mark

[ mahrk ]

/ mɑrk /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR mark ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a visible impression or trace on something, as a line, cut, dent, stain, or bruise: a small mark on his arm.

a badge, brand, or other visible sign assumed or imposed: a mark of his noble rank.

a symbol used in writing or printing: a punctuation mark.

a sign, usually an X or cross, made instead of a signature by someone who does not know how or is unable to write his or her own name.

an affixed or impressed device, symbol, inscription, etc., serving to give information, identify, indicate origin or ownership, attest to character or comparative merit, or the like, as a trademark.

a sign, token, or indication: to bow as a mark of respect.

a symbol used in rating conduct, proficiency, attainment, etc., as of pupils in a school: good marks; bad marks.

something serving as an indication of position, as a landmark.

a recognized or required standard of quality, accomplishment, etc.; norm: His dissertation was below the mark.

distinction or importance; repute; note: a man of mark.

a distinctive trait or characteristic: the usual marks of a gentleman.

(usually initial capital letter) U.S. Military. a designation for an item of military equipment in production, used in combination with a numeral to indicate the order of adoption, and often abbreviated: a Mark-4 tank; an M-1 rifle.

an object aimed at; target: to aim at the mark.

an object or end desired or striven for; goal.

Slang.

an object of derision, scorn, manipulation, or the like: He was an easy mark for criticism.
the intended victim of a swindler, hustler, or the like: The cardsharps picked their marks from among the tourists on the cruise ship.

Track. the starting line.

Boxing. the middle of the stomach.

Lawn Bowling. jack¹(def 18).

Bowling. a strike or spare.

Nautical. any of the distinctively marked points on a deep-sea lead line, occurring at levels of 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 13, 15, 17, and 20 fathoms above the lead.Compare deep(def 33).

a tract of land that may have been held in common by a primitive or early medieval community of peasants in Germany.

Archaic or History/Historical. a boundary; frontier.

verb (used with object)

to be a distinguishing feature of: a day marked by rain.

to put a mark or marks on: to mark each box with an X.

to give a grade for; put a grade on: to mark the final exams.

scent-mark(def 2).

to furnish with figures, signs, tags, etc., to indicate price, quality, brand name, or the like: We marked all the books with prices.

to trace or form by or as if by marks (often followed by out): to mark out a plan of attack.

to indicate or designate by or as if by marks: to mark passages to be memorized.

to single out; destine (often followed by out): to be marked out for promotion.

to record, as a score.

to make manifest: to mark approval with a nod.

to give heed or attention to: Mark my words!

to notice or observe: to mark a change in the weather.

verb (used without object)

to take notice; give attention; consider.

scent-mark(def 1).

Verb Phrases

mark down, to reduce the price of: These towels have been marked down.

mark off, to mark the proper dimensions or boundaries of; separate: We marked off the limits of our lot with stakes.

mark up,

to mar or deface with marks.
to mark with notations or symbols.
to fix the selling price of (an article) by adding to the seller's cost an amount to cover expenses and profit: to mark up dresses 50 percent.
to increase the selling price of.
to make corrections or changes to (written or printed text).
to indicate detailed instructions concerning the format, style, or structure for (a manuscript to be typeset, an electronic document, or a web page).

Nearby words

marivaux, pierre carlet de chamblain de, mariánské lázně, marjolaine, marjoram, marjory, mark down, mark antony, mark down, mark my words, mark of the beast, mark time

Idioms

beside the mark, not pertinent; irrelevant.

bless/save the mark! (used as an exclamation of disapproval, contempt, impatience, etc.)Also God bless/save the mark!

make one's mark, to attain success or fame; achieve one's ambition: He set out to make his mark as a writer.

mark time. time(def 55).

on your mark/marks! (in calling the start of a race) take your places: On your mark! Get set! Go!Also get ready!, ready!

wide of the mark, far from the target or objective; inaccurate or irrelevant: My first guess was wide of the mark.

