prank
nounverbcommon in dialogue
- United Kingdom//pɹaŋk//
- United States//pɹæŋk//
- United States/[ˈpɹʷæŋk]/
- Scotland//pɾaŋk//
- //pɹeɪ̯ŋk//
A practical joke or mischievous trick.
noun
- 1
A practical joke or mischievous trick.
play a prank
pull a prank on someone
He pulled a gruesome prank on his sister.
His pranks have been too broad to bear with.
- 2
obsoleteAn evil deed; a malicious trick, an act of cruel deception.
She played a cruel prank on him.
Lilius Geraldus ſaith,that Hercules after all his mad prankes vpon his wife and children, was perfectly cured by a purge of Hellebor,which an Anticyrian adminiſtred vnto him.
Etymology
Origin uncertain. Perhaps 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”), related to 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 *brengʰ- (“to press, squeeze”). Or, perhaps ultimately related to Proto-Germanic *brahtaz, similar to Dutch pracht (“splendor”), Swedish prakt (“glory, pomp”) (loaned from Low German). Cognate with Middle Low German prunken (“to flaunt”), German prunken (“to flaunt”), Danish prunke (“to make a show, prank”). Sense of "mischievous act" from earlier verbal sense of "to be crafty or subtle, set in order, adjust". See also prink, prance, prong.
verb
- 1
To perform a practical joke on; to trick and make a fool of someone.
“If someone’s pranking me,” Rowlands remembered thinking, “they’re going to great lengths to make it work.”
- 2
To perform a practical joke on; to trick and make a fool of someone. To make a prank call to (someone).
- 3
slangTo call someone's phone and hang up before they answer, so as to send them a notification (of a missed call) without incurring fees.
Hey man, prank me when you wanna get picked up.
I don't have your number in my phone; can you prank me?
- 4
archaicTo adorn in a showy manner; to dress or equip ostentatiously.
In sumptuous tire she ioyd her selfe to prancke
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.
Flora, wanton-eyed For birth, and with all flowrets prankt and pied:
- 5
To make an ostentatious show.
White houses prank where once were huts.
Forms
- plural
- pranks
- past tense
- pranked
- past participle
- pranked, prankt
- present participle
- pranking
- third person singular
- pranks