spark

• (General American) enPR: spärk, IPA^(key): /spɑɹk/
• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: späk, IPA^(key): /spɑːk/

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• Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)k
• Homophone: SPARC

From Middle English sparke, sperke, from Old English spearca, from Proto-Germanic *sprakô (compare Dutch spark and sprank, Middle Low German sparke), 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”), Persian پراکن‎ (parākan, “scatter, spread”), Avestan 𐬟𐬭𐬀𐬯𐬞𐬀𐬭𐬈𐬔𐬀‎ (frasparega, “branch, twig”), Sanskrit पर्जन्य (parjanya, “rain, rain god”)).

spark (plural sparks)

1. A small particle of glowing matter, either molten or on fire.
2. A short or small burst of electrical discharge.
3. A small, shining body, or transient light; a sparkle.
4. (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.
   • Shakespeare

     if any spark of life be yet remaining

   • John Locke

     We have here and there a little clear light, some sparks of bright knowledge.

   • 2013, Phil McNulty, "", BBC Sport, 1 September 2013:

     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.

5. (in plural sparks but treated as a singular) A ship's radio operator.
6. (Britain, slang) An electrician.

• (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

spark (third-person singular simple present sparks, present participle sparking, simple past and past participle sparked)

1. (transitive, figuratively) To trigger, kindle into activity (an argument, etc).
   • 2012 May 5, Phil McNulty, “Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool”, in BBC Sport‎:

     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.

2. (transitive) To light; to kindle.
   • Alex Jenson, The Serotonin Grand Prix (page 12)

     Byron sparked the cigarette. He sucked it dramatically and thrust it into Marko's hand.

3. (intransitive) To give off a spark or sparks.

• spark off
• sparkle

Probably Scandinavian, akin to Old Norse sparkr (“sprightly”).

spark (plural sparks)

1. A gallant, a foppish young man.
   • Prior

     The finest sparks and cleanest beaux.

   • 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling. In Six Volumes, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: Printed by A[ndrew] Millar, […], OCLC 928184292:

     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?”

2. A beau, lover.

spark (third-person singular simple present sparks, present participle sparking, simple past and past participle sparked)

1. (intransitive) To woo, court; to act the gallant or beau.

• sparkish
• sparker

• Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary, Springfield, Massachusetts, G.&C. Merriam Co., 1967

• K-spar, Karps, Parks, Praks, parks

From Old Norse spark, verbal noun to sparka (“to kick”).

• IPA^(key): /spark/, [sb̥ɑːɡ̊]

spark n (singular definite sparket, plural indefinite spark)

1. kick

spark

1. imperative of sparke

• IPA^(key): /spaɹ̥k/

spark n (genitive singular sparks, plural spørk)

1. kick

From sparka (“to kick”).

• IPA^(key): /ˈspar̥k/
• Rhymes: -ar̥k

spark n (genitive singular sparks, nominative plural spörk)

1. kick

spark n (definite singular sparket, indefinite plural spark, definite plural sparka or sparkene)

1. a kick (with a foot)

• brassespark
• frispark
• hjørnespark
• straffespark

• sparke

spark

1. imperative of sparke

spark n (definite singular sparket, indefinite plural spark, definite plural sparka)

1. a kick (with a foot)

• brassespark
• frispark
• hjørnespark
• straffespark

From Old Norse spark, from sparka (“to kick”).

spark c

1. kick