bark

UK: /ˈbɑː^rk/ US: /bɑrk/ ,(bärk)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

bark¹ /bɑrk/   n. 

[countable]
1. the sharp cry of a dog, fox, or similar animal.
2. a short, explosive sound, as of coughing:
   the bark of machine guns.

v.  

3. (of a dog or other animal) to make a bark:
   [no object] The dog barked all night.
4. to make a sound similar to a bark:
   [no object] The big guns barked.
5. to speak sharply or harshly: [~ + object]
   a habit of barking orders.
   [no object]
   barked at his subordinate.

Idioms

6. bark up the wrong tree, to direct one's efforts in the wrong place.

bark² /bɑrk/   n. 

[uncountable]
1. Botany the outside covering of the woody stems of plants, esp. