---
title: wistfully — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «wistfully» in the school dictionary: In a sad, longing way, as when you wish for something you cannot have or something that is gone. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# wistfully

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** you, Tom, old sailor, sailor, I, summer · **What happens:** long, wish, not have, be, look, smile · **To what, where:** longing way, swallows, tree · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In a sad, longing way, as when you wish for something you cannot have or something that is gone.

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wistfully:m1:1
# text = In a sad, longing way, as when you wish for something you cannot have or something that is gone.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
3	sad	sad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	longing	long	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	amod	_	_
6	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
8	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
9	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	11	advmod	_	_
10	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
11	wish	wish	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
12	for	for	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	11	obl	_	_
14	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	17	nsubj	_	_
15	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	17	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	17	advmod	_	_
17	have	have	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	13	acl:relcl	_	_
18	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
19	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	13	conj	_	_
20	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	22	nsubj	_	_
21	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	22	cop	_	_
22	gone	gone	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	19	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **long** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn long-32.2 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Pivot |
| 2 | **wish** | present | you |  |  | a longing way |  | for something | vn long-32.2 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Pivot for something=Theme |
| 3 | **not** **have** | can | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | gone *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 a quietly thoughtful, dreamy way, with a little sadness.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wistfully:m2:1
# text = In a quietly thoughtful, dreamy way, with a little sadness.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
3	quietly	quietly	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	thoughtful	thoughtful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	dreamy	dreamy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
9	with	with	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	sadness	sadness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Tom looked wistfully at the bikes in the shop window.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wistfully:x1:1
# text = Tom looked wistfully at the bikes in the shop window.
1	Tom	Tom	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	looked	look	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	wistfully	wistfully	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
4	at	at	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	bikes	bike	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	shop	shop	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	window	window	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** | past | Tom |  |  |  |  | in the shop window; at the bikes; wistfully *property* | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent at bike=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The old sailor smiled wistfully as he talked about the sea.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wistfully:x2:1
# text = The old sailor smiled wistfully as he talked about the sea.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	sailor	sailor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	smiled	smile	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	wistfully	wistfully	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
6	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
7	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	talked	talk	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	advcl	_	_
9	about	about	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	sea	sea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **smile** | past | the old sailor |  |  |  |  | wistfully *property* | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **talk** | past | sailor |  |  |  |  | about the sea | vn talk-37.5 «NP V PP.topic»: agent=Agent about sea=Topic |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«I wish summer could last forever,» she said wistfully.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wistfully:x3:1
# text = «I wish summer could last forever,» she said wistfully.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	wish	wish	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	ccomp	_	_
4	summer	summer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
5	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	last	last	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	ccomp	_	_
7	forever	forever	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
10	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
11	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
12	wistfully	wistfully	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wish** *in a quote* | present | I |  |  |  |  |  | vn wish-62 «NP V for NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot clause=Theme |
| 2 | **last** *in a quote* | could | summer |  |  |  |  | forever *property* | vn cost-54.2 «NP V NP.value»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | she |  |  |  |  | wistfully *property* | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The puppy gazed wistfully at the biscuit on the table.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wistfully:x4:1
# text = The puppy gazed wistfully at the biscuit on the table.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	puppy	puppy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	gazed	gaze	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	wistfully	wistfully	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
5	at	at	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	biscuit	biscuit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
8	on	on	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	table	table	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **gaze** | past | the puppy |  |  |  |  | on the table; at the biscuit; wistfully *property* | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent at biscuit=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Gran wistfully remembered her school days.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wistfully:x5:1
# text = Gran wistfully remembered her school days.
1	Gran	Gran	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	wistfully	wistfully	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	remembered	remember	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
5	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	days	day	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **remember** | past | Gran |  |  |  | day | wistfully *property* | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Rat stared wistfully south, where the swallows had flown.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wistfully:x6:1
# text = The Rat stared wistfully south, where the swallows had flown.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	Rat	Rat	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	stared	stare	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	wistfully	wistfully	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	south	south	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
7	where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	11	advmod	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	swallows	swallow	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	nsubj:pass	_	_
10	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
11	flown	fly	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stare** | past | the Rat |  |  |  |  | south *property* | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **fly** | past · perfect · passive |  | the swallows |  |  |  |  | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «PP.location V NP»: subject=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He stood beneath the tree looking long and wistfully at the peacock's bright feathers.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wistfully:x7:1
# text = He stood beneath the tree looking long and wistfully at the peacock's bright feathers.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	stood	stand	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	beneath	beneath	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	tree	tree	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	looking	look	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
7	long	long	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	6	advmod	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	wistfully	wistfully	ADV	RB	_	7	conj	_	_
10	at	at	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	peacock	peacock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	's	's	PART	POS	_	12	case	_	_
14	bright	bright	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	feathers	feather	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stand** | past | He |  |  | the tree |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent beneath tree=Location |
| 2 | **look** | gerund | He *not said here* |  |  |  |  | at the peacock's bright feathers; long *property* | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent at feather=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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