Dictionary
Thesaurus
Reference
Translate
Web
Definition of pork - 4 dictionary results

pork

[pawrk, pohrk]
–noun
1. the flesh of hogs used as food.
2. Informal. appropriations, appointments, etc., made by the government for political reasons rather than for public benefit, as for public buildings or river improvements.

Origin:
1250–1300; ME porc < OF < L porcus hog, pig; c. farrow 1


porkish, porklike, adjective
porkless, adjective
pork   (pôrk, pōrk)   
n.  
  1. The flesh of a pig or hog used as food.
  2. Government funds, appointments, or benefits dispensed or legislated by politicians to gain favor with their constituents: "However much [the voters] may distrust Congress and dislike pork, the advantages of being represented by an incumbent with seniority are hard to deny" (Richard Lacayo).
intr.v.   porked, pork·ing, porks Slang
  1. To eat ravenously; gorge oneself. Used with out.
  2. To become fat. Used with out.

[Middle English, from Old French porc, pig, from Latin porcus; see porko- in Indo-European roots.]

Pork

Pork\, n. [F. porc, L. porcus hog, pig. See Farrow a litter of pigs, and cf. Porcelain, Porpoise.] The flesh of swine, fresh or salted, used for food.
Language Translation for : pork
Spanish: cerdo,
German: das Schweinefleisch,
Japanese: 豚肉

pork  (n.)
1215, "flesh of a pig as food," from L. porcus "pig, tame swine," from PIE *porko- "young swine" (cf. Umbrian purka; O.C.S. prase "young pig;" Lith. parsas "pig;" O.E. fearh, M.Du. varken, both from P.Gmc. *farhaz). Porker young hog fattened for food" is recorded from 1657; meaning "fat person" is from 1892. Pork chop is attested from 1858. Pork barrel "state's financial resources" is 1909, on notion of food supply kept in a barrel (lit. sense from 1801); the shortened form pork in this sense is attested from 1862. Pork-pie hat originally described a woman's style popular c.1855-65, so called for its shape.
Search another word or see pork on Thesaurus | Reference