honk

[ hongk, hawngk ]

/ hɒŋk, hɔŋk /

noun

the cry of a goose.

any similar sound, as of an automobile horn.

verb (used without object)

to emit a honk.

to cause an automobile horn to sound: He drove up in front of the house and honked.

verb (used with object)

to cause (an automobile horn) to sound: The driver honked his horn impatiently.

Words nearby honk

hongwu, honi soit qui mal y pense, honiara, honied, honiton, honk, honker, honkey, honky, honky-tonk, honolulu

Origin of honk

An Americanism dating back to 1790–1800; imitative

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

Examples from the Web for honking

If a goal is scored, the streets reverberate with cheers and honking horns.
England Eliminated From World Cup 2014: The ‘Years of Hurt’ Continue|Tim Teeman|June 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Honking horns in a mall parking lot as we search for the last available spot.
The True Gifts of Christmas Are Life, Love, and the Mystery of God|Joshua DuBois|December 25, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Oh, and there was this big, honking WAR in there, where we picked up all those refugees from Europe.
The Heritage Immigration Study, Ctd.|Justin Green|May 7, 2013|DAILY BEAST
He believed students were taunting him, driving by his home at all hours of the night and honking a car horn.
The Professor and the Doomsday Clock: ‘A Confederacy of Dunces’ & Signs of John Kennedy Toole’s Suicide|Cory MacLauchlin|December 17, 2012|DAILY BEAST

People took to the darkened streets for the first time in weeks, honking horns and hooting.
Israel and Hamas Strike Peace Deal|Dan Ephron|November 21, 2012|DAILY BEAST
A honking, a shout, the motor engine raced before it was shut off.
Main Street|Sinclair Lewis
There was a honking of the horn and the confused sound of many voices talking at once.
Anthony Trent, Master Criminal|Wyndham Martyn
Geese were honking and ducks were quacking, while the deep booming of guns was heard every few minutes.
Voyage of the Paper Canoe|Nathaniel H. Bishop
Wedges of wild geese winged their way southward through the trackless sky, making the nights vocal with their honking.
Followers of the Trail|Zoe Meyer
They heard it in the honking of the first flock of wild geese.
Johnny Longbow|Roy J. Snell

British Dictionary definitions for honking

honk

/ (hɒŋk) /

noun

a representation of the sound made by a goose

any sound resembling this, esp a motor horn

British and Australian slang a bad smell

verb

to make or cause (something) to make such a sound

(intr) British a slang word for vomit

British and Australian slang to have a bad smell

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

honk

noun

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

Content related to honk

Words related to honk

Words nearby honk

Origin of honk

Examples from the Web for honking

British Dictionary definitions for honking

noun

verb