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Spark vs Sparkless - What's the difference?

spark | sparkless |

As a noun spark

is a small particle of glowing matter, either molten or on fire.

As a verb spark

is to trigger, kindle into activity (an argument, etc).

As an adjective sparkless is

without a spark.

spark

English

(wikipedia spark)

Etymology 1

From Middle English sparke, sperke, from Old English spearca, from (etyl) ).

Noun

(en noun)
  • 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
    • if any spark of life be yet remaining
  • * John Locke
    • We have here and there a little clear light, some sparks of bright knowledge .
  • * 2013 , Phil McNulty, "[http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23830980]", BBC Sport , 1 September 2013:
    • 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.
  • (in plural'' sparks ''but treated as a singular ) A ship's radio operator.
  • (UK, slang) An electrician.
    • Synonyms
    * gnast * beginnings, germ, glimmer
    Derived terms
    * sparkle * bright spark * spark arrester * spark coil * spark gap * spark knock * spark of life * spark plug * spark transmitter * sparks fly

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • 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 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.}}
  • To give off a spark or sparks.
    • Derived terms
    * spark off * sparkle

    Etymology 2

    probably Scandinavian, akin to (etyl) sparkr 'sprightly'

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A gallant, a foppish young man.
  • * Prior
    • The finest sparks and cleanest beaux.
  • A beau, lover.

    • Verb

    (en verb)
  • To woo, court.

    • Derived terms

    * sparkish * sparker

    References

    *

    Anagrams

    * ----

    sparkless

    English

    Adjective

    (-)
  • without a spark
  • * {{quote-book, year=1891, author=Shelley, title=Adonais, chapter=, edition= citation
    • , passage=From the contagion of the world's slow stain 5 He is secure; and now can never mourn A heart grown cold, a head grown grey in vain-- Nor, when the spirit's self has ceased to burn, With sparkless ashes load an unlamented urn. 41. }}
  • * {{quote-book, year=1939, author=Arthur Quiller-Couch, title=On The Art of Reading, chapter=, edition= citation
    • , passage=But when we come to a fine thing in our own language--to a stanza from Shelley's "Adonais" for instance: He has outsoared the shadow of our night; Envy and calumny and hate and pain, And that unrest which men miscall delight, Can touch him not and torture not again; From the contagion of the world's slow stain He is secure, and now can never mourn A heart grown cold, a head grown gray in vain; Nor, when the spirit's self has ceased to burn, With sparkless ashes load an unlamented urn. what can you do with that ? }}
  • * {{quote-news, year=2007, date=January 28, author=Scott Sturgis, title=A Mechanic’s Laptop Makes Manuals All but Obsolete, work=New York Times citation
    • , passage=The worn-out brushes in a dead starter or a short circuit in a sparkless ignition distributor would eventually be revealed to a mechanic who carefully dug through the clues. }}
  • lacking in creativity or energy
  • * {{quote-news, year=1996, date=January 26, author=Neil Tesser, title=Motion Poets, work=Chicago Reader citation
    • , passage=Live, though, this youthful Minnesota-based band performed a somewhat sparkless set that seemed to bury the conceptual strengths, the stark voicings, and the crisp rhythms that on the album helped shape the arrangements and link the horns. }}
  • * {{quote-news, year=2004, date=July 23, author=Lawrence Bommer, title=Much Ado About Nothing, work=Chicago Reader citation
    • , passage=It's a small triumph that LiveWire's sparkless production manages to preserve the plot. }}