frivolity vs prank what difference
what is difference between frivolity and prank
English
Etymology
From French frivolité
Noun
frivolity (countable and uncountable, plural frivolities)
- frivolous act
- state of being frivolous
Related terms
- frivolous
Translations
English
Etymology
From Middle English pranken (“to adorn, arrange one’s attire”), probably from Middle Dutch pronken, proncken (“to flaunt, make a show, arrange one’s attire”), related to German prangen (“to make a show, be resplendent”), Dutch prangen (“to squeeze, press”), Danish pragt (“pomp, splendor”), all from Proto-Germanic *pranganą, *prangijaną, *prag- (“to press, squeeze, thring”), from Proto-Indo-European *brAngh- (“to press, squeeze”). Or, perhaps ultimately related to Proto-Germanic *brahtaz, similar to Dutch pracht (“splendor”), Swedish prakt (“glory, pomp”) (loaned from Low German).
Cognate with Middle Low German prunken (“to flaunt”), German prunken (“to flaunt”), Danish prunke (“to make a show, prank”). Sense of “mischievous act” from earlier verbal sense of “to be crafty or subtle, set in order, adjust”. See also prink, prance, prong.
Pronunciation
- enPR: prăngk, IPA(key): /pɹæŋk/
- Rhymes: -æŋk
Noun
prank (plural pranks)
- A practical joke or mischievous trick.
- He pulled a gruesome prank on his sister.
- The harpies […] played their accustomed pranks.
- (obsolete) An evil deed; a malicious trick, an act of cruel deception.
Synonyms
- See also Thesaurus:joke
Derived terms
- prankish
- pranksome
- pranker
- prankster
- pranky
Translations
Verb
prank (third-person singular simple present pranks, present participle pranking, simple past pranked, past participle pranked or (archaic) prankt)
- (transitive) To perform a practical joke on; to trick.
- (transitive, slang) To call someone’s phone and promptly hang up
- Hey man, prank me when you wanna get picked up.
- I don’t have your number in my phone; can you prank me?
- (transitive) To adorn in a showy manner; to dress or equip ostentatiously.
- 1748, James Thomson, The Castle of Indolence, B:II
- And there a Seaſon atween June and May,
- Half prankt with Spring, with Summer half imbrown’d,
- A liſtleſs Climate made, where, Sooth to ſay,
- No living Wight could work, ne cared even for Play.
- 1880 Dante Gabriel Rosetti, For Spring, by Sandro Botticelli, lines 2–3
- Flora, wanton-eyed
- For birth, and with all flowrets prankt and pied:
- 1748, James Thomson, The Castle of Indolence, B:II
- (intransitive) To make ostentatious show.
- 1867, Matthew Arnold, “Obermann Once More”, in New Poems
- White houses prank where once were huts.
- 1867, Matthew Arnold, “Obermann Once More”, in New Poems
Synonyms
(call and promptly hang up): missed call, missed-call
Translations
Adjective
prank
- (obsolete) Full of gambols or tricks.
References
Danish
Noun
prank
- prank
- 2016, Klaus Rifbjerg, Falsk forår, Gyldendal A/S (→ISBN)
- Hvad hun tillod sig nu var altså en prank, en joke, noget, der havde med overskud at gøre og slet ikke kunne bringes under de rubrikker, hun lå og forestillede sig.
- 2014, Nick Clausen, Kanel, klejner og julekaos, Tellerup A/S (→ISBN)
- Bare fordi det er min tur til at finde på en prank gider du ikke gøre dig umage .
- 2016, Lasse Henriksen, Pil Ingerslev, Benny 1’s normale guide til det paranormale, Art People (→ISBN)
- Pranken fik sit eget liv, …
- 2016, Klaus Rifbjerg, Falsk forår, Gyldendal A/S (→ISBN)