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The team spent years in the wilderness before winning again.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wilderness:x6:1
# text = The team spent years in the wilderness before winning again.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	team	team	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	spent	spend	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	years	year	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	wilderness	wilderness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
8	before	before	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
9	winning	win	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	advcl	_	_
10	again	again	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **spend** | past | the team |  |  | the wilderness | year |  | vn consume-66-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **win** | gerund | the team *not said here* |  |  |  | again |  | vn succeed-74-2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A wilderness guide taught us to read a compass.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wilderness:x7:1
# text = A wilderness guide taught us to read a compass.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	wilderness	wilderness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	guide	guide	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	taught	teach	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	obj	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	read	read	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	compass	compass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **teach** *speech: other* | past | a wilderness guide |  | us |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent we=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 2 | **read** | to-infinitive | a wilderness guide *not said here* | a compass |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent compass=Topic |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The way gradually grew thicker of brushwood, as they rode along, till at last it became a trackless wilderness.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wilderness:x8:1
# text = The way gradually grew thicker of brushwood, as they rode along, till at last it became a trackless wilderness.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	gradually	gradually	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	grew	grow	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	thicker	thick	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	4	xcomp	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	brushwood	brushwood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
9	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
10	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
11	rode	ride	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
12	along	along	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
14	till	till	SCONJ	IN	_	18	mark	_	_
15	at	at	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
16	last	last	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	obl	_	_
17	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	18	nsubj	_	_
18	became	become	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	conj	_	_
19	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
20	trackless	trackless	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	21	amod	_	_
21	wilderness	wilderness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **grow** | past | the way |  |  |  |  | gradually, thick *property* | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **ride along** | past | they |  |  |  |  | along *property* | vn nonvehicle-51.4.2 «NP.agent V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **become** | past | way | a trackless wilderness |  | last |  |  | vn become-109.1-1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient |

<!-- 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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