---
title: writhing — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «writhing» in the school dictionary: Twisting and turning the body, usually because of pain, or wriggling like a snake or worm. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# writhing

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** pain, Writhing, smoke, worm, Mock Turtle, He · **What happens:** twist, turn, wriggle, feel, describe, curl · **To what, where:** body, writhing, something, air, path, Reeling · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«writhing» in the school dictionary: its 3 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: [writhing in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/writhing.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Twisting and turning the body, usually because of pain, or wriggling like a snake or worm.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:writhing:m1:1
# text = Twisting and turning the body, usually because of pain, or wriggling like a snake or worm.
1	Twisting	twist	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	10	csubj	_	_
2	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
3	turning	turn	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	1	conj	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	body	body	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
7	usually	usually	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
8	because	because	ADP	IN	ExtPos=ADP	10	case	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	fixed	_	_
10	pain	pain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	wriggling	wriggle	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	10	acl	_	_
14	like	like	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	snake	snake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	_
17	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
18	worm	worm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	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 | **turn** | gerund |  | the body |  |  |  |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent body=Theme |
| 3 | **wriggle** | gerund | pain *not said here* |  |  |  |  | like a snake or worm | vn body\_internal\_motion-49.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .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 -->
Feeling very embarrassed or upset: «writhing with embarrassment».

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:writhing:m2:1
# text = Feeling very embarrassed or upset: «writhing with embarrassment».
1	Feeling	feel	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
2	very	very	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	embarrassed	embarrassed	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	xcomp	_	_
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	upset	upset	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	8	punct	_	_
7	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	writhing	writhing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
9	with	with	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	embarrassment	embarrassment	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **feel** | gerund |  | writhing with embarrassment |  |  |  | embarrassed *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Writhing can also describe something, such as smoke, that twists and curls through the air.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:writhing:m3:1
# text = Writhing can also describe something, such as smoke, that twists and curls through the air.
1	Writhing	writhing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	also	also	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	describe	describe	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
7	such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|ExtPos=ADP	9	case	_	_
8	as	as	ADP	IN	_	7	fixed	_	_
9	smoke	smoke	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
11	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	12	nsubj	_	_
12	twists	twist	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	acl:relcl	_	_
13	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	curls	curl	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	conj	_	_
15	through	through	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	air	air	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **describe** | can | Writhing | something |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent something=Theme |
| 2 | **twist** | present | smoke |  |  |  |  |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP.theme V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **curl** | present | smoke *not said here* |  |  | the air |  |  | vn coil-9.6-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme through air=Destination |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The worm was writhing on the path.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:writhing:x1:1
# text = The worm was writhing on the path.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	worm	worm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	writhing	writhe	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	path	path	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **writhe** | past · progressive | the worm |  |  | the path |  |  | vn modes\_of\_being\_with\_motion-47.3 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme on path=Location |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Mock Turtle learned Reeling and Writhing at school.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:writhing:x2:1
# text = The Mock Turtle learned Reeling and Writhing at school.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	Mock	Mock	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	Turtle	Turtle	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	learned	learn	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	Reeling	reeling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	Writhing	writhing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
8	at	at	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **learn** | past | the Mock Turtle | Reeling and Writhing |  | school |  |  | vn learn-14-2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent reeling=Topic |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He lay writhing in pain after the fall.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:writhing:x3:1
# text = He lay writhing in pain after the fall.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	lay	lie	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	writhing	writhe	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	xcomp	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	pain	pain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
6	after	after	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	fall	fall	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lie** | past | He |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **writhe** | gerund | He *not said here* |  |  | pain | after the fall |  | vn modes\_of\_being\_with\_motion-47.3 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in pain=Location |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The snake writhed as it slid across the sand.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:writhing:x4:1
# text = The snake writhed as it slid across the sand.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	snake	snake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	writhed	writhe	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	as	as	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	obl	_	_
6	slid	slide	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	across	across	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	sand	sand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **writhe** | participle |  | the snake *not said here* |  |  |  | as snake | vn body\_internal\_states-40.6 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **slide** | past | the snake |  |  | the sand |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme across sand=Trajectory |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She was writhing with embarrassment.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:writhing:x5:1
# text = She was writhing with embarrassment.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	writhing	writhe	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	embarrassment	embarrassment	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **writhe** | past · progressive | She |  |  |  |  | with embarrassment | vn body\_internal\_states-40.6 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Call 999 (or 911, 112, 000, 111 in NZ) if someone is writhing in pain and badly hurt.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:writhing:x6:1
# text = Call 999 (or 911, 112, 000, 111 in NZ) if someone is writhing in pain and badly hurt.
1	Call	call	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	999	999	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	1	obj	_	_
3	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	911	911	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
7	112	112	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
9	000	000	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
11	111	111	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	5	conj	_	_
12	in	in	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	NZ	NZ	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	11	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	5	punct	_	_
15	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	18	mark	_	_
16	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	18	nsubj	_	_
17	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	18	aux	_	_
18	writhing	writhe	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	1	advcl	_	_
19	in	in	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
20	pain	pain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	obl	_	_
21	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	23	cc	_	_
22	badly	badly	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	23	advmod	_	_
23	hurt	hurt	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	18	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** | imperative | you *not said here* | 999 |  |  |  | 911 *obl* | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent 999=Recipient |
| 2 | **writhe** *a condition, not said to happen* | present · progressive | someone |  |  | pain |  |  | vn modes\_of\_being\_with\_motion-47.3 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in pain=Location |
| 3 | **hurt** | participle | someone *not said here* |  |  |  |  | badly *property* | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
They saw a blue smoke rising, writhing upward till it vanished in the blue ether.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:writhing:x7:1
# text = They saw a blue smoke rising, writhing upward till it vanished in the blue ether.
1	They	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	saw	see	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	blue	blue	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	smoke	smoke	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	rising	rise	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
8	writhing	writhe	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	conj	_	_
9	upward	upward	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
10	till	till	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
11	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
12	vanished	vanish	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	_
13	in	in	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
15	blue	blue	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	ether	ether	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **see** | past | They | a blue smoke |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer smoke=Stimulus |
| 2 | **rise** | gerund | a blue smoke *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **writhe** | gerund | a blue smoke *not said here* |  |  |  |  | upward *property* | vn body\_internal\_states-40.6 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 4 | **vanish** | past | smoke |  |  | the blue ether |  |  | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=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 -->

<!-- pn -->
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