a short, explosive sound, as of firearms: the bark of a revolver.
4.
a brusque order, reply, etc.: The foreman's bark sent the idlers back to their machines.
5.
a cough.
–verb (used without object)
6.
(of a dog or other animal) to utter an abrupt, explosive cry or a series of such cries.
7.
to make a similar sound: The big guns barked.
8.
to speak or cry out sharply or gruffly: a man who barks at his children.
9.
Informal. to advertise a theater performance, carnival sideshow, or the like, by standing at the entrance and calling out to passersby.
10.
to cough.
–verb (used with object)
11.
to utter in a harsh, shouting tone: barking orders at her subordinates.
—Idioms
12.
bark at the moon, to protest in vain: Telling her that she's misinformed is just barking at the moon.
13.
bark up the wrong tree, to assail or pursue the wrong person or object; misdirect one's efforts: If he expects me to get him a job, he's barking up the wrong tree.
[Origin: bef. 900; ME berken, OE beorcan; akin to OE borcian to bark, ON berkja to bluster, Lith burgė́ti to growl, quarrel, Serbo-Croatian br̀gljati to murmur]
"any small ship," c.1420, from M.Fr. barque, from L.L. barca (c.400 C.E.), probably cognate with V.L. *barica (see barge). More precise sense of "three-masted ship" (17c.) often is spelled barque to distinguish it.
"dog sound," O.E. beorcan, from P.Gmc. *berkanan (cf. O.N. berkja "to bark"), of echoic origin. Barker "noisy assistant in an auction or show" is from 1483. To bark up the wrong tree is U.S. colloquial, first attested 1832, from hounds following the wrong scent.
barkAudio Help (bärk) Pronunciation Key
The protective outer covering of the trunk, branches, and roots of trees and other woody plants. Bark includes all tissues outside the vascular cambium. In older trees, bark is usually divided into inner bark, consisting of living phloem, and outer bark, consisting of the periderm (the phelloderm, cork cambium, and cork) and all the tissues outside it. The outer bark is mainly dead tissue that protects the tree from heat, cold, insects, and other dangers. The appearance of bark varies according to the manner in which the periderm forms, as in broken layers or smoother rings. Bark also has lenticels, porous corky areas that allow for the exchange of water vapor and gases with the interior living tissues.
Bar"gain\, n. [OE. bargayn, bargany, OF. bargaigne, bargagne, prob. from a supposed LL. barcaneum, fr. barca a boat which carries merchandise to the shore; hence, to traffic to and fro, to carry on commerce in general. See Bark a vessel. ]1. An agreement between parties concerning the sale of property; or a contract by which one party binds himself to transfer the right to some property for a consideration, and the other party binds himself to receive the property and pay the consideration. A contract is a bargain that is legally binding. --Wharton. 2. An agreement or stipulation; mutual pledge. And whon your honors mean to solemnize The bargain of your faith. --Shak. 3. A purchase; also ( when not qualified), a gainful transaction; an advantageous purchase; as, to buy a thing at a bargain. 4. The thing stipulated or purchased; also, anything bought cheap. She was too fond of her most filthy bargain. --Shak. Bargain and sale (Law), a species of conveyance, by which the bargainor contracts to convey the lands to the bargainee, and becomes by such contract a trustee for and seized to the use of the bargainee. The statute then completes the purchase; i. e., the bargain vests the use, and the statute vests the possession. --Blackstone. Into the bargain, over and above what is stipulated; besides. To sell bargains, to make saucy (usually indelicate) repartees. [Obs.] --Swift. To strike a bargain, to reach or ratify an agreement. "A bargain was struck." --Macaulay. Syn: Contract; stipulation; purchase; engagement.
Barge\, n. [OF. barge, F. berge, fr. LL. barca, for barica (not found), prob. fr. L. baris an Egyptian rowboat, fr. Gr. ?, prob. fr. Egyptian: cf. Coptic bari a boat. Cf. Bark a vessel.]1. A pleasure boat; a vessel or boat of state, elegantly furnished and decorated. 2. A large, roomy boat for the conveyance of passengers or goods; as, a ship's barge; a charcoal barge. 3. A large boat used by flag officers. 4. A double-decked passenger or freight vessel, towed by a steamboat. [U.S.] 5. A large omnibus used for excursions. [Local, U.S.]
Bark\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Barked (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Barking.]1. To strip the bark from; to peel. 2. To abrade or rub off any outer covering from; as to bark one's heel. 3. To girdle. See Girdle, v. t., 3. 4. To cover or inclose with bark, or as with bark; as, to bark the roof of a hut.
Bark\, v. i. [OE. berken, AS. beorcan; akin to Icel. berkja, and prob. to E. break.]1. To make a short, loud, explosive noise with the vocal organs; -- said of some animals, but especially of dogs. 2. To make a clamor; to make importunate outcries. They bark, and say the Scripture maketh heretics. --Tyndale. Where there is the barking of the belly, there no other commands will be heard, much less obeyed. --Fuller.
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Audio Help [bahrk] Pronunciation Key 
