spark

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   merriment expressed by a brightness or gleam or animation of countenance

   I had a sparkle in my eye.

2. 2
   noun

   a small but noticeable trace of some quality that might become stronger

   a spark of interest

3. 3
   verb

   emit or produce sparks

   A high tension wire, brought down by a storm, can continue to spark

4. 4
   noun

   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.

   if any spark of life be yet remaining

5. 5
   noun

   An electrician.

   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.

6. 6
   verb

   To trigger, kindle into activity (an argument, etc).

   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.

7. 7
   verb

   To light; to kindle.

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

8. 8
   verb

   To shoot; to fire

   [Streetlife]:Fuck a peace talk, let the gun spark, on the streets of New York.

Etymology

From 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”)).