spark
English
editPronunciation
edit- (General American) enPR: spärk, IPA(key): /spɑɹk/
- (Received Pronunciation) enPR: späk, IPA(key): /spɑːk/
Audio (US): (file) - Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)k
- Homophone: SPARC
Etymology 1
editFrom Middle English sparke, sperke, from Old English spearca, from Proto-West Germanic *sparkō (compare Saterland Frisian Spoorke, West Frisian spark, Dutch spark, German Low German Sparke, German Sparke), perhaps from Proto-Germanic *sparkaz (“lively, energetic”), from Proto-Indo-European *sperg- (“to strew, sprinkle”) (compare Breton erc’h (“snow”), Latin spargō (“to scatter, spread”), sparsus (“scattered”), Lithuanian sprógti (“to germinate”), Ancient Greek σπαργάω (spargáō, “to swell”), Avestan 𐬟𐬭𐬀𐬯𐬞𐬀𐬭𐬈𐬔𐬀 (frasparega, “branch, twig”), Sanskrit पर्जन्य (parjanya, “rain, rain god”)).
Noun
editspark (plural sparks)
- A small particle of glowing matter, either molten or on fire, resulting from an electrical surge or excessive heat created by friction.
- A short or small burst of electrical discharge.
- A small, shining body, or transient light; a sparkle.
- (figuratively) A small amount of something, such as an idea or romantic affection, that has the potential to become something greater, just as a spark can start a fire.
- c. 1591–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene vi]:
- if any spark of life be yet remaining
- 1689 (indicated as 1690), [John Locke], An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. […], London: […] Eliz[abeth] Holt, for Thomas Basset, […], →OCLC:, Book IV, Chapter XVII
- But though we have, here and there, a little of this clear light, some sparks of bright knowledge
- 1990, Wayne Jancik, The Billboard Book of One-Hit Wonders, →ISBN, page 173:
- When the latter disk showed some sparks, Moman contacted MGM's Jim Vienneau, who picked up the waxing for national release.
- 2013 September 1, Phil McNulty, BBC Sport:
- Everton's Marouane Fellaini looks one certain arrival but Moyes, who also saw United held to a draw by Chelsea at Old Trafford on Monday, needs even more of a spark in a midfield that looked laboured by this team's standards.
- Any of various lycaenid butterflies of the Indomalayan genus Sinthusa.
- (in the plural sparks but treated as a singular) A ship's radio operator.
- (UK, slang) An electrician.
- 1999, Des Lyver, Graham Swainson, Basics of Video Lighting, page 103:
- At the other extreme, with limitless budgets all they have to do is dream up amazing lighting rigs to be constructed and operated by the huge team of gaffers and sparks, with their generators, discharge lights, flags, gobos and brutes.
- (cellular automata) A small collection of cells which briefly appears at the edge of a larger pattern before dying off.
Synonyms
edit- (small particle of glowing matter): ember, gnast, funk
- (small amount of something, such as an idea, that has the potential to become something greater): beginnings, germ, glimmer
Derived terms
editDescendants
editTranslations
edit
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Verb
editspark (third-person singular simple present sparks, present participle sparking, simple past and past participle sparked)
- (transitive, figurative) To trigger, kindle into activity (an argument, etc).
- 2012 May 5, Phil McNulty, “Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool”, in BBC Sport[1]:
- The introduction of substitute Andy Carroll sparked Liverpool into life and he pulled a goal back just after the hour - and thought he had equalised as Kenny Dalglish's side laid siege to Chelsea's goal in the closing stages.
- (transitive) To light; to kindle.
- 2009, Alex Jenson, The Serotonin Grand Prix, page 12:
- Byron sparked the cigarette. He sucked it dramatically and thrust it into Marko's hand.
- (intransitive) To give off a spark or sparks.
- (intransitive, of a gun) To shoot; to fire
- 1998 November 10, “Grid Iron Rap” (track 17), in Tical 2000: Judgement Day[2], performed by Method Man, Streetlife (rapper):
- [Streetlife]:Fuck a peace talk, let the gun spark, on the streets of New York.
- 2004, “U Ain't A Killer” (track 10), in The War Mixtape[3], performed by Akala (rapper):
- All of a sudden, everybody tuggin', everybody dark. Everybody gums runnin', 'til the guns spark.
Derived terms
editTranslations
edit
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Etymology 2
editProbably Scandinavian, akin to Old Norse sparkr (“sprightly”).
Noun
editspark (plural sparks)
- A gallant; a foppish young man.
- 1718, Mat[thew] Prior, “Alma: Or, The Progress of the Mind”, in Poems on Several Occasions, London: […] Jacob Tonson […], and John Barber […], →OCLC:
- The finest sparks and cleanest beaux.
- 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volumes (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC:
- Jones had no sooner quitted the room, than the petty-fogger, in a whispering tone, asked Mrs Whitefield, “If she knew who that fine spark was?”
- 1777, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, The School for Scandal, I.ii:
- He will retrieve his errors yet—their worthy Father, once my honour'd master, was at his years nearly as wild a spark.
