frisk

[ frisk ]

/ frɪsk /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR frisk ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used without object)

to dance, leap, skip, or gambol; frolic: The dogs and children frisked about on the lawn.

verb (used with object)

to search (a person) for concealed weapons, contraband goods, etc., by feeling the person's clothing: The police frisked both of the suspects.

noun

a leap, skip, or caper.

a frolic or gambol.

the act of frisking a person.

Nearby words

frisette, friseur, frisian, frisian carving, frisian islands, frisk, frisket, frisky, frisson, frisé, frisée

Origin of frisk

1425–75; late Middle English, as adj. < Middle French frisque, perhaps a spelling variant (with mute s) of fri(c)que lively, smart < Germanic (compare Middle Dutch vrec, Old High German freh avaricious, Middle High German vrech brave, German frech insolent); or < Middle French (Flanders) frisque < Middle Dutch frisc fresh

Related forms

frisk·er, nounfrisk·ing·ly, adverbun·frisk·ing, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for frisk

Another issue was stop and frisk, which the police had been using to keep shootings down.
Bronx Gunman Shot His Friend, Didn’t Spill His Drink|Michael Daly|August 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
When being processed into solitary confinement, known as the Special Housing Unit, or SHU, the frisk is even more severe.
Patted Down by India’s Hugging Saint|Daniel Genis|July 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The official compared the change in intelligence strategy to the shift in “stop, question, and frisk” tactics in the street.
NYPD Will Continue Spying in the Muslim Community With Undercovers, Informants|Michael Daly|April 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Would there be an end to the way cops stop, question, and frisk people on the street?
Bill Bratton Vs. Ray Kelly|Christopher Dickey|December 12, 2013|DAILY BEAST

“Whether you look at CompStat or you talk about ‘stop and frisk,’ it comes down to the same thing,” he says.
Bill Bratton Vs. Ray Kelly|Christopher Dickey|December 12, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Even the old cows shook their horns, and made comical attempts to frisk with the yearlings.
Other Main-Travelled Roads|Hamlin Garland
She sniffed noses with him, and even condescended to leap about and frisk and play with him in quite puppyish fashion.
White Fang|Jack London
They frisk, and dance, and tinkle their guitars from sunset to sunrise.
Italy; with sketches of Spain and Portugal|William Beckford
Well, then—now they are ALL away, let us frisk at our ease, and have at everything like the bull in the china-shop.
The Book of Snobs|William Makepeace Thackeray
Frisk was so terrified at the sight of it that he did not know where to hide.
The Blue Fairy Book|Various

British Dictionary definitions for frisk

frisk

/ (frɪsk) /

verb

(intr) to leap, move about, or act in a playful manner; frolic

(tr) (esp of animals) to whisk or wave brisklythe dog frisked its tail

(tr)

to search (someone) by feeling for concealed weapons, etc
to rob by searching in this way

noun

a playful antic or movement; frolic

the act or an instance of frisking a person

Derived Forms

frisker, nounfriskingly, adverb

Word Origin for frisk

C16: from Old French frisque, of Germanic origin; related to Old High German frisc lively, fresh

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012