---
title: wriggle — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «wriggle» in the school dictionary: To wriggle means to twist and turn your body quickly from side to side. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# wriggle

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** wriggle, he, you, puppy, She, rope · **What happens:** wriggle, mean, twist, turn, get, avoid · **To what, where:** body, side, it, something, excuses, twisting movement · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To wriggle means to twist and turn your body quickly from side to side.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wriggle:m1:1
# text = To wriggle means to twist and turn your body quickly from side to side.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	wriggle	wriggle	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	csubj	_	_
3	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	twist	twist	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	turn	turn	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	conj	_	_
8	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	body	body	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
10	quickly	quickly	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
11	from	from	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	side	side	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
13	to	to	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	side	side	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wriggle** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn body\_internal\_motion-49.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **twist** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP.theme V»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **turn** | infinitive |  | your body |  | side to side |  | quickly *property* | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V NP PP.trajectory»: agent=Agent body=Theme from side=Trajectory |

<!-- .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.

<!-- .note -->
The example in this meaning, parsed on its own:

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"the worm wriggled in my hand".

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wriggle:m1e:1
# text = "the worm wriggled in my hand".
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	worm	worm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	wriggled	wriggle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	acl	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	hand	hand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wriggle** *in a quote* | participle |  | the worm *not said here* |  | my hand |  |  | vn body\_internal\_motion-49.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To wriggle into or out of something means to get into or out of it by twisting.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wriggle:m2:1
# text = To wriggle into or out of something means to get into or out of it by twisting.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	wriggle	wriggle	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	into	into	ADP	IN	_	2	obl	_	_
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
5	out	out	ADP	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	8	obl	_	_
8	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	get	get	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	xcomp	_	_
11	into	into	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
13	out	out	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	of	of	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	obl	_	_
16	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	17	mark	_	_
17	twisting	twist	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	10	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wriggle** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn body\_internal\_motion-49.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  | of something | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **get** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  |  |  | it |  |  | vn escape-51.1 «NP V PP.destination»: agent=Theme into it=Destination |
| 4 | **twist** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP.theme V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- .note -->
The example in this meaning, parsed on its own:

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"he wriggled into his wetsuit".

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wriggle:m2e:1
# text = "he wriggled into his wetsuit".
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	wriggled	wriggle	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	into	into	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	wetsuit	wetsuit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wriggle** *in a quote* | past | he |  |  | his wetsuit |  |  | vn body\_internal\_motion-49.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To wriggle out of something means to avoid doing it by being clever or making excuses.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wriggle:m3:1
# text = To wriggle out of something means to avoid doing it by being clever or making excuses.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	wriggle	wriggle	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	csubj	_	_
3	out	out	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obl	_	_
6	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	avoid	avoid	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	xcomp	_	_
9	doing	do	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	8	xcomp	_	_
10	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obj	_	_
11	by	by	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	13	cop	_	_
13	clever	clever	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	obl	_	_
14	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
15	making	make	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	9	conj	_	_
16	excuses	excuse	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	15	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wriggle** | to-infinitive |  |  |  | something |  |  | vn body\_internal\_motion-49.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **avoid** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn avoid-52 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 4 | **do** | gerund |  | it |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Eventuality |
| 5 | **is** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | clever *property* | tree rules |
| 6 | **make** | gerund |  | excuses |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset excuse=Product |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A wriggle is a twisting movement.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wriggle:m4:1
# text = A wriggle is a twisting movement.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	wriggle	wriggle	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	twisting	twist	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	amod	_	_
6	movement	movement	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **twist** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP.theme V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **is a** | present | a wriggle | a twisting movement |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The worm wriggled across the path.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wriggle:x1:1
# text = The worm wriggled across the path.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	worm	worm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	wriggled	wriggle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	across	across	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	path	path	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wriggle** | participle |  | the worm *not said here* |  | the path |  |  | vn body\_internal\_motion-49.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Stop wriggling and sit still!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wriggle:x2:1
# text = Stop wriggling and sit still!
1	Stop	stop	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	wriggling	wriggling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
3	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	sit	sit	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	1	conj	_	_
5	still	still	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stop** | imperative | you *not said here* | wriggling |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V NP.eventuality»: agent=Subeventuality wriggling=Eventuality |
| 2 | **sit** | infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  | still |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The puppy wriggled out of my arms.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wriggle:x3:1
# text = The puppy wriggled out of my arms.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	puppy	puppy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	wriggled	wriggle	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	out	out	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	arms	arm	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wriggle** | past | the puppy |  |  | my arms |  |  | vn body\_internal\_motion-49.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She wriggled into her tight jeans.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wriggle:x4:1
# text = She wriggled into her tight jeans.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	wriggled	wriggle	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	into	into	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
5	tight	tight	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	jeans	jeans	NOUN	NNS	Number=Ptan	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wriggle** | past | She |  |  | her tight jeans |  |  | vn body\_internal\_motion-49.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He tried to wriggle out of doing the dishes.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wriggle:x5:1
# text = He tried to wriggle out of doing the dishes.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	tried	try	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	wriggle	wriggle	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
5	out	out	ADP	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
6	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
7	doing	do	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	advcl	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	dishes	dish	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **try** | past | He |  |  |  |  |  | vn try-61.1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **wriggle** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | He *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn body\_internal\_motion-49.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **do** | gerund | He *not said here* | the dishes |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent dish=Eventuality |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The tadpoles wriggled in the pond.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wriggle:x6:1
# text = The tadpoles wriggled in the pond.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	tadpoles	tadpole	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
3	wriggled	wriggle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	pond	pond	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wriggle** | participle |  | the tadpoles *not said here* |  | the pond |  |  | vn body\_internal\_motion-49.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The rope was loose, so the prisoner wriggled free.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:wriggle:x7:1
# text = The rope was loose, so the prisoner wriggled free.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	rope	rope	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	loose	loose	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
6	so	so	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	prisoner	prisoner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
9	wriggled	wriggle	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
10	free	free	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the rope |  |  |  |  | loose *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **wriggle** | past | the prisoner |  |  |  |  | free *property* | vn body\_internal\_motion-49.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

<!-- 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 -->
- ← previous: [wretchedness](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/wretchedness/)
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- ↑ back to [W in school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/)