spark
♦ spark /sp'ɑːrk/ (sparks sparking sparked)
1 [N-COUNT]
A spark is a tiny bright piece of burning material that flies up from something that is burning.
The fire gradually got bigger and bigger. Sparks flew off in all directions.
2 [N-COUNT]
A spark is a flash of light caused by electricity. It often makes a loud sound.
He passed an electric spark through a mixture of gases.
3 [VERB] V, V prep
If something sparks, sparks of fire or light come from it.
The wires were sparking above me...
I stared into the flames of the fire as it sparked to life.
4 [VERB] V n
If a burning object or electricity sparks a fire, it causes a fire.
A dropped cigarette may have sparked the fire.
= start
5 [N-COUNT] N of n
A spark of a quality or feeling, especially a desirable one, is a small but noticeable amount of it.
His music lacked that vital spark of imagination...
6 [VERB] V n, V-ed
If one thing sparks another, the first thing causes the second thing to start happening.
What was it that sparked your interest in motoring?
...a row sparked by a comment about his sister.
= cause
[PHRASAL VERB] V n P, V P n (not pron)
Spark off means the same as spark.
That incident sparked it off...
His book, Animal Liberation, sparked off a revolution in the way we think about animals.
7
see also bright spark
8 [PHRASE] V inflects
If sparks fly between people, they discuss something in an excited or angry way.
They are not afraid to tackle the issues or let the sparks fly when necessary.bright spark (bright sparks)
[N-COUNT]
If you say that some bright spark had a particular idea or did something, you mean that their idea or action was clever, or that it seemed clever but was silly in some way. (BRIT INFORMAL)
`Why not give out one of the cybercafe's e-mail addresses?' suggested one bright spark...
Some bright spark turned the heating off last night!spark off
see spark 6spark plug (spark plugs)
[N-COUNT]
A spark plug is a device in the engine of a motor vehicle, which produces electric sparks to make the petrol burn.
1 [N-COUNT]
A spark is a tiny bright piece of burning material that flies up from something that is burning.
The fire gradually got bigger and bigger. Sparks flew off in all directions.
2 [N-COUNT]
A spark is a flash of light caused by electricity. It often makes a loud sound.
He passed an electric spark through a mixture of gases.
3 [VERB] V, V prep
If something sparks, sparks of fire or light come from it.
The wires were sparking above me...
I stared into the flames of the fire as it sparked to life.
4 [VERB] V n
If a burning object or electricity sparks a fire, it causes a fire.
A dropped cigarette may have sparked the fire.
= start
5 [N-COUNT] N of n
A spark of a quality or feeling, especially a desirable one, is a small but noticeable amount of it.
His music lacked that vital spark of imagination...
6 [VERB] V n, V-ed
If one thing sparks another, the first thing causes the second thing to start happening.
What was it that sparked your interest in motoring?
...a row sparked by a comment about his sister.
= cause
[PHRASAL VERB] V n P, V P n (not pron)
Spark off means the same as spark.
That incident sparked it off...
His book, Animal Liberation, sparked off a revolution in the way we think about animals.
7
see also bright spark
8 [PHRASE] V inflects
If sparks fly between people, they discuss something in an excited or angry way.
They are not afraid to tackle the issues or let the sparks fly when necessary.bright spark (bright sparks)
[N-COUNT]
If you say that some bright spark had a particular idea or did something, you mean that their idea or action was clever, or that it seemed clever but was silly in some way. (BRIT INFORMAL)
`Why not give out one of the cybercafe's e-mail addresses?' suggested one bright spark...
Some bright spark turned the heating off last night!spark off
see spark 6spark plug (spark plugs)
[N-COUNT]
A spark plug is a device in the engine of a motor vehicle, which produces electric sparks to make the petrol burn.