spark1 nounspark2 verb
sparkspark1 /spɑːk $ spɑːrk/ ●○○ noun 
WORD ORIGINspark1
Origin:
Old English spearcaEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- A spark created by loose wires was the cause of the explosion.
- A single spark could set the whole hillside on fire.
- Jim is a really nice guy, but there's just no spark.
- Tax cuts could be the spark for the troubled economy.
- Turner provided the team the spark they needed in the second half.
- Even so, the game does have that spark of playability.
- Hennepin and La Salle, whose subsequent westward expedition he was to join, struck sparks off one another from the outset.
- If that spark is to grow, wood must be added to make the flame grow bigger.
- Rather than perfection, Anderson seeks the spark usually delivered on the first two takes of a song.
- Such is the spark of creativity generated by the presence of a member of the executive committee demanding to be asked questions.
- Torrents of sparks cascaded behind them into the harbor.
- When the spark died, the economy declined, and so did the quality of art.
WORD SETS
A, AC, alternating current, nounamp, nounanode, nounarmature, nounbattery, nounblackout, nounblow, verbboost, nounbrownout, nounbulb, nouncathode, nouncell, nouncharge, nouncircuit, nouncircuit breaker, nouncontact, nouncurrent, noundiode, noundirect current, noundischarge, verbdischarge, noundisconnect, verbdry battery, noundry cell, noundynamo, nounelectric shock, nounelectrify, verbelectrocute, verbelectromagnetic, adjectivefilament, nounfluorescent, adjectivefuse, nounfuse, verbfuze, noungalvanic, adjectivegalvanism, noungenerator, nounground, nounground, verbhydroelectric, adjectiveimpedance, nounimpulse, nounincandescent, adjectiveinduction, nouninduction coil, nouninductive, adjectiveinsulating tape, nouninsulator, nounintegrated circuit, nounkilowatt, nounkW, kWh, LED, nounlight-emitting diode, nounlive wire, nounload, nounmaster switch, nounmicrowave, nounnegative, adjectivenuclear reactor, nounohm, nounoscilloscope, nounoutput, nounovercharge, verboverload, verbphotoelectric cell, nounpoint, nounpower, nounpower, adjectivepower cut, nounpower line, nounpower plant, nounpower point, nounpower station, nounpylon, nounrecharge, verbresistor, nounrewire, verbsocket, nounspark, nounspark, verbwatt, nounwattage, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY
The scrape of metal on metal sent up a shower of sparks. McKellen’s performance gives the play its spark of life (=quality of energy). The sparks were really flying (=people were arguing angrily) at the meeting!COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES Peter kicked the fire and sent up a shower of sparks.
The scrape of metal on metal sent up a shower of sparks. McKellen’s performance gives the play its spark of life (=quality of energy). The sparks were really flying (=people were arguing angrily) at the meeting! (=start it)· The lower interest rates triggered an economic boom.
(=cause it)· The new rules are likely to spark more controversy.
(=cause a debate to start)· The episode provoked fierce debate about freedom of speech.
(=cause it)· The incident sparked a demonstration of 2,000 people.
(=cause it to happen suddenly)· It is claimed that the police provoked the incident.
(=a small amount of originality)· The show at least has a spark of originality, something that most TV programs seem to lack.
(=cause them)· The arrests sparked off violent street protests.
(=make it start)· The incident sparked off a riot which lasted for three days.
Peter kicked the fire and sent up a shower of sparks. (=make it start)· This decision provoked a storm of protest from civil rights organizations.
· The introduction of new working practices provoked severe industrial unrest.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE· Here, some bright spark thought Windsor Castle was on fire and called the fire brigade!· Quo and Maiden are in the lead but a few bright sparks voted for Saxon.· Some academics try to counteract this trend by trying to identify the bright sparks and arrange special seminars for them.· The growers appeared to be facing ruin until one bright spark hit on an idea.· She watched the bright spark of the spear approaching, and felt nothing but a dull kind of relief.· I should have realised that genius, as some bright spark in the office said, has a lot to do with genes.· Too many bright sparks have been lost to Britain in the past.· It didn't take long for some bright spark to try out the Doom Diver Catapult in a battle.
· But as she looked at him, a tiny spark of anger flared within her.· They came to life with fury, throwing tiny sparks and sinking into red rigidity under the Pyrex laboratory flask.· The cable fizzed and crackled against the wet earth, glittering with tiny blue sparks.· She sat crumbling pastry in her pink gloves and the wind blew ash and tiny sparks from her cigarette.· A tiny spark for a vast conflagration.· Again, the tiny spark blinked out.· Begun the hatred that swelled the tiny spark of life that had escaped from the meteorite and become the Worm?
