spark
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: enpr: spärk
ipa: /spɑɹk/
enpr: späk
ipa: /spɑːk/
rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)k
homophone: SPARC
Forms: form: sparks
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”)).
Senses: synonyms: cinder
ember
gnast
funk
glosses: A small particle of glowing matter, either molten or on fire, resulting from an electrical surge or excessive heat created by friction.
glosses: A short or small burst of electrical discharge.
synonyms: scintilla
scintillation
sparklet
glint
twink
glosses: A small, shining body, or transient light; a sparkle.
examples: text: if any spark of life be yet remaining
ref: c. 1591–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene vi]:
text: , Book IV, Chapter XVII
But though we have, here and there, a little of this clear light, some sparks of bright knowledge
text: When the latter disk showed some sparks, Moman contacted MGM's Jim Vienneau, who picked up the waxing for national release.
ref: 1990, Wayne Jancik, The Billboard Book of One-Hit Wonders, →ISBN, page 173:
text: 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.
ref: 2013 September 1, Phil McNulty, BBC Sport:
synonyms: word: beginning
word: germ
word: glimmer
word: scintilla
word: ace
word: tinge
word: atom
word: trace element
word: aught
word: bissel
word: bit
word: crumb
word: glimpse
word: dab
word: damn
word: dash
word: diddly
word: glint
word: dot
word: spatter
word: drop
word: dusting
word: fleck
word: hint
word: flip
word: flyspeck
word: grain
word: halfpennyworth
word: inch
word: iota
word: jot
word: lick
word: mite
word: modicum
word: molecule
word: morceau
word: morsel
word: mote
word: ooch
word: ounce
word: particle
word: pennyworth
word: piece
word: pinch
word: scantling
word: semblance
word: scent
word: scintilla
word: scooch
word: scrap
word: scruple
word: shred
word: skerrick
word: skoosh
word: skosh
word: sliver
word: smattering
word: smidge
word: smidgen
word: smidget
word: smidgy
word: smitch
word: smithereen
word: soupçon
word: spark
word: speck
word: speckle
word: spot
word: sprinkle
word: sprinkling
word: strain
word: tad
word: tidbit
word: tidge
word: tittle
word: toddick
word: touch
word: trace
word: trifle
word: tuppence worth
word: vestige
word: whiff
word: whit
glosses: 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.
glosses: Any of various lycaenid butterflies of the Indomalayan genus Sinthusa.
qualifier: in the plural sparks but treated as a singular
glosses: A ship's radio operator.
examples: text: 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.
ref: 1999, Des Lyver, Graham Swainson, Basics of Video Lighting, page 103:
synonyms: juicer
sparky
glosses: An electrician.
topics: cellular-automata
computing
engineering
mathematics
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
sciences
glosses: A small collection of cells which briefly appears at the edge of a larger pattern before dying off.
qualifier: thieves' cant
glosses: A diamond, especially one set in a piece of jewellery.
Derived terms: bright spark
jump spark
macrospark
microspark
ocular spark
spark anglemouth
spark arrester
spark arrestor
spark bird
spark coil
sparkful
spark gap
spark knock
sparkle
sparkler
spark of life
spark out
spark plug
sparks fly
spark spread
spark test
spark testing
spark transmitter
spark up
sparky
vital spark