FRISK

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does frisk mean? 

• FRISK (noun)
  The noun FRISK has 1 sense:

1. the act of searching someone for concealed weapons or illegal drugs

  Familiarity information: FRISK used as a noun is very rare.

• FRISK (verb)
  The verb FRISK has 2 senses:

1. play boisterously

2. search as for concealed weapons by running the hands rapidly over the clothing and through the pockets

  Familiarity information: FRISK used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• FRISK (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The act of searching someone for concealed weapons or illegal drugs

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

frisk; frisking

Context example:

he gave the suspect a quick frisk

Hypernyms ("frisk" is a kind of...):

hunt; hunting; search (the activity of looking thoroughly in order to find something or someone)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "frisk"):

strip search (searching someone for concealed weapons or illegal drugs by having them remove their clothes)

Derivation:

frisk (search as for concealed weapons by running the hands rapidly over the clothing and through the pockets)

• FRISK (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they frisk    ... he / she / it frisks   
Past simple: frisked   
Past participle: frisked   
-ing form: frisking   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Play boisterously

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

cavort; disport; frisk; frolic; gambol; lark; lark about; rollick; romp; run around; skylark; sport

Context example:

The toddlers romped in the playroom

Hypernyms (to "frisk" is one way to...):

play (be at play; be engaged in playful activity; amuse oneself in a way characteristic of children)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Sense 2

Meaning:

Search as for concealed weapons by running the hands rapidly over the clothing and through the pockets

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

The police frisked everyone at the airport

Hypernyms (to "frisk" is one way to...):

search (subject to a search)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

frisk; frisking (the act of searching someone for concealed weapons or illegal drugs)

 Context examples 

Never once did the dogs exhibit any symptom of uneasiness, and even when we returned to the chapel they frisked about as though they had been rabbit-hunting in a summer wood.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

She sniffed noses with him, and even condescended to leap about and frisk and play with him in quite puppyish fashion.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

As I sat quietly meditating at my table, I heard something bounce in at the closet-window, and skip about from one side to the other: whereat, although I was much alarmed, yet I ventured to look out, but not stirring from my seat; and then I saw this frolicsome animal frisking and leaping up and down, till at last he came to my box, which he seemed to view with great pleasure and curiosity, peeping in at the door and every window.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

The little Gardiners, attracted by the sight of a chaise, were standing on the steps of the house as they entered the paddock; and, when the carriage drove up to the door, the joyful surprise that lighted up their faces, and displayed itself over their whole bodies, in a variety of capers and frisks, was the first pleasing earnest of their welcome.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

With their going it seemed as if some evil presence had departed, for the dogs frisked about and barked merrily as they made sudden darts at their prostrate foes, and turned them over and over and tossed them in the air with vicious shakes.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)