VERB· The preacher's trust ignited a spark inside of me.· A house in Azusa was charred to a shell after a tree fell across power lines and ignited sparks on the roof.
· Uninteresting and uninterested, goes the myth, they lack creative spark and entrepreneurial vision.· There is much of interest here, but the performance lacks a certain spark.
· It struck sparks, flint against steel, from the bright fighting trim of his mercenaries.· Hennepin and La Salle, whose subsequent westward expedition he was to join, struck sparks off one another from the outset.· It must crash and strike sparks above them.· It is inevitable that a campaign that strikes few sparks be followed by a lackluster swearing-in.· We sparkled with energy, but I struck few sparks.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY► sparksPHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
1fire [countable] a very small piece of burning material produced by a fire or by hitting or rubbing two hard objects together: - But as she looked at him, a tiny spark of anger flared within her.
- By the time he was admitted he had lost whatever spark of interest he had felt.
- Despite the quiet session, sparks of excitement could still be found in the market.
- If he showed a spark of interest in them, Maude would be happy for the day.
- The unexplainable spark of excitement, at being in his presence again, shocked her.
- Here, some bright spark thought Windsor Castle was on fire and called the fire brigade!
- I should have realised that genius, as some bright spark in the office said, has a lot to do with genes.
- It didn't take long for some bright spark to try out the Doom Diver Catapult in a battle.
- Quo and Maiden are in the lead but a few bright sparks voted for Saxon.
- She watched the bright spark of the spear approaching, and felt nothing but a dull kind of relief.
- Some academics try to counteract this trend by trying to identify the bright sparks and arrange special seminars for them.
- The growers appeared to be facing ruin until one bright spark hit on an idea.
- Too many bright sparks have been lost to Britain in the past.
sparks from the fire The scrape of metal on metal sent up a shower of sparks.2electricity [countable] a flash of light caused by electricity passing across a space: electric sparks from a broken wire3spark of interest/excitement/anger etc a small amount of a feeling or quality: Rachel looked at her and felt a spark of hope.4cause [countable] a small action or event that causes something to happen, especially trouble or violence: The judge’s verdict provided the spark for the riots. Interest rate cuts were the spark the market needed.5intelligence/energy [uncountable] a quality of intelligence or energy that makes someone successful or fun to be with: She was tired, and lacked her usual spark. McKellen’s performance gives the play its spark of life (=quality of energy).6sparks [plural] anger or angry arguments: The sparks were really flying (=people were arguing angrily) at the meeting! → bright spark at bright(11)spark1 nounspark2 verb
sparkspark2 ●○○ verb VERB TABLE
spark
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | spark |
| he, she, it | sparks | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | sparked |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have sparked |
| he, she, it | has sparked | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had sparked |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will spark |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have sparked |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am sparking |
| he, she, it | is sparking | |
| you, we, they | are sparking | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was sparking |
| you, we, they | were sparking | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been sparking |
| he, she, it | has been sparking | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been sparking |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be sparking |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been sparking |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Faulty wiring could have sparked the explosion.
- The shootings have sparked a national debate over gun control.
- USC was sparked by the aggressive play of Rich Jackson.
- But a visit to a local physician for a routine checkup sparked a new focus for her creative talents.
- Catch their interest and spark their enthusiasm so that they begin to see the product's potential.
- Héloïse thought that perhaps it was Mr Farraline's interest in Sophie which had sparked it all off.
- It had been his lips - her lips for him - that had sparked the sudden flame.
- That experience sparked a gathering of works by more than 200 artists exploring the human experience of death and loss.
- The chain of events I sparked off nearly led to my untimely demise.
- The Confessor's death in January 1066 sparked off a crisis.
- The controversies surrounding severe mental handicap which began in the early 1980s sparked off a national debate which continues today.
Longman Language Activatorto make something bad suddenly happen
if someone or something sets off a fight, war etc, it makes it start happening: set off something: · The army's invasion set off a major international crisis.set something off: · Nobody knows what set the riot off.
if a small action or event triggers or sparks serious trouble or changes, it causes them to happen very quickly: · Even the smallest diplomatic incident can trigger a major international conflict.· The assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand sparked the First World War.trigger/spark off something: · Riots, sparked off by the arrest of seven student leaders, have spread to other universities.
formal to make something serious happen, especially more quickly than was expected: · The 1929 stock market crash precipitated the collapse of the American banking system.· Both countries claimed the same area, precipitating a border war.
to make something start happening to make something start happening: · The police have already started an investigation.· The referee couldn't start the game because there were fans on the field.· A 'safe neighbourhood' campaign has been started by local residents.
