Spark (Noun)
Meaning 1
A momentary flash of light.
Classification
Nouns denoting natural events.
Examples
- A spark flew out of the welding torch as the worker began to cut through the metal.
- The camera caught a spark of electricity in the air just before the fireworks exploded.
- A tiny spark remained in the fire pit, smoldering beneath the ashes.
- As the knife struck the stone, a small spark flashed in the darkness.
- The lightning strike sent a brilliant spark illuminating the dark stormy sky.
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Meaning 2
Merriment expressed by a brightness or gleam or animation of countenance; "he had a sparkle in his eye"; "there's a perpetual twinkle in his eyes".
Classification
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Meaning 3
Electrical conduction through a gas in an applied electric field.
Classification
Nouns denoting natural phenomena.
Examples
- The high-voltage discharge created a spark that jumped the gap between the electrodes.
- When the air was ionized, a spark formed and conducted electricity through the gas.
- The researchers studied the characteristics of spark formation in various gases at different pressures.
- A spark occurred when the applied electric field exceeded the breakdown voltage of the gas.
- The spark generator was designed to produce a high-frequency discharge in the air to study the properties of plasma.
Synonyms
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Hyponyms
- Electric Glow
- Brush Discharge
- St. Elmo's Fire
- Saint Ulmo's Fire
- Flashover
- Saint Ulmo's Light
- Saint Elmo's Light
- Corona Discharge
- Saint Elmo's Fire
- Corposant
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Meaning 4
A small but noticeable trace of some quality that might become stronger; "a spark of interest"; "a spark of decency".
Classification
Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure.
Examples
- She saw a spark of determination in his eyes that gave her hope for his recovery.
- The spark of creativity that had driven her to start her own business seemed to be faltering.
- There was a spark of mischief in the child's grin that hinted at a future full of trouble.
- Despite his rough exterior, there was a spark of kindness in his voice that put her at ease.
- The new employee showed a spark of initiative that caught the attention of the management team.
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Meaning 5
Scottish writer of satirical novels (born in 1918).
Classification
Nouns denoting people.
Examples
- Muriel Spark's writing career was marked by a spark of creativity that continued to drive her until her death in 2006.
- The spark that ignited her writing was her time spent as a teacher and secretary in the 1940s and 1950s.
- Spark's novels often feature a spark of satire that critiques the social norms and mores of the time.
- Her most famous novel, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, was born from a spark of inspiration she received while teaching in Edinburgh.
- A spark of curiosity about human nature drove Spark to create complex, multifaceted characters in her novels.
Synonyms
Meaning 6
A small fragment of a burning substance thrown out by burning material or by friction.
Classification
Nouns denoting natural objects (not man-made).
Examples
- The firework exploded in the air, sending a spark flying towards the dry leaves.
- A spark from the welding torch landed on the worker's sleeve, causing a small burn.
- The spark from the flint ignited the dry tinder, starting a small fire.
- As the two rocks struck together, a spark flew out, illuminating the dark cave.
- The spark from the faulty wire ignited the gasoline, causing a massive explosion.