llama
part of speech
noun (a llama, llamas)
meaning for a pupil
1) A llama is a South American animal like a small camel without a hump, with a long neck and thick woolly coat, kept for carrying loads and for its wool. tree →
2) (Buddhism) A different word, lama (one l), means a Buddhist teacher, like the Dalai Lama. tree →
sense in the lessons
In geography lessons about the Andes, llamas carry goods on mountain paths, as they did for the Incas; their wool, meat and dung (as fuel) are useful. Llamas live in herds and may spit when annoyed. Cousins: alpacas (smaller, woollier), guanacos and vicuñas. Phrases: «a herd of llamas», «llama trekking».
examples
- Llamas carried our bags up the mountain path in Peru. tree →
- A llama spat at the farmer when he got too close. tree →
- Llamas are related to camels. tree →
- The Incas used llamas as pack animals. tree →
- Some farms in Britain keep llamas to protect sheep from foxes. tree →
- An alpaca is smaller and fluffier than a llama. tree →
- We went llama trekking on our holiday. tree →
- An enormous cobra which had crept up the stem of a tall palm tree threw itself on to a little llama that was grazing at the foot. tree →
note
Plural «llamas». Spelling: double l at the start. Trap: «lama» (one l) is a Buddhist monk or teacher; «llama» is the animal. In Spanish «ll» sounds like «y», so some people say YAH-ma, but English speakers usually say LAH-ma.
In the corpora
- Llamas and alpacas live in the Andes; their blood carries oxygen well, and they spit mostly at each other to settle arguments.
- Donkeys, llamas and sheepdogs are used to guard flocks, and a guard donkey will chase away foxes and stray dogs.
- Kai stared at his own skins — one slightly sad llama — and his thumb hovered over «yes».
- You give him your login, he gives you nothing, and your llama's gone for ever.» Kai said no.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «llama» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.