---
title: woodlouse — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «woodlouse» in the school dictionary: A woodlouse is a small grey animal with a hard, jointed shell and fourteen legs that lives in damp, dark places like under stones, logs and leaves. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# woodlouse

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** woodlouse, hard jointed shell, kinds, We, I, most woodlice · **What happens:** be, joint, live, roll up, find, roll · **To what, where:** small grey animal, damp dark places, ball, woodlice, log, woodlouse · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A woodlouse is a small grey animal with a hard, jointed shell and fourteen legs that lives in damp, dark places like under stones, logs and leaves.

<!-- fold The tree, 27 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:woodlouse:m1:1
# text = A woodlouse is a small grey animal with a hard, jointed shell and fourteen legs that lives in damp, dark places like under stones, logs and leaves.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	woodlouse	woodlouse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
5	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
6	grey	grey	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	animal	animal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
10	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
12	jointed	joint	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	13	amod	_	_
13	shell	shell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	_
14	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
15	fourteen	fourteen	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	16	nummod	_	_
16	legs	leg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	conj	_	_
17	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	18	nsubj	_	_
18	lives	live	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	acl:relcl	_	_
19	in	in	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
20	damp	damp	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	23	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	20	punct	_	_
22	dark	dark	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	23	amod	_	_
23	places	place	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	18	obl	_	_
24	like	like	ADP	IN	_	26	case	_	_
25	under	under	ADP	IN	_	26	case	_	_
26	stones	stone	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	23	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	28	punct	_	_
28	logs	log	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	26	conj	_	_
29	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	30	cc	_	_
30	leaves	leaf	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	26	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
31	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a woodlouse | a small grey animal |  |  |  | with a hard jointed shell and fourteen legs | tree rules |
| 2 | **joint** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **live** | present | a hard jointed shell and fourteen legs |  |  | damp dark places like stones and logs and leaves |  |  | vn lodge-46 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in place=Location |

<!-- .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 -->
Some kinds can roll up into a ball when in danger (pill bugs).

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:woodlouse:m2:1
# text = Some kinds can roll up into a ball when in danger (pill bugs).
1	Some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	2	det	_	_
2	kinds	kind	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	roll	roll	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	up	up	ADP	RP	_	4	compound:prt	_	_
6	into	into	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	ball	ball	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
9	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	4	parataxis	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	danger	danger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
12	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	pill	pill	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	compound	_	_
14	bugs	bug	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **roll up** | can | some kinds |  |  | a ball |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme into ball=Destination |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We found woodlice under the log.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:woodlouse:x1:1
# text = We found woodlice under the log.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	found	find	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	woodlice	woodlice	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
4	under	under	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	log	log	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **find** | past | We | woodlice |  | the log |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent woodlice=Topic |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A woodlouse rolled into a ball when I touched it.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:woodlouse:x2:1
# text = A woodlouse rolled into a ball when I touched it.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	woodlouse	woodlouse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	rolled	roll	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	into	into	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	ball	ball	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	9	advmod	_	_
8	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	touched	touch	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
10	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **roll** | participle |  | a woodlouse *not said here* |  | a ball |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme into ball=Destination |
| 2 | **touch** | past | I | ball |  |  |  |  | vn contiguous\_location-47.8-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme it=Co-Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Woodlice like damp, dark places.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:woodlouse:x3:1
# text = Woodlice like damp, dark places.
1	Woodlice	woodlice	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
2	like	like	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
3	damp	damp	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	dark	dark	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	places	place	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In our experiment, most woodlice moved to the wet side.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:woodlouse:x4:1
# text = In our experiment, most woodlice moved to the wet side.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
3	experiment	experiment	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	most	most	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	6	amod	_	_
6	woodlice	woodlice	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
7	moved	move	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	to	to	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	wet	wet	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	side	side	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **move** | past | most woodlice |  |  | our experiment |  | to the wet side | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP.theme V PP.source PP.trajectory PP.destination»: agent=Theme in experiment=Source to side=Trajectory |
| 2 | **experiment** |  | our |  |  |  |  |  | nom experiment «act intransitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Woodlice eat rotting leaves and wood.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:woodlouse:x5:1
# text = Woodlice eat rotting leaves and wood.
1	Woodlice	woodlice	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	eat	eat	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	rotting	rot	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	4	amod	_	_
4	leaves	leaf	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	wood	wood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **eat** | present | Woodlice | rotting leaves and wood |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent leaf=Patient |
| 2 | **rot** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn entity\_specific\_cos-45.5 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A woodlouse has fourteen legs.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:woodlouse:x6:1
# text = A woodlouse has fourteen legs.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	woodlouse	woodlouse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	fourteen	fourteen	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	legs	leg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Put the woodlice back where you found them.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:woodlouse:x7:1
# text = Put the woodlice back where you found them.
1	Put	put	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	woodlice	woodlice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	back	back	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	_
5	where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	7	advmod	_	_
6	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	found	find	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	1	advcl	_	_
8	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **put back** | imperative | you *not said here* | the woodlice |  |  |  |  | vn invest-13.5.4-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent woodlice=Goal |
| 2 | **find** | past | you | them *= they* |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=Topic |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In Australia, a woodlouse is called a slater.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:woodlouse:x8:1
# text = In Australia, a woodlouse is called a slater.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	Australia	Australia	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	woodlouse	woodlouse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj:pass	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux:pass	_	_
7	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	slater	slater	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** | present · passive |  | a woodlouse |  | Australia |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: subject=Recipient |

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**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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