bark: Meaning and Definition of
bark
Pronunciation: (bärk), [key]
— n.
- the abrupt, harsh, explosive cry of a dog.
- a similar sound made by another animal, as a fox.
- a short, explosive sound, as of firearms: the bark of a revolver.
- a brusque order, reply, etc.: The foreman's bark sent the idlers back to their machines.
- a cough.
—v.i.
- (of a dog or other animal) to utter an abrupt, explosive cry or a series of such cries.
- to make a similar sound: The big guns barked.
- to speak or cry out sharply or gruffly: a man who barks at his children.
- to advertise a theater performance, carnival sideshow, or the like, by standing at the entrance and calling out to passersby.
- to cough.
—v.t.
- to utter in a harsh, shouting tone: barking orders at her subordinates.
- to protest in vain: Telling her that she's misinformed is just barking at the moon.
- to assail or pursue the wrong person or object; misdirect one's efforts: If he expects me to get him a job, he's barking up the wrong tree.
bark
Pronunciation: (bärk), [key]
— n.
- the external covering of the woody stems, branches, and roots of plants, as distinct and separable from the wood itself.
- a mixture of oak and hemlock barks.
- candy, usually of chocolate with large pieces of nuts, made in flat sheets.
—v.t.
- to rub off or scrape the skin of, as by bumping into something: to bark one's shins.
- to remove a circle of bark from; girdle.
- to cover, enclose, or encrust with or as if with bark.
- to treat with a bark infusion; tan.
- to strip the bark from; peel.
bark
Pronunciation: (bärk), [key]
— n.
- a sailing vessel having three or more masts, square-rigged on all but the aftermost mast, which is fore-and-aft-rigged.
- a boat or sailing vessel.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.