Spark vs Mite - What's the difference?
spark | mite | Related terms |
A small particle of glowing matter, either molten or on fire.
A short or small burst of electrical discharge.
A small, shining body, or transient light; a sparkle.
(figuratively) A small amount of something, such as an idea, that has the potential to become something greater, just as a spark can start a fire.
* Shakespeare
* John Locke
* 2013 , Phil McNulty, "[http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23830980]", BBC Sport , 1 September 2013:
(in plural'' sparks ''but treated as a singular ) A ship's radio operator.
(UK, slang) An electrician.
To trigger, kindle into activity (an argument, etc).
* {{quote-news
, year=2012
, date=May 5
, author=Phil McNulty
, title=Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool
, work=BBC Sport
To give off a spark or sparks.
A gallant, a foppish young man.
* Prior
A beau, lover.
A minute arachnid, of the order Acarina, of which there are many species; as, the cheese mite, sugar mite, harvest mite, etc. See Acarina.
A small coin formerly circulated in England, rated at about a third of a farthing.
*1803 , William Blake,
*:One mite wrung from the lab'rer's hands
*:Shall buy and sell the miser's lands;
A lepton, a small coin used in Palestine in the time of Christ.
A small weight; one twentieth of a grain.
Anything very small; a minute object; a very little quantity or particle. Sometimes used adverbially.
* , chapter=5
, title= * 1959 , Frances Cavanah, Abe Lincoln Gets His Chance , Project Gutenberg, [http://www.gutenberg.org/files/17315/17315-8.txt]:
Spark is a related term of mite.
As nouns the difference between spark and mite
is that spark is a small particle of glowing matter, either molten or on fire or spark can be a gallant, a foppish young man while mite is shoot.As a verb spark
is to trigger, kindle into activity (an argument, etc) or spark can be to woo, court.spark
English
(wikipedia spark)Etymology 1
From Middle English sparke, sperke, from Old English spearca, from (etyl) ).Noun
(en noun)- if any spark of life be yet remaining
- We have here and there a little clear light, some sparks of bright knowledge .
- Everton's Marouane Fellaini looks one certain arrival but Moyes, who also saw United held to a draw by Chelsea at Old Trafford on Monday, needs even more of a spark in a midfield that looked laboured by this team's standards.
Synonyms
* gnast * beginnings, germ, glimmerDerived terms
* sparkle * bright spark * spark arrester * spark coil * spark gap * spark knock * spark of life * spark plug * spark transmitter * sparks flyVerb
(en verb)citation, page= , passage=The introduction of substitute Andy Carroll sparked Liverpool into life and he pulled a goal back just after the hour - and thought he had equalised as Kenny Dalglish's side laid siege to Chelsea's goal in the closing stages.}}
Derived terms
* spark off * sparkleEtymology 2
probably Scandinavian, akin to (etyl) sparkr 'sprightly'Noun
(en noun)- The finest sparks and cleanest beaux.
Derived terms
* sparkish * sparkerReferences
*Anagrams
* ----mite
English
(wikipedia mite)Noun
(en noun)Mr. Pratt's Patients, passage=“Well,” I says, “I cal'late a body could get used to Tophet if he stayed there long enough.” ¶ She flared up; the least mite of a slam at Doctor Wool was enough to set her going.}}
- "Those trousers are a mite too big, but you'll soon grow into them."