Definition of 'spark'
Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present tense sparks, present participle sparking, past tense, past participle sparked
1. countable noun
A spark is a tiny bright piece of burning material that flies up from something that is burning.
2. countable noun
3. intransitive verb
4. transitive verb
5. countable noun
A spark of a quality or feeling, especially a desirable one, is a small but noticeable amount
of it.
6. transitive verb
7.
See sparks fly
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
British English pronunciation
American English pronunciation
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Word Frequency
Spark in American English
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word Frequency
spark in American English 1
noun
2.
any flash or sparkle of light like this
3.
4.
liveliness; vivacity
5. Electricity
a.
a very brief flash of light accompanying an electric discharge through air or some other insulating
material, as between the electrodes of a spark plug
b.
such a discharge
verb intransitive
7.
to make or throw off sparks
9.
to produce the sparks properly
said of the spark plug in an internal combustion engine verb transitive
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Derived forms
sparker (ˈsparker)
noun
Word origin
ME sperke < OE spearca, akin to MDu sparke < IE base *sp(h)er(e)-g-, to strew, sprinkle > sprinkle, L spargereWord Frequency
spark in American English 2
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Derived forms
sparker (ˈsparker)
noun
Word Frequency
spark in American English 1
(spɑːrk)
noun
1.
an ignited or fiery particle such as is thrown off by burning wood or produced by one hard body
striking against another
2. Also called: sparkover Electricity
a.
the light produced by a sudden discontinuous discharge of electricity through air or another dielectric
b.
the discharge itself
c.
any electric arc of relatively small energy content
d.
the electric discharge produced by a spark plug in an internal-combustion engine
3.
4.
a small amount or trace of something
5.
a trace of life or vitality
6. See sparks
intransitive verb
8.
to emit or produce sparks
9.
to issue as or like sparks
10.
to send forth gleams or flashes
11. (of the ignition of an internal-combustion engine)
to function correctly in producing sparks
transitive verb
SYNONYMS 4. jot, bit, flicker.12.
to kindle, animate, or stimulate (interest, activity, spirit, etc.)
These bright students have sparked her enthusiasm for teaching
The arrival of the piano player really sparked the party
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Derived forms
sparkless adjective
sparklessly
adverb
sparklike
adjective
Word origin
[bef. 900; (n.) ME; OE spearca; c. MD, MLG sparke; (v.) ME sparken; c. MD, MLG sparken]Word Frequency
spark in American English 2
(spɑːrk)
transitive verb
4. informal, old-fashioned
to woo; court
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Derived forms
sparkish adjective
sparkishly
adverb
sparkishness
noun
sparklike
adjective
Word origin
[1565–75; fig. use of spark1, or ‹ ON sparkr quick, lively]Word Frequency
spark in British English 1
noun
1.
2.
a.
a momentary flash of light accompanied by a sharp crackling noise, produced by a sudden electrical discharge through the air or some other insulating medium between two points
b.
the electrical discharge itself
c.
(as modifier)
a spark gap
5.
6.
a small piece of diamond, as used in the cutting of glass
verb
7. (intransitive)
to give off sparks
8. (intransitive)
9. (transitive; often foll by off)
to kindle, excite, or animate
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin
Old English spearca; related to Middle Low German sparke, Middle Dutch spranke, Lettish spirgsti cinders, Latin spargere to strew
Word Frequency
spark in British English 2
verb
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms
sparkish (ˈsparkish) adjective
sparkishly (ˈsparkishly)
adverb
Word origin
C16 (in the sense: beautiful or witty woman): perhaps of Scandinavian origin; compare
Old Norse sparkr vivacious
Word Frequency
Spark in British English
noun
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Examples of 'spark' in a sentence
spark
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In other languages
spark
British English: spark
/spɑːk/ NOUN
A spark is a tiny bright piece of burning material that flies up from something that is burning.
Sparks flew out of the fire in all directions.
- American English: spark /ˈspɑrk/
- Arabic: شَرَّارَة
- Brazilian Portuguese: centelha
- Chinese: 火花
- Croatian: iskra
- Czech: jiskra
- Danish: gnist
- Dutch: vonk
- European Spanish: chispa
- Finnish: kipinä
- French: étincelle
- German: Funke
- Greek: σπίθα
- Italian: scintilla
- Japanese: 火花
- Korean: 불꽃
- Norwegian: gnist
- Polish: iskra
- European Portuguese: centelha
- Romanian: scânteie
- Russian: искра
- Spanish: chispa
- Swedish: gnista
- Thai: ประกายไฟ
- Turkish: kıvılcım
- Ukrainian: іскра
- Vietnamese: tia lửa
British English: spark
VERB /spɑːk/
If something sparks, sparks of fire or light come from it.
The wires were sparking above me.
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Definition of spark from the Collins English Dictionary
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