lark
13 dictionary results for: lark
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
lark1 
[lahrk] Pronunciation Key
[lahrk] Pronunciation Key –noun
| 1. | any of numerous, chiefly Old World oscine birds, of the family Alaudidae, characterized by an unusually long, straight hind claw, esp. the skylark, Alauda arvensis. |
| 2. | any of various similar birds of other families, as the meadowlark and titlark. |
[Origin: bef. 900; ME larke, OE lāwerce; c. G Lerche, D leeuwerik, ON lǣvirki]
]
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
lark2
[lahrk] Pronunciation Key
—Related forms
[lahrk] Pronunciation Key –noun
–verb (used without object)
| 1. | a merry, carefree adventure; frolic; escapade. |
| 2. | innocent or good-natured mischief; a prank. |
| 3. | something extremely easy to accomplish, succeed in, or to obtain: That exam was a lark. |
| 4. | to have fun; frolic; romp. |
| 5. | to behave mischievously; play pranks. |
| 6. | Fox Hunting. (of a rider) to take jumps unnecessarily: He tired his horse by larking on the way home. |
[Origin: 1805–15; orig. uncert.]
] —Related forms
larker, noun
lark·i·ness, lark·ish·ness, noun
lark·ing·ly, adverb
larkish, larky, adjective
lark·ish·ly, adverb
larksome, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
| lark 1
(lärk) Pronunciation Key
n.
[Middle English laveroc, larke, from Old English lāwerce.] |
(Download Now or Buy the Book)
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
| lark 2
(lärk) Pronunciation Key
n.
intr.v. larked, lark·ing, larks To engage in spirited fun or merry pranks. [Short for skylark, to frolic, or alteration of dialectal lake, play (from Middle English leik, laik, from Old Norse leikr).] lark'er n., lark'ish adj. |
(Download Now or Buy the Book)
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
lark (n.)
lark (n.)
"songbird," O.E. lawerce (late O.E. laferce), from P.Gmc. *laiw(a)rikon (cf. O.S. lewerka, O.N. lævirik, Du. leeuwerik, Ger. Lerche), of unknown origin. Some O.E. and O.N. forms suggest a compound meaning "treason-worker," but there is no folk tale to explain or support this. The plant larkspur (1578) is so called from resemblance to the bird's large hind claws.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
lark (v.)
lark (v.)
"spree, frolic," 1811, possibly shortening of skylark (1809), sailors' slang "play rough in the rigging of a ship" (larks were proverbial for high-flying), or from Eng. dial. lake/laik "to play" (c.1300, from O.N. leika "to play") with intrusive -r- common in southern British dialect. The verb lake, considered characteristic of Northern English vocabulary, is the opposite of work but lacks the other meanings of play.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
| lark | |
noun | |
| 1. | North American songbirds having a yellow breast [syn: meadowlark] |
| 2. | a songbird that lives mainly on the ground in open country; has streaky brown plumage [syn: pipit] |
| 3. | any of numerous predominantly Old World birds noted for their singing |
| 4. | any carefree episode [syn: escapade] |
verb | |
| 1. | play boisterously; "The children frolicked in the garden"; "the gamboling lambs in the meadows"; "The toddlers romped in the playroom" |
WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms - Cite This Source - Share This
lark
In addition to the idiom beginning with lark, also see happy as the day is long (as a lark).
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Copyright © 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
U.S. Gazetteer - Cite This Source - Share This
Lark, ND Zip code(s): 58535
Lark, UT Zip code(s): 84065
U.S. Gazetteer, U.S. Census Bureau
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Lark
Lark\, n. [Perh fr. AS. l[=a]c play, sport. Cf. Lake, v. i.] A frolic; a jolly time. [Colloq.] --Dickens.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Lark
Lark\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Larked; p. pr. & vb. n. Larking.] To sport; to frolic. [Colloq.]
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Lark
Lark\, n. [OE. larke, laverock, AS. l[=a]werce; akin to D. leeuwerik, LG. lewerke, OHG. l?rahha, G. lerche, Sw. l["a]rka, Dan. lerke, Icel. l[ae]virki.] (Zo["o]l.) Any one numerous species of singing birds of the genus Alauda and allied genera (family Alaudid[ae]). They mostly belong to Europe, Asia, and Northern Africa. In America they are represented by the shore larks, or horned by the shore larks, or horned larks, of the genus Otocoris. The true larks have holaspidean tarsi, very long hind claws, and usually, dull, sandy brown colors. Note: The European skylark, or lark of the poets (Alauda arvensis), is of a brown mottled color, and is noted for its clear and sweet song, uttered as it rises and descends almost perpendicularly in the air. It is considered a table delicacy, and immense numbers are killed for the markets. Other well-known European species are the crested, or tufted, lark (Alauda cristata), and the wood lark (A. arborea). The pipits, or titlarks, of the genus Anthus (family Motacillid[ae]) are often called larks. See Pipit. The American meadow larks, of the genus Sturnella, are allied to the starlings. See Meadow Lark. The Australian bush lark is Mirafra Horsfieldii. See Shore lark. Lark bunting (Zo["o]l.), a fringilline bird (Calamospiza melanocorys) found on the plains of the Western United States. Lark sparrow (Zo["o]l.), a sparrow (Chondestes grammacus), found in the Mississippi Valley and the Western United States.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Lark
Lark\, v. i. To catch larks; as, to go larking.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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