Origin of mark

before 900; (noun) Middle English; Old English mearc mark, sign, banner, dividing line, borderland; cognate with German Mark borderland, unit of weight, Old Norse mǫrk forest (orig., borderland), unit of weight, Gothic marka boundary, borderland, Latin margō margin; (v.) Middle English marken, Old English mearcian; cognate with Old Frisian merkia, Old High German marchōn, Old Norse marka to plan

SYNONYMS FOR mark

10 eminence, consequence.

11 feature, stamp, print.

14 purpose, objective.

29 identify, label, tag.

32, 33 note.

34 eye, regard, spot.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR mark ON THESAURUS.COM

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

British Dictionary definitions for mark down (1 of 3)

Mark

/ (mɑːk) /

noun New Testament

one of the four Evangelists. Feast day: April 25

the second Gospel, traditionally ascribed to him

British Dictionary definitions for mark down (2 of 3)

mark

/ (mɑːk) /

noun

a visible impression, stain, etc, on a surface, such as a spot or scratch

a sign, symbol, or other indication that distinguishes somethingan owner's mark

a cross or other symbol made instead of a signature

a written or printed sign or symbol, as for punctuationa question mark

a letter, number, or percentage used to grade academic work

a thing that indicates position or directs; marker

a desired or recognized standardhe is not up to the mark

an indication of some quality, feature, or prowesshe has the mark of an athlete

quality or importance; notea person of little mark

a target or goal

impression or influencehe left his mark on German literature

one of the temperature settings on a gas ovengas mark 5

(often capital) (in trade names)

model, brand, or typethe car is a Mark 4
a variation on a particular modela Mark 3 Cortina

slang a suitable victim, esp for swindling

nautical one of the intervals distinctively marked on a sounding leadCompare deep (def. 21)

bowls another name for the jack 1 (def. 7)

rugby Union an action in which a player standing inside his own 22m line catches a forward kick by an opponent and shouts "mark", entitling himself to a free kick

Australian rules football a catch of the ball from a kick of at least 10 yards, after which a free kick is taken

the mark boxing the middle of the stomach at or above the line made by the boxer's trunks

(in medieval England and Germany) a piece of land held in common by the free men of a community

an obsolete word for frontier

statistics See class mark

make one's mark to succeed or achieve recognition

on your mark or on your marks a command given to runners in a race to prepare themselves at the starting line

verb

to make or receive (a visible impression, trace, or stain) on (a surface)

(tr) to characterize or distinguishhis face was marked by anger

(often foll by off or out) to set boundaries or limits (on)to mark out an area for negotiation

(tr) to select, designate, or doom by or as if by a markto mark someone as a criminal

(tr) to put identifying or designating labels, stamps, etc, on, esp to indicate priceto mark the book at one pound

(tr) to pay heed or attention tomark my words

to observe; notice

to grade or evaluate (scholastic work)she marks fairly

British sport to stay close to (an opponent) to hamper his or her play

to keep (score) in some games

mark time

to move the feet alternately as in marching but without advancing
to act in a mechanical and routine way
to halt progress temporarily, while awaiting developments

interjection

rugby Union the shout given by a player when calling for a mark

Word Origin for mark

Old English mearc mark; related to Old Norse mörk boundary land, Old High German marha boundary, Latin margō margin

British Dictionary definitions for mark down (3 of 3)

mark

/ (mɑːk) /

noun

See Deutschmark, markka, Reichsmark, Ostmark

a former monetary unit and coin in England and Scotland worth two thirds of a pound sterling

a silver coin of Germany until 1924

Word Origin for mark

Old English marc unit of weight of precious metal, perhaps from the marks on metal bars; apparently of Germanic origin and related to mark 1

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

Word Origin and History for mark down (1 of 4)

mark

"to put a mark on," Old English mearcian (West Saxon), merciga (Anglian) "to trace out boundaries," from Proto-Germanic *markojanan (cf. Old Norse merkja, Old Saxon markon, Old Frisian merkia, Old High German marchon, German merken "to mark, note," Middle Dutch and Dutch merken), from the root of mark (n.1).

