prank

From Middle English pranken (“to adorn, arrange one's attire”), probably from Middle Dutch pronken, proncken (“to flaunt, make a show, arrange one's attire”). Cognate with Middle Low German prunken (“to flaunt”), German prunken (“to flaunt”), Danish prunke (“to make a show, prank”). Connected also with German prangen (“to make a show, be resplendent”), Dutch prangen (“to squeeze, press”), Danish pragt (“pomp, splendor”), all from Proto-Germanic *pranganą, *prangijaną, *prag- (“to press, squeeze, thring”), from Proto-Indo-European *brAngh- (“to press, squeeze”). Sense of "mischievous act" from earlier verbal sense of "to be crafty or subtle, set in order, adjust". See also prink, prance, prong.

• enPR: prăngk, IPA^(key): /pɹæŋk/
• Rhymes: -æŋk

prank (plural pranks)

1. A practical joke or mischievous trick.

   He pulled a gruesome prank on his sister.

   • Shakespeare

     His pranks have been too broad to bear with.

   • Sir Walter Raleigh

     The harpies […] played their accustomed pranks.

2. (obsolete) An evil deed; a malicious trick, an act of cruel deception.
   • 1621, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], “Simples purging melancholy downeward”, in The Anatomy of Melancholy, Oxford: Printed by Iohn Lichfield and Iames Short, for Henry Cripps, OCLC 216894069; The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd corrected and augmented edition, Oxford: Printed by John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, 1624, OCLC 54573970, partition 2, section 4, member 2, subsection 2, page 311:

     Lilius Geraldus ſaith,that Hercules after all his mad prankes vpon his wife and children, was perfectly cured by a purge of Hellebor,which an Anticyrian adminiſtred vnto him.

• See also Thesaurus:joke

• prankish
• pranksome
• prankster

prank (third-person singular simple present pranks, present participle pranking, simple past pranked, past participle pranked or (archaic) prankt)

1. (transitive) To adorn in a showy manner; to dress or equip ostentatiously.
   • Spenser

     In sumptuous tire she joyed herself to prank.

   • 1748, James Thomson, The Castle of Indolence, B:II

     And there a Seaſon atween June and May,

     Half prankt with Spring, with Summer half imbrown'd,

     A liſtleſs Climate made, where, Sooth to ſay,

     No living Wight could work, ne cared even for Play.

   • 1880 Dante Gabriel Rosetti, For Spring, by Sandro Botticelli, lines 2–3

     Flora, wanton-eyed

     For birth, and with all flowrets prankt and pied:

2. (intransitive) To make ostentatious show.
   • M. Arnold

     White houses prank where once were huts.

3. (transitive) To perform a practical joke on; to trick.
   • 2007 May 13, Karen Crouse, “Still Invitation Only, but Jets Widen Door for Camp”, in New York Times‎:

     “If someone’s pranking me,” Rowlands remembered thinking, “they’re going to great lengths to make it work.”

4. (transitive, slang) To call someone's phone and promptly hang up

   Hey man, prank me when you wanna get picked up.

   I don't have your number in my phone; can you prank me?

(call and promptly hang up): missed call, missed-call

prank

1. (obsolete) Full of gambols or tricks.

prank

1. prank
   • 2016, Klaus Rifbjerg, Falsk forår, Gyldendal A/S (→ISBN)

     Hvad hun tillod sig nu var altså en prank, en joke, noget, der havde med overskud at gøre og slet ikke kunne bringes under de rubrikker, hun lå og forestillede sig.

   • 2014, Nick Clausen, Kanel, klejner og julekaos, Tellerup A/S (→ISBN)

     Bare fordi det er min tur til at finde på en prank gider du ikke gøre dig umage .

   • 2016, Lasse Henriksen, Pil Ingerslev, Benny 1's normale guide til det paranormale, Art People (→ISBN)

     Pranken fik sit eget liv, ...