- spark
- [[t]spɑ͟ː(r)k[/t]]
♦♦♦sparks, sparking, sparked1) N-COUNT A spark is a tiny bright piece of burning material that flies up from something that is burning.
The fire gradually got bigger and bigger. Sparks flew off in all directions.
2) N-COUNT A spark is a flash of light caused by electricity. It often makes a loud sound.He passed an electric spark through a mixture of gases.
3) VERB If something sparks, sparks of fire or light come from it.The wires were sparking above me...
[V prep] I stared into the flames of the fire as it sparked to life.
4) VERB If a burning object or electricity sparks a fire, it causes a fire.[V n] A dropped cigarette may have sparked the fire.
Syn:5) N-COUNT: N of n A spark of a quality or feeling, especially a desirable one, is a small but noticeable amount of it.His music lacked that vital spark of imagination...
Even Oliver felt a tiny spark of excitement.
6) VERB If one thing sparks another, the first thing cause the second thing to start happening.[V n] What was it that sparked your interest in motoring?...
[V n] The proposals are expected to spark heated debate.
[V-ed] ...a row sparked by a comment about his sister.
Syn:Spark off means the same as spark.V n P
That incident sparked it off... V P n (not pron) His book, Animal Liberation, sparked off a revolution in the way we think about animals. V-ed ...a political crisis sparked off by religious violence.7) → See also bright spark8) PHRASE: V inflects If sparks fly between people, they discuss something in an excited or angry way.They are not afraid to tackle the issues or let the sparks fly when necessary.
Phrasal Verbs:
English dictionary. 2008.
