spark

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++

Related topics: Electricity

spark1 /spɑːk $ spɑːrk/ ●○○ noun  1  fire 火 [countable]BURN a very small piece of burning material produced by a fire or by hitting or rubbing two hard objects together 火花，火星 sparks from the fire 火里飞出的火星 The scrape of metal on metal sent up a shower of sparks. 金属之间互相摩擦，迸出一串火星。2  electricity 电 [countable]DNTPE a flash of light caused by electricity passing across a space 电火花 electric sparks from a broken wire 一根破损电线迸出的电火花3  spark of interest/excitement/anger etc FEEL HAPPY/FRIGHTENED/BORED ETCa small amount of a feeling or quality 一点点兴趣/激动/怒气等 Rachel looked at her and felt a spark of hope. 蕾切尔看着她，感到了一线希望。4  cause 原因 [countable]CAUSE a small action or event that causes something to happen, especially trouble or violence 〔尤指骚乱或暴力的〕起因，导火线 The judge’s verdict provided the spark for the riots. 法官的裁决是这场暴乱的导火线。 Interest rate cuts were the spark the market needed. 降低利率是市场所需要的刺激。5  intelligence/energy 智慧/精力 [uncountable]ENERGETIC a quality of intelligence or energy that makes someone successful or fun to be with 生气，活力；〔才智的〕焕发 She was tired, and lacked her usual spark. 她很累，没有了平时的活力。 McKellen’s performance gives the play its spark of life (=quality of energy). 麦凯伦的演出给这出戏带来了亮点。6  sparks [plural]ARGUE anger or angry arguments 愤怒；激烈争吵 The sparks were really flying (=people were arguing angrily) at the meeting! 会议上可真是唇枪舌剑！ → bright spark at bright(11)

Examples from the Corpus

spark• A spark created by loose wires was the cause of the explosion.• Jim is a really nice guy, but there's just no spark.• Torrents of sparks cascaded behind them into the harbor.• A single spark could set the whole hillside on fire.• Hennepin and La Salle, whose subsequent westward expedition he was to join, struck sparks off one another from the outset.• Even so, the game does have that spark of playability.• If that spark is to grow, wood must be added to make the flame grow bigger.• Tax cuts could be the spark for the troubled economy.• Such is the spark of creativity generated by the presence of a member of the executive committee demanding to be asked questions.• Rather than perfection, Anderson seeks the spark usually delivered on the first two takes of a song.• Turner provided the team the spark they needed in the second half.• When the spark died, the economy declined, and so did the quality of art.shower of sparks• Matthew had acquired a tank which trundled over the carpet emitting small but sharp percussive explosions accompanied by a shower of sparks.• She slipped them rapidly into the hot mouth where they were instantly consumed in a shower of Sparks.• A log in the fire broke and fell, sending out a shower of sparks.• At that moment, with a shower of sparks as it hit the superstructure, the flare died.• When he lifted his arm there was the greasy feel and faint shower of sparks that betokened a localised magical field.spark of life• Above all only the eyes retain any spark of life, and they are filled with the overwhelming emotion of anguish.• In fact all matter had within it a divine spark of life.• We give them the spark of life, without which no corporation could exist.• Begun the hatred that swelled the tiny spark of life that had escaped from the meteorite and become the Worm?

Related topics: Electricity

spark2 ●○○ verb  1  [transitive] (also spark something ↔ off)CAUSE to be the cause of something, especially trouble or violence 引起，导致〔尤指骚乱或暴力〕 SYN provoke The police response sparked outrage in the community. 警方的反应激起了民愤。 A discarded cigarette sparked a small brush fire. 一个乱扔的烟头引起了一场小小的灌木丛火灾。2  spark somebody’s interest/hope/curiosity etc START something/MAKE something STARTto make someone feel interested, hopeful etc 激起某人的兴趣/希望/好奇心等 topics that spark children’s imaginations 激发儿童想象力的话题3. [intransitive]TPEBURN to produce sparks of fire or electricity 产生火花[电火花]→ See Verb table

Examples from the Corpus

spark• That experience sparked a gathering of works by more than 200 artists exploring the human experience of death and loss.• The shootings have sparked a national debate over gun control.• But a visit to a local physician for a routine checkup sparked a new focus for her creative talents.• USC was sparked by the aggressive play of Rich Jackson.• Héloïse thought that perhaps it was Mr Farraline's interest in Sophie which had sparked it all off.• The Confessor's death in January 1066 sparked off a crisis.• The controversies surrounding severe mental handicap which began in the early 1980s sparked off a national debate which continues today.• The chain of events I sparked off nearly led to my untimely demise.• Faulty wiring could have sparked the explosion.• It had been his lips - her lips for him - that had sparked the sudden flame.• Catch their interest and spark their enthusiasm so that they begin to see the product's potential.Origin spark1 Old English spearca

spark1 nounspark2 verbChinese  

small very piece of burning a Corpus

spark

I

spark¹ /spɑːk $ spɑːrk/ noun1.  FIRE  [countable] a very small piece of burning material produced by a fire or by hitting or rubbing two hard objects together:
    sparks from the fire
    The scrape of metal on metal sent up a shower of sparks.
2.  ELECTRICITY  [countable] a flash of light caused by electricity passing across a space:
    electric sparks from a broken wire
3. spark of interest/excitement/anger etc a small amount of a feeling or quality:
    Rachel looked at her and felt a spark of hope.
4.  CAUSE  [countable] a small action or event that causes something to happen, especially trouble or violence:
    The judge’s verdict provided the spark for the riots.
    Interest rate cuts were the spark the market needed.
5.  INTELLIGENCE/ENERGY  [uncountable] a quality of intelligence or energy that makes someone successful or fun to be with:
    She was tired, and lacked her usual spark.
    McKellen’s performance gives the play its spark of life (=quality of energy).
6. sparks [plural] anger or angry arguments:
    The sparks were really flying (=people were arguing angrily) at the meeting__
⇨ bright spark at bright(10)

II

spark² verb
1. [transitive] (also spark something ↔ off) to be the cause of something, especially trouble or violence
   SYN  provoke:
    The police response sparked outrage in the community.
    A discarded cigarette sparked a small brush fire.
2. spark sb’s interest/hope/curiosity etc to make someone feel interested, hopeful etc:
    topics that spark children’s imaginations
3. [intransitive] to produce sparks of fire or electricity

Spark
Spark, Mu‧ri‧el /ˈmjʊəriəl/
(1918–2006) a British writer from Scotland, best known for her humorous novel The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1961), which was later made into a successful film. Her official title was Dame Muriel Spark.