/ 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).