- A beau, lover.
Verb
editspark (third-person singular simple present sparks, present participle sparking, simple past and past participle sparked)
- (intransitive, archaic) To woo, court; to act the gallant or beau.
Synonyms
edit- make love, romance, solicit; see also Thesaurus:woo
Derived terms
editReferences
edit- Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary, Springfield, Massachusetts, G.&C. Merriam Co., 1967
Anagrams
editDanish
editEtymology
editFrom Old Norse spark, verbal noun to sparka (“to kick”).
Pronunciation
editNoun
editspark n (singular definite sparket, plural indefinite spark)
Inflection
editVerb
editspark
- imperative of sparke
Faroese
editPronunciation
editNoun
editspark n (genitive singular sparks, plural spørk)
Declension
editDeclension of spark | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
n5 | singular | plural | ||
indefinite | definite | indefinite | definite | |
nominative | spark | sparkið | spørk | spørkini |
accusative | spark | sparkið | spørk | spørkini |
dative | sparki | sparkinum | spørkum | spørkunum |
genitive | sparks | sparksins | sparka | sparkanna |
Derived terms
edit- brotsspark (“penalty kick”)
- fríspark (“free kick”)
- hornaspark (“corner kick”)
- málspark (“goal kick”)
- neyðspark (“when forced to kick the ball off”)
- sparka (“to kick”)
Icelandic
editEtymology
editFrom sparka (“to kick”).
Pronunciation
editNoun
editspark n (genitive singular sparks, nominative plural spörk)
Declension
editDeclension of spark | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
n-s | singular | plural | ||
indefinite | definite | indefinite | definite | |
nominative | spark | sparkið | spörk | spörkin |
accusative | spark | sparkið | spörk | spörkin |
dative | sparki | sparkinu | spörkum | spörkunum |
genitive | sparks | sparksins | sparka | sparkanna |
Middle English
editNoun
editspark
- Alternative form of sparke
Norwegian Bokmål
editNoun
editspark n (definite singular sparket, indefinite plural spark, definite plural sparka or sparkene)
- a kick (with a foot)
- Short for sparkstøtting (“kicksled”).
Derived terms
editRelated terms
editVerb
editspark
- imperative of sparke
Norwegian Nynorsk
editNoun
editspark n (definite singular sparket, indefinite plural spark, definite plural sparka)
- a kick (with a foot)
- Short for sparkstøtting (“kicksled”).
Derived terms
editSwedish
editEtymology
editFrom Old Norse spark, from sparka (“to kick”).
Noun
editspark c
- kick
- Short for sparkstötting (“kicksled”).
- (in "få sparken") (to be given) the boot (get fired from work)
Declension
editDeclension of spark | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Singular | Plural | |||
Indefinite | Definite | Indefinite | Definite | |
Nominative | spark | sparken | sparkar | sparkarna |
Genitive | sparks | sparkens | sparkars | sparkarnas |
Anagrams
edit- English 1-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio pronunciation
- Rhymes:English/ɑː(ɹ)k
- Rhymes:English/ɑː(ɹ)k/1 syllable
- English terms with homophones
- English terms inherited from Middle English
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms inherited from Old English
- English terms derived from Old English
- English terms inherited from Proto-West Germanic
- English terms derived from Proto-West Germanic
- English terms derived from Proto-Germanic
- English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European
- English lemmas
- English nouns
- English countable nouns
- English terms with quotations
- British English
- English slang
- en:Cellular automata
- English verbs
- English transitive verbs
- English intransitive verbs
- English terms with archaic senses
- en:Gossamer-winged butterflies
- en:Occupations
- en:People
- en:Fire
- en:Light
- Danish terms derived from Old Norse
- Danish terms with IPA pronunciation
- Danish lemmas
- Danish nouns
- Danish neuter nouns
- Danish non-lemma forms
- Danish verb forms
- Faroese terms with IPA pronunciation
- Faroese lemmas
- Faroese nouns
- Faroese neuter nouns
- fo:Football (soccer)
- Icelandic 1-syllable words
- Icelandic terms with IPA pronunciation
- Rhymes:Icelandic/ar̥k
- Rhymes:Icelandic/ar̥k/1 syllable
- Icelandic lemmas
- Icelandic nouns
- Icelandic neuter nouns
- Icelandic countable nouns
- Middle English lemmas
- Middle English nouns
- Norwegian Bokmål lemmas
- Norwegian Bokmål nouns
- Norwegian Bokmål neuter nouns
- Norwegian Bokmål short forms
- Norwegian Bokmål non-lemma forms
- Norwegian Bokmål verb forms
- Norwegian Nynorsk lemmas
- Norwegian Nynorsk nouns
- Norwegian Nynorsk neuter nouns
- Norwegian Nynorsk short forms
- Swedish terms derived from Old Norse
- Swedish lemmas
- Swedish nouns
- Swedish common-gender nouns
- sv:Hit
- Swedish short forms