Pronunciation: /bɑrk/

Definitions of bark

noun the tough protective covering of the trunk, branches, and twigs of a tree or woody shrub

Example Sentences

A1 The dog's bark scared the cat.

A2 I heard a loud bark coming from the backyard.

B1 The bark of the tree was peeling off in strips.

B2 The rough bark of the tree felt rough against my skin.

C1 The bark of the tree was a rich brown color, contrasting with the green leaves.

C2 The sound of the dog's bark echoed through the empty street.

verb to speak loudly and aggressively

Example Sentences

A1 The dog barks loudly when someone knocks on the door.

A2 She barked at her brother to stop bothering her while she was studying.

B1 The security guard barked orders at the crowd to move back.

B2 The coach barked instructions to the players during the intense game.

C1 The sergeant barked commands to his troops as they prepared for battle.

C2 The director barked criticisms at the actors during rehearsals.

Examples of bark in a Sentence

formal The dog's bark echoed through the quiet neighborhood.

informal My neighbor's dog won't stop barking at night.

slang That new movie is going to bark up the wrong tree with audiences.

figurative His bark is worse than his bite, so don't be intimidated by his aggressive demeanor.

Grammatical Forms of bark

past tense

barked

plural

barks

comparative

barkier

superlative

barkiest

present tense

bark

future tense

will bark

perfect tense

have barked

continuous tense

is barking

singular

bark

positive degree

bark

infinitive

to bark

gerund

barking

participle

barking

Origin and Evolution of bark

First Known Use: 1250 year
Language of Origin: Old Norse
Story behind the word: The word 'bark' originated from the Old Norse word 'bǫrkr' which referred to the outer covering of a tree.
Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'bark' evolved to also refer to the sound a dog makes, as well as the act of shouting loudly. The original meaning of tree bark is still commonly used today.