: launch an attack/appeal/inquiry etc to start a public or military activity, when there is a clear aim that you want to achieve: · Rebel forces launched an attack on the capital.· Police are launching a major murder inquiry.· The local hospital has launched a campaign to raise money for new X-ray equipment.
: open an investigation/inquiry to start an official process of gathering information about a particular problem, in order to find out what caused it or to find a solution: · Police have opened an investigation into the girl's disappearance.· The Football Association are to open an inquiry into recent crowd trouble.
formal to start something such as an official process or discussion about something important: · Peace talks have been initiated in an attempt to avert full scale war.· The couple plan to initiate legal proceedings against the police.
to make something happen, especially something serious, difficult, or important: · The murder sparked off a wave of protests in the city.· Recent freak weather conditions have sparked off renewed fears about the effects of global warming.
also set into motion American to start a process or series of events that will continue for a long time even if you take no further action: · A few months later the divorce procedure was set in motion.· The government had already set into motion a series of reforms.· Wait's actions had set in motion a chain of events that would eventually result in his dismissal.
informal to start a meeting, discussion, event etc by doing something in order to encourage other people to take part in it as well: · Mark stood up and asked the first question to get the ball rolling.· To start the ball rolling, the government was asked to contribute £50,000 to the new charity.
to make a process start by doing or arranging the first part of it, after which it will become easier: · Change is certainly needed and the new headteacher needs to get things moving quickly.· Once we got things moving, the deal went through very quickly.
spoken use this to say that you now want to start something that you have been planning: · Are you all packed and ready? Right, let's get this show on the road.· We're having another meeting next week, hopefully to really get this show on the road.
WORD SETSA, AC, alternating current, nounamp, nounanode, nounarmature, nounbattery, nounblackout, nounblow, verbboost, nounbrownout, nounbulb, nouncathode, nouncell, nouncharge, nouncircuit, nouncircuit breaker, nouncontact, nouncurrent, noundiode, noundirect current, noundischarge, verbdischarge, noundisconnect, verbdry battery, noundry cell, noundynamo, nounelectric shock, nounelectrify, verbelectrocute, verbelectromagnetic, adjectivefilament, nounfluorescent, adjectivefuse, nounfuse, verbfuze, noungalvanic, adjectivegalvanism, noungenerator, nounground, nounground, verbhydroelectric, adjectiveimpedance, nounimpulse, nounincandescent, adjectiveinduction, nouninduction coil, nouninductive, adjectiveinsulating tape, nouninsulator, nounintegrated circuit, nounkilowatt, nounkW, kWh, LED, nounlight-emitting diode, nounlive wire, nounload, nounmaster switch, nounmicrowave, nounnegative, adjectivenuclear reactor, nounohm, nounoscilloscope, nounoutput, nounovercharge, verboverload, verbphotoelectric cell, nounpoint, nounpower, nounpower, adjectivepower cut, nounpower line, nounpower plant, nounpower point, nounpower station, nounpylon, nounrecharge, verbresistor, nounrewire, verbsocket, nounspark, nounspark, verbwatt, nounwattage, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES Peter kicked the fire and sent up a shower of sparks.
(=start it)· The lower interest rates triggered an economic boom.
(=cause it)· The new rules are likely to spark more controversy.
(=cause a debate to start)· The episode provoked fierce debate about freedom of speech.
(=cause it)· The incident sparked a demonstration of 2,000 people.
(=cause it to happen suddenly)· It is claimed that the police provoked the incident.
(=a small amount of originality)· The show at least has a spark of originality, something that most TV programs seem to lack.
(=cause them)· The arrests sparked off violent street protests.
(=make it start)· The incident sparked off a riot which lasted for three days.
Peter kicked the fire and sent up a shower of sparks. (=make it start)· This decision provoked a storm of protest from civil rights organizations.
· The introduction of new working practices provoked severe industrial unrest.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· Their keen intellects and powerful personalities could spark off more than just brilliant ideas at times.· An incautious word, I felt, could spark off resentment.· The Confessor's death in January 1066 sparked off a crisis.· Unofficial reports said that the incident might have been sparked off by a dispute over permission to build a mosque.· Most new users remark on this-and the fact that email often seems to spark off a surprising intimacy.· The murder could have been sparked off by a minor row leading to a slap or punch.· It was this which sparked off the strike.