Influenced by Scandinavian cognates. Meaning "to have a mark" is from c.1400; that of "to notice, observe" is late 14c. Meaning "to put a numerical price on an object for sale" led to verbal phrase mark down (1859). Mark time (1833) is from military drill. Related: Marked; marking. Old French merchier "to mark, note, stamp, brand" is a Germanic loan-word.

Word Origin and History for mark down (1 of 4)

mark

n.1

"trace, impression," Old English mearc (West Saxon), merc (Mercian) "boundary, sign, limit, mark," from Proto-Germanic *marko (cf. Old Norse merki "boundary, sign," mörk "forest," which often marked a frontier; Old Frisian merke, Gothic marka "boundary, frontier," Dutch merk "mark, brand," German Mark "boundary, boundary land"), from PIE *merg- "edge, boundary, border" (cf. Latin margo "margin;" Avestan mareza- "border," Old Irish mruig, Irish bruig "borderland," Welsh bro "district").

The primary sense is probably "boundary," which had evolved by Old English through "sign of a boundary," through "sign in general," then to "impression or trace forming a sign." Meaning "any visible trace or impression" first recorded c.1200. Sense of "line drawn to indicate starting point of a race" (e.g. on your marks ...) first attested 1887. The Middle English sense of "target" (c.1200) is the notion in marksman and slang sense "victim of a swindle" (1883). The notion of "sign, token" is behind the meaning "numerical award given by a teacher" (1829). Influenced by Scandinavian cognates.

Word Origin and History for mark down (2 of 4)

mark

n.2

"unit of money or weight," late Old English marc, a unit of weight (chiefly for gold or silver) equal to about eight ounces, probably from Old Norse mörk "unit of weight," cognate with German Mark, probably ultimately a derivative of mark (n.1), perhaps in sense of "imprinted weight or coin." Used from 18c. in reference to various continental coinages, especially. the silver coin of Germany first issued 1875.

Word Origin and History for mark down (3 of 4)

Mark

masc. proper name, variant of Marcus (q.v.). Among the top 10 names given to boy babies born in the U.S. between 1955 and 1970.

Medicine definitions for mark down

mark

[ märk ]

n.

A spot or line on a surface, visible through difference in color or elevation from that of the surrounding area.

A distinctive trait or property.

v.

To make a visible trace or impression on, as occurs with a spot or dent.

To form, make, or depict by making a mark.

To distinguish or characterize.

Idioms and Phrases with mark down (1 of 2)

mark down

Reduce the price of something, as in If they mark down these shoes, I'll buy two pairs. The mark here alludes to the label indicating a price. [Mid-1800s]

Idioms and Phrases with mark down (2 of 2)

mark

In addition to the idioms beginning with mark

mark down
marked man, a
mark my words
mark time
mark up

also see:

beside the point (mark)
black mark
give bad marks to
high-water mark
hit the bull's-eye (mark)
make one's mark
off the mark
quick off the mark
toe the line (mark)
up to par (the mark)
wide of the mark
x marks the spot

mark

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Verb Phrases

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Idioms

Origin of mark

British Dictionary definitions for mark down (1 of 3)

Mark

noun New Testament

British Dictionary definitions for mark down (2 of 3)

mark

noun

verb

interjection

Word Origin for mark

British Dictionary definitions for mark down (3 of 3)

mark

noun

Word Origin for mark

Word Origin and History for mark down (1 of 4)

mark

Word Origin and History for mark down (1 of 4)

mark

Word Origin and History for mark down (2 of 4)

mark

Word Origin and History for mark down (3 of 4)

Mark

Medicine definitions for mark down

mark

n.

v.

Idioms and Phrases with mark down (1 of 2)

mark down

Idioms and Phrases with mark down (2 of 2)

mark