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prank

noun
/ˈpɹæŋk//ˈpɹeɪ̯ŋk/CA

Etymology

Origin uncertain. Perhaps 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 *brengʰ- (“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.

  1. derived from *brengʰ-✻
  2. derived from *pranganą✻
  3. derived from pronken
  4. inherited from pranken — “to adorn, arrange one's attire”

Definitions

  1. A practical joke or mischievous trick.

    • play a prank
    • pull a prank on someone
    • He pulled a gruesome prank on his sister.

  2. An evil deed

    An evil deed; a malicious trick, an act of cruel deception.

    • She played a cruel prank on him.
    • Lilius Geraldus ſaith,that Hercules after all his mad prankes vpon his wife and children, was perfectly cured by a purge of Hellebor,which an Anticyrian adminiſtred vnto him.

  3. To perform a practical joke on

    To perform a practical joke on; to trick and make a fool of someone.

    • “If someone’s pranking me,” Rowlands remembered thinking, “they’re going to great lengths to make it work.”
  4. ›+ 3 more definitions

    1. To call someone's phone and hang up before they answer, so as to send them a notification…

      To call someone's phone and hang up before they answer, so as to send them a notification (of a missed call) without incurring fees.

      • Hey man, prank me when you wanna get picked up.
      • I don't have your number in my phone; can you prank me?

    2. To adorn in a showy manner

      To adorn in a showy manner; to dress or equip ostentatiously.

      • In sumptuous tire she ioyd her selfe to prancke
      • Flora, wanton-eyed For birth, and with all flowrets prankt and pied:

    3. To make an ostentatious show.

      • White houses prank where once were huts.

The neighborhood

Derived

prankage, prank call, pranker, prankful, prankish, prankless, pranksome, prankster, pranky, prankee, prankingly

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for prank. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA