English

Proper noun

Sparky

1. A nickname for someone who is lively and animated

English

Adjective

sparky ‎(comparative sparkier, superlative sparkiest)

1. Lively and animated.
   • 1986 July, Texas Monthly, page 103,

     Anthony's certainly hasn′t achieved the consistent level of Tony′s, but the menu is sparkier, more up to the minute.

   • 2002, Donald Reid, The Rough Guide to Edinburgh, page 134,

     With regular trains running back to Edinburgh as late as 11.30pm, you could consider sampling some of Glasgow′s nightlife, consistently sparkier and more cutting-edge than Edinburgh′s, or taking in some of the city′s innovative and high-quality theatre and live music.

   • 2003, Jonathan Kennaugh, Bow Wow Wow, Peter Buckley (editor), The Rough Guide to Rock, page 129,

     She was recruited on the spot, completing a highly controversial line-up that would go on to produce some of the sparkiest, sassiest music of the early 80s.

Related terms

• sparkler
• sparkling

Noun

sparky ‎(plural sparkies)

1. (US, Navy) A radio operator.
   • 1964, Arnold S. Lott, Brave Ship, Brave Men, 1994, page 77,

     The headlines ground out big and black at home, but by the time they had gone out on the Fleet broadcast circuits, been picked out of the air by Mr. Woodside′s sparkies in the radio shack, whacked onto a stencil and run through a mimeograph machine by Harry Dolliver, they were not nearly so impressive.

2. (Britain, Australia, New Zealand) An electrician; an electrical engineer.
   • 2001, Jane Kenway, Peter Kelly, Sue Willis, 6: Manufacturing the Global Locality, Customizing the School and Designing Young Workers, Jack Demaine (editor), Sociology of Education Today, Palgrave, UK, page 138,

     […] the manager of one of the largest hotels, also a committee member ‘let it be known that sparkies working for the hotel should be involved in the programme. The next day saw three very keen contractors ring us up to enrol.’

   • 2004, Stephanie Smith, Underground London, Hachette, UK, unnumbered page,

     Pete said that the sparkies, the electricians, had turned the power off.

   • 2008, Laurine Croasdale, Surf Sisters, Pan Macmillan Australia, page 122,

     Sam and Jamie set up the barbecue and tables they′d borrowed from the surf club, Tony organised all the tradesmen, the chippies quickly put the first platform in place so Fizz could set up her sound system while the sparkies rigged up sound and lights, and the plumbers were happy to act as security.

   • 2010, Meegan Jones, Sustainable Event Management: A Practical Guide, Earthscan, UK and US, page 86,

     You need to educate yourself so you can talk turkey with the sparkies. You don′t need an electrician′s qualification, but if you can demonstrate a basic understanding of the principles behind supplying power to your event, you can have a decent conversation about options and solutions.