bark
bark1 / bärk/ • n. the sharp explosive cry of certain animals, esp. a dog, fox, or seal. ∎ a sound resembling this cry, typically one made by someone laughing or coughing: a short bark of laughter.• v. 1. [intr.] (of a dog or other animal) emit a bark: a dog barked at her. ∎ (of a person) make a sound, such as a cough or a laugh, resembling a bark: she barked with laughter.2. [tr.] utter (a command or question) abruptly or aggressively: he began barking out his orders [with direct speech] “Nobody is allowed up here,” he barked [intr.] he was barking at me to make myself presentable. ∎ [intr.] call out in order to sell or advertise something: doormen bark at passersby, promising hot music and cold beer.bark2 • n. the tough, protective outer sheath of the trunk, branches, and twigs of a tree or woody shrub. ∎ this material used for tanning leather, making dyestuffs, or as a mulch in gardening.• v. [tr.] strip the bark from (a tree or piece of wood). ∎ scrape the skin off (one's shin) by accidentally hitting it against something hard.DERIVATIVES: barked adj. [in comb.] the red-barked dogwood. bark3 • n. (also barque) a sailing ship, typically with three masts, in which the foremast and mainmast are square-rigged and the mizzenmast is rigged fore-and-aft.