Chalk
/tʃɔːk/Definition, CEFR level A2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounA soft white substance used for writing or drawing.
verbTo write or draw with chalk.
Extra definitions
noun; verbA soft writing mineral.
noun; verbA stick used on a board.
noun; verbTo attribute to a cause.
Sentence Examples
She wrote in chalk.
He drew with blue chalk.
We chalked the delay up to rain.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
None
Antonyms:
None
Word Origin & History
Inherited from Middle English chalk, chalke, from Old English ċealc, from Proto-West Germanic *kalk, borrowed from Latin calx (“limestone”), again borrowed from Ancient Greek χάλιξ (khálix, “pebble”). Doublet of calx and cauk.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
“OK, let's get rid of the chalk players right away. The chalk likes North Carolina. Dean Smith has taken Carolina to the Final Four six times.”
— 1982 March 22, Phil Musick, “And the pick here is - Georgetown over Houston”, in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, page 13:
“Excuse us for sticking with the chalk, but the predicted winners are Afternoon Deelites in the Derby, Oliver McCall over Larry Holmes, Nick Faldo in the Masters, and Al Unser Jr. in the Grand Prix.”
— 1995 April 6, “Notes on a Scorecard”, in Los Angeles Times, archived from the original on 06 Mar 2012, retrieved 19 Mar 2009, page C3:
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CEFR Practice Quiz
She wrote in ____.