NOUN· But his romance with Karen has sparked controversy.· Independent councillor Derek McVickers sparked controversy when he said he understood Albert Dryden's frustration at planning decisions.
· The Confessor's death in January 1066 sparked off a crisis.· If team performances slumped, as they did in 1910-11, attendances fell disastrously, sparking off a financial crisis.
· This idea sparked off a debate that still continues.· The arrival of the census form routinely sparks a bad-tempered debate about intrusiveness and unreasonable authority.· It also sparked debate over the treatment of animals in science.· The report sparked the first nationwide debate over whether low-calorie dieting was now outmoded.· The controversies surrounding severe mental handicap which began in the early 1980s sparked off a national debate which continues today.· The painting sparked a debate that finally led to Gross appearing in court last March.· Attrition rates, for tanks and aircraft increased greatly, sparking off a debate about the implication of the new technologies.· Putnam's article sparked enormous debate and soul-searching.
· The explosion sparked a fire which caused serious damage to their flat above a shop in Pensby, Wirral.· The California Department of Forestry said the crash sparked a small brush fire that was quickly extinguished.· And the freak conditions sparking these fires have been replicated this year all over the country.· The reality is, black R & B and blues was the instigator that sparked this whole fire.
· Catch their interest and spark their enthusiasm so that they begin to see the product's potential.· Low interest rates tend to spark economic growth, which ultimately causes interest rates to rise again.· His renewed interest sparked a Christmas morning argument.· We were praying that the interest would be sparked.· Interests Most of us recognize the power of our interests to spark efficient learning.
· A shift of power curbing the influence of town halls would spark a storm of protest around the country.· The move had sparked violent protests among students, parents and teachers, resulting in seven injuries and ten arrests.· Le Pen sparked protests when he recently flew to Britain at the invitation of the right-wing Western Goals group.· He sparked furious protests when he awarded the visitors a free kick for offside.
· The action sparked a rally in bond prices and the Dow Jones closed 14.96 up at 2597.13..· On Wall Street, across-the-board buying in the oil sector sparked a rally.
· But the prospect of having to foot another bill for Aryanised assets has sparked some ugly reactions.· His answer sparked a chain reaction that led, almost forty years after the article was published, to the Macintosh computer.· A spokesman said controversial stories about top people normally sparked a lot of reaction.· It was frustration which sparked Foster's amazing reaction at Old Trafford last Thursday.· That act, after all the histrionics from his team-mates in this series, sparked off an ugly reaction.
· The acquittal, however, did not spark riots, as had the King case.
· He then sparked off a row by suggesting that floating voters should stay in bed on polling day.· This sparked a row with his parents and he stormed out of their home and drove off.
· With the migrations sparked by the war, Watts became a primarily black city.· If Nintendo prices the 64-bit machine even more aggressively, it could spark a war that would benefit consumers.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
1[transitive] (also spark something ↔ off) to be the cause of something, especially trouble or violence SYN provoke: - Here, some bright spark thought Windsor Castle was on fire and called the fire brigade!
- I should have realised that genius, as some bright spark in the office said, has a lot to do with genes.
- It didn't take long for some bright spark to try out the Doom Diver Catapult in a battle.
- Quo and Maiden are in the lead but a few bright sparks voted for Saxon.
- She watched the bright spark of the spear approaching, and felt nothing but a dull kind of relief.
- Some academics try to counteract this trend by trying to identify the bright sparks and arrange special seminars for them.
- The growers appeared to be facing ruin until one bright spark hit on an idea.
- Too many bright sparks have been lost to Britain in the past.
The police response sparked outrage in the community. A discarded cigarette sparked a small brush fire.2spark somebody’s interest/hope/curiosity etc to make someone feel interested, hopeful etc: topics that spark children’s imaginations3[intransitive] to produce sparks of fire or electricity- monogram
- monogrammed
- monograph
- monolingual
- monolith
- monolithic
- monologue
- monomania
- monomaniac
- mononucleosis
- monoplane
- Monopolies and Mergers Commission
- monopolist
- monopolistic
- monopolize
- Monopoly
- monopoly
- monorail
- monosodium glutamate
- monosyllabic
- monosyllable
- monotheism
- monotheist
- monotheistic
- monotone