prank
/praŋk
/noun
A practical joke or mischievous act: the tapestry was stolen as part of a drunken student prank...
- He loved to tease, and numerous times his friends were the victims of his practical pranks.
- They were childhood enemies that pulled practical pranks on each other.
- The mysterious and loosely knit movement has since spiralled and the group has played a series of hoaxes and pranks on the Italian media.
Synonyms
practical joke, trick, mischievous act, piece of mischief, joke, escapade, stunt, caper, jape, game, hoax, antic
informal lark, leg-pull
North American informal dido
Australian informal goak
informal, dated rag, cutup
archaic quiz
rare frolic, freak, gambado, gambade, rig, prat
verb [with object] informal
Play a trick or practical joke on (someone): the individuals who were pranked thought they were auditioning to be a TV show host (as noun pranking) April Fool’s Day is celebrated here but the pranking continues on May 1st...
- I bet he never thought he would get such a willing participant when he pranked us.
- Personally, I think they need to be pranked.
- I had been pranked into calling 911.
Derivatives
prankish
- As eye-catching as the on-board feats is the film's home-movie footage showing the prankish lifestyle of surfing's early adopters.
- Your sense of humor is part of your gift, whether it's subtle wit or pie-in-the-face prankish charm.
- The screenplay works up a prankish physical comedy that isn't really in keeping with the original's spirit.
prankishness
- It accuses him of ‘willful prankishness’ and concludes that his ‘wrecking ball candidacy’ is a case of ‘ego run amok.’
- The cowrie shells on this staff denote the blessings that he may bestow on those he favors, despite his prankishness.
pranksome
Origin
Early 16th century (denoting a wicked deed): of unknown origin.
A prank was once more serious than it is now, not a practical joke nor a piece of mischief but rather some wicked or malicious act. For example, the 17th-century biblical commentator John Trapp described a person's murder of their brother and sister as ‘lewd pranks’. The origin of the word is unknown.