MARK


Meaning of MARK in English

/ mɑːk; NAmE mɑːrk/ verb , noun

■ verb

WRITE / DRAW

1.

mark A (with B) | mark B on A to write or draw a symbol, line, etc. on sth in order to give information about it :

[ vn ]

Items marked with an asterisk can be omitted.

Prices are marked on the goods.

[ vn - adj ]

The teacher marked her absent (= made a mark by her name to show that she was absent) .

Why have you marked this wrong?

Do not open any mail marked 'Confidential'.

SPOIL / DAMAGE

2.

to make a mark on sth in a way that spoils or damages it; to become spoilt or damaged in this way :

[ vn ]

A large purple scar marked his cheek.

[ v ]

The surfaces are made from a material that doesn't mark.

SHOW POSITION

3.

[ vn ] to show the position of sth

SYN indicate :

The cross marks the spot where the body was found.

The route has been marked in red.

CELEBRATE

4.

[ vn ] to celebrate or officially remember an event that you consider to be important :

a ceremony to mark the 50th anniversary of the end of the war

SHOW CHANGE

5.

[ vn ] to be a sign that sth new is going to happen :

This speech may mark a change in government policy.

The agreement marks a new phase in international relations.

GIVE MARK / GRADE

6.

( especially BrE ) to give marks to students' work :

[ vn ]

I hate marking exam papers.

[ v ]

I spend at least six hours a week marking.

—compare grade

GIVE PARTICULAR QUALITY

7.

[ vn ] [ usually passive ] mark sb/sth (as sth) ( formal ) to give sb/sth a particular quality or character

SYN characterize :

a life marked by suffering

He was marked as an enemy of the poor.

PAY ATTENTION

8.

( old-fashioned ) used to tell sb to pay careful attention to sth : [ vn ]

There'll be trouble over this, mark my words .

[ v wh- ]

You mark what I say, John.

IN SPORT

9.

[ vn ] ( in a team game ) to stay close to an opponent in order to prevent them from getting the ball :

Hughes was marking Taylor.

Our defence had him closely marked.

—see also marking

IDIOMS

- mark time

- mark you

PHRASAL VERBS

- mark sb down

- mark sb down as sth

- mark sth down

- mark sb/sth off (from sb/sth)

- mark sth off

- mark sb out as / for sth

- mark sth out

- mark sth up

■ noun

SPOT / DIRT

1.

a small area of dirt, a spot or a cut on a surface that spoils its appearance :

The children left dirty marks all over the kitchen floor.

a burn / scratch mark

Detectives found no marks on the body.

2.

a noticeable spot or area of colour on the body of a person or an animal which helps you to recognize them :

a horse with a white mark on its head

He was about six feet tall, with no distinguishing marks .

—see also birthmark , marking ➡ note at dot

SYMBOL

3.

a written or printed symbol that is used as a sign of sth, for example the quality of sth or who made or owns it :

punctuation marks

Any piece of silver bearing his mark is extremely valuable.

I put a mark in the margin to remind me to check the figure.

—see also question mark , exclamation mark , trademark

SIGN

4.

a sign that a quality or feeling exists :

On the day of the funeral businesses remained closed as a mark of respect .

Such coolness under pressure is the mark of a champion.

STANDARD / GRADE

5.

( especially BrE ) a number or letter that is given to show the standard of sb's work or performance or is given to sb for answering sth correctly :

to get a good / poor mark in English

to give sb a high / low mark

What's the pass mark (= the mark you need in order to pass) ?

I got full marks (= the highest mark possible) in the spelling test.

( ironic )

'You're wearing a tie!' ' Full marks for observation.'

—see also black mark , grade

LEVEL

6.

a level or point that sth reaches that is thought to be important :

Unemployment has passed the four million mark.

She was leading at the half-way mark.

MACHINE / VEHICLE

7.

Mark (followed by a number) a particular type or model of a machine or vehicle :

the Mark II engine

IN GAS OVEN

8.

Mark ( BrE ) (followed by a number) a particular level of temperature in a gas oven :

Preheat the oven to gas Mark 6.

SIGNATURE

9.

a cross made on a document instead of a signature by sb who is not able to write their name

TARGET

10.

( formal ) a target :

Of the blows delivered, barely half found their mark.

to hit / miss the mark

GERMAN MONEY

11.

= Deutschmark

IDIOMS

- be close to / near the mark

- be off the mark

- be on the mark

- get off the mark

- hit / miss the mark

- leave your / its / a mark (on sth/sb)

- make your / a mark (on sth)

- not be / feel up to the mark

- on your marks, get set, go!

- quick / slow off the mark

- up to the mark

—more at overstep , toe verb , wide adjective

••

SYNONYMS

mark

stain ♦ streak ♦ speck ♦ blot ♦ smear ♦ spot

These are all words for a small area of dirt or another substance on a surface.

mark

a small area of dirt or other substance on the surface of sth, especially one that spoils its appearance:

The kids left dirty marks all over the kitchen floor.

stain

a dirty mark on sth that is difficult to remove, especially one made by a liquid:

blood stains

streak

a long thin mark or line that is a different colour from the surface it is on:

She had streaks of grey in her hair.

speck

a very small mark, spot or piece of a substance on sth:

There isn't a speck of dust anywhere in the house.

blot

a spot or dirty mark left on sth by a substance such as ink or paint being dropped on a surface

smear

a mark made by sth such as oil or paint being spread or rubbed on a surface

spot

a small dirty mark on sth:

There were grease spots all over the walls.

PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS :

a streak / speck / blot / smear / spot of sth

a dirty mark / stain / streak / speck / smear / spot

a / an ink mark / stain / blot / spot

a / an oil / grease / paint mark / stain / spot

to leave a mark / stain / streak / speck / blot / smear / spot

to get a mark / stain / spot out of sth

••

WORD ORIGIN

verb and noun senses 1 to 10 Old English mearc , gemerce (noun), mearcian (verb), of Germanic origin; from an Indo-European root shared by Latin margo margin.

noun sense 11 Old English marc , from Old Norse mo̧rk ; probably related to mark (other senses).

Oxford Advanced Learner's English Dictionary.      Оксфордский английский словарь для изучающик язык на продвинутом уровне.