I. lark 1 /lɑːk $ lɑːrk/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Sense 1,5: Language: Old English ; Origin: lawerce ]
[ Sense 2-4: Date: 1800-1900 ; Origin: lark 'to play around' (19-21 centuries) , perhaps from lake 'to play' (11-20 centuries) (from Old English lacan ), or from ⇨ ↑ lark (2) ]
1 . a small brown singing bird with long pointed wings SYN skylark
2 . informal something that you do to amuse yourself or as a joke
as/for a lark
I only went along for a lark.
3 . blow/sod/bugger etc that for a lark British English spoken not polite used when you stop doing something or refuse to do something because it needs too much effort:
Paint the whole room? Sod that for a lark!
4 . British English spoken used to describe an activity that you think is silly or difficult:
Salad again? How long are you going to keep up this healthy eating lark?
5 . be up with the lark to get up very early
II. lark 2 BrE AmE verb
lark about/around phrasal verb British English informal
to have fun by behaving in a silly way SYN mess about :
A couple of boys were larking about in the pool.