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bark¹

(bärk)

1. The harsh sound uttered by a dog.

2. A sound, such as a cough, that is similar to a dog's bark.

v. barked, bark·ing, barks

v.intr.

1. To utter a bark.

2. To make a sound similar to a bark: "The birds bark softly, sounding almost like young pups" (Charleston SC News and Courier).

3. To speak sharply; snap: "a spot where you can just drop in ... without anyone's barking at you for failing to plan ahead" (Andy Birsh).

4. To work as a barker, as at a carnival.

v.tr.

To utter in a loud, harsh voice: The quarterback barked out the signals.

Idiom:

bark up the wrong tree

To misdirect one's energies or attention.

[From Middle English berken, to bark, from Old English beorcan.]

bark²

(bärk)

1. The tough outer covering of the woody stems and roots of trees, shrubs, and other woody plants. It includes all tissues outside the vascular cambium.

2. A specific kind of bark used for a special purpose, as in tanning or medicine.

tr.v. barked, bark·ing, barks

1. To remove bark from (a tree or log).

2. To rub off the skin of; abrade: barked my shin on the car door.

3. To tan or dye (leather or fabric) by steeping in an infusion of bark.

4. To treat (a patient) using a medicinal bark infusion.

[Middle English, from Old English, from Old Norse bǫrkr, bark-; see bherəg- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

barky adj.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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