Bark Meaning
/bɑːk/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
verbTo make a short, loud, explosive noise with the vocal organs (said of animals, especially dogs).
verbTo make a clamor; to make importunate outcries.
Sentence Examples
When the thief heard the dog bark, he took to his heels.
Does it bark at her?
As soon as the dog saw me, it began to bark.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
The gardener gently peeled the rough outer ____ from the fallen tree branch.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The rough ____ of the old oak tree was covered in green moss city.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English barken, berken, borken, from Old English beorcan (“to bark”), from the Proto-West Germanic *berkan (“to bark”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerg- (“to make a noise, growl, bark”), from *bʰer- (“to drone, hum, buzz”). Cognate with Icelandic berkja (“to bark, bluster”), Icelandic barki (“throat, windpipe”), dialectal Lithuanian burgė́ti (“to growl, grumble, grouch, quarrel”), Serbo-Croatian brbljati (“to murmur”). For the noun, compare Old English beorc, bearce (“barking”)..
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"And therefore they bark, and say the scripture maketh heretics."
— 1530, Tyndale, A Pathway into the Holy Scripture:
"Where there is the barking of the belly, there no other commands will be heard, much less obeyed."
— 1655, Thomas Fuller, The Church-history of Britain; […], London: […] Iohn Williams […], →OCLC, (please specify |book=I to XI):
"Plainly he was prepared to bark out an interminable succession of charges against the Wanderer."
— 1932, Delos W. Lovelace, King Kong, published 1965, page 3:
"Sudden anger rose in him. “What I’m looking for,” he barked, “is to be left in peace.” His voice trembled with a rage far bigger than her intrusion merited, the rage which shocked him whenever it coursed through his nervous system, like a flood."
— 2001, Salman Rushdie, Fury: A Novel, London: Jonathan Cape, →ISBN, page 5:
"While McCarthy prowled the touchline barking orders, his opposite number watched on motionless and expressionless and, with 25 minutes to go, decided to throw on Nicolas Anelka for Kalou."
— 2011 January 5, Mark Ashenden, “Wolverhampton 1 - 0 Chelsea”, in BBC:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The gardener gently peeled the rough outer ____ from the fallen tree branch.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The rough ____ of the old oak tree was covered in green moss city.