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Webster 1913 Edition

Prank

Prank

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Pranked
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Pranking
.]
[Cf. E.
prink
, also G.
prangen
,
prunken
, to shine, to make a show, Dan.
prange
,
prunke
, Sw.
prunka
, D.
pronken
.]
To adorn in a showy manner; to dress or equip ostentatiously; – often followed by up;
as, to
prank
up the body
. See
Prink
.
In sumptuous tire she joyed herself to
prank
.
Spenser.

Prank

,
Verb.
I.
To make ostentatious show.
White houses
prank
where once were huts.
M. Arnold.

Prank

,
Noun.
A gay or sportive action; a ludicrous, merry, or mischievous trick; a caper; a frolic.
Spenser.
The harpies . . . played their accustomed
pranks
.
Sir W. Raleigh.
His
pranks
have been too broad to bear with.
Shakespeare

Prank

,
Adj.
Full of gambols or tricks.
[Obs.]

Webster 1828 Edition

Prank

PRANK

,
Verb.
T.
To adorn in a showy manner; to dress or adjust to ostentation.
In sumptuous tire she joyed herself to prank.
It is often followed by up.
--And me, poor lowly maid,
Most goddess-like prankt up.

PRANK

,
Noun.
Properly, a sudden start or sally. [See Prance.] Hence, a wild flight; a capering; a gambol.
1.
A capricious action; a ludicrous or merry trick, or a mischievous act, rather for sport than injury. Children often play their pranks on each other.
--In came the harpies and played their accustomed pranks.

PRANK

,
Adj.
Frolicksome; full of gambols or tricks.

Definition 2025

prank

prank

English

Noun

prank ‎(plural pranks)

  1. (obsolete) An evil deed; a malicious trick, an act of cruel deception.
    • 1621, Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy, II.4.2.ii:
      Hercules, after all his mad pranks upon his wife and children, was perfectly cured by a purge of hellebor, which an Antieyrian administered unto him.
  2. A practical joke or mischievous trick.
    • Shakespeare
      His pranks have been too broad to bear with.
    • Sir Walter Raleigh
      The harpies […] played their accustomed pranks.
    Pranks may be funny, but remember that some people are aggressive.
    He pulled a gruesome prank on his sister.
    It's just a prank bro, chill!

Synonyms

  • See also Wikisaurus:joke

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

prank ‎(third-person singular simple present pranks, present participle pranking, simple past pranked, past participle pranked or (archaic) prankt)

  1. (transitive) To adorn in a showy manner; to dress or equip ostentatiously.
    • Spenser
      In sumptuous tire she joyed herself to prank.
    • 1748, James Thomson, The Castle of Indolence, B:II
      And there a Seaſon atween June and May,
      Half prankt with Spring, with Summer half imbrown'd,
      A liſtleſs Climate made, where, Sooth to ſay,
      No living Wight could work, ne cared even for Play.
    • 1880 Dante Gabriel Rosetti, For Spring, by Sandro Botticelli, lines 2–3
      Flora, wanton-eyed
      For birth, and with all flowrets prankt and pied:
  2. (intransitive) To make ostentatious show.
    • M. Arnold
      White houses prank where once were huts.
  3. (transitive) To perform a practical joke on; to trick.
    • 2007 May 13, Karen Crouse, “Still Invitation Only, but Jets Widen Door for Camp”, in New York Times:
      “If someone’s pranking me,” Rowlands remembered thinking, “they’re going to great lengths to make it work.”
  4. (transitive, slang) To call someone's phone and promptly hang up
    Hey man, prank me when you wanna get picked up.
    I don't have your number in my phone, can you prank me?

Translations

Synonyms

(call and promptly hang up): missed call, missed-call

Adjective

prank ‎(comparative more prank, superlative most prank)

  1. (obsolete) Full of gambols or tricks.


Etymology

From Middle English pranken ‎(“to adorn, arrange one's attire”), probably from Middle Dutch pronken, proncken ‎(“to flaunt, make a show, arrange one's attire”). Cognate with Middle Low German prunken ‎(“to flaunt”), German prunken ‎(“to flaunt”), Danish prunke ‎(“to make a show, prank”). Connected also with German prangen ‎(“to make a show, be resplendent”), Dutch prangen ‎(“to squeeze, press”), Danish pragt ‎(“pomp, splendor”), all from Proto-Germanic *pranganą, *prangijaną, *prag- ‎(“to press, squeeze, thring”), from Proto-Indo-European *brAngh- ‎(“to press, squeeze”). Sense of "mischievous act" from earlier verbal sense of "to be crafty or subtle, set in order, adjust". See also prink, prance.

Pronunciation

  • enPR: prăngk, IPA(key): /pɹæŋk/
  • (US, also) enPR: prāngk, IPA(key): /pɹeɪŋk/
  • Rhymes: -æŋk

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