spark
Noun · VerbOpen English WordNet
Noun (6)sparks
- a momentary flash of lightSynonyms: flickerglintType of flash
- merriment expressed by a brightness or gleam or animation of countenance“he had a sparkle in his eye”“there's a perpetual twinkle in his eyes”Synonyms: sparkletwinklelightType of vitality, expression
- electrical conduction through a gas in an applied electric fieldSynonyms: dischargearcelectric arcelectric dischargeType of electrical conductionKinds corona discharge, flashover, brush discharge
- Scottish writer of satirical novels (born in 1918)Synonyms: Muriel SparkDame Muriel SparkMuriel Sarah SparkInstance of writer, author
- a small but noticeable trace of some quality that might become stronger“a spark of interest”“a spark of decency”Type of trace, hint
- a small fragment of a burning substance thrown out by burning material or by frictionType of fragment
Verb (2)sparks, sparked, sparking
- put in motion or move to act“trigger a reaction”“actuate the circuits”Synonyms: tripactuatetriggeractivateset offspark offtrigger offtouch offMore general initiate, pioneerMore specific triggerCauses happen, hap
- emit or produce sparks“A high tension wire, brought down by a storm, can continue to spark”Synonyms: sparkleMore general emit, give out
What does it mean? Question 1 of today’s quiz
Translations
Noun particle of glowing matter
- Spanish
- chispa
- French
- étincelle
- German
- Funke
- Italian
- scintilla
- Portuguese
- faísca
- Turkish
- kıvılcım
- Russian
- и́скра ískra
- Chinese
- 火花 huǒhuā
- Japanese
- 火花 hibana
- Dutch
- vonk
23 more languages
- Polish
- iskra
- Swedish
- gnista
- Korean
- 불꽃 bulkkot
- Indonesian
- bunga api
- Hungarian
- szikra
- Portuguese (PT)
- faísca
- Chinese (Trad.)
- 火花 huǒhuā
- Albanian
- xixë
- Catalan
- guspira
- Czech
- jiskra
- Danish
- gnist
- Esperanto
- fajrero
- Estonian
- säde
- Finnish
- kipinä
- Georgian
- ნაპერწკალი naṗerc̣ḳali
- Hebrew
- נִיצוֹץ nitsóts
- Latvian
- dzirkstele
- Norwegian
- gnist
- Romanian
- scânteie
- Serbo-Croatian
- iskra
- Slovak
- iskra
- Slovenian
- iskra
- Yiddish
- פֿונק funk
The main translation for each meaning, from the langtolang.com multilingual dictionary. Each word links to its full entry there.
Webster's Dictionary (1913)
Origin: OE. sparke, AS. spearca; akin to D. spark, sperk; cf. Icel. spraka to crackle, Lith. spragëti, Gr. … a bursting with a noise, Skr. sph…rj to crackle, to thunder. Cf. Speak.
1. A small particle of fire or ignited substance which is emitted by a body in combustion.
Man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.— Job v. 7.
2. A small, shining body, or transient light; a sparkle.
3. That which, like a spark, may be kindled into a flame, or into action; a feeble germ; an elementary principle. “If any spark of life be yet remaining.” William Shakespeare “Small intellectual spark.” Thomas Babington Macaulay “Vital spark of heavenly flame.” Alexander Pope
We have here and there a little clear light, some sparks of bright knowledge.— John Locke
Bright gem instinct with music, vocal spark.— William Wordsworth
Spark arrester, a contrivance to prevent the escape of sparks while it allows the passage of gas, — chiefly used in the smokestack of a wood-burning locomotive. Called also spark consumer. U.S.
Origin: Icel. sparkr lively, sprightly.
1. A brisk, showy, gay man.
The finest sparks and cleanest beaux.— Matthew Prior
2. A lover; a gallant; a beau.
1. To sparkle. obsolete Edmund Spenser
2. Electricity To produce, or give off, sparks, as a dynamo at the commutator when revolving under the collecting brushes.
To play the spark, beau, or lover.
A sure sign that his master was courting, or, as it is termed, sparking, within.— W. Irwing.
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54 · with additions: 1913 supplement
Free On-line Dictionary of Computing
<language> An annotated subset of Ada supported by tools supplied by Praxis Critical Systems (originally by PVL).
(http://sparkada.com).
(2001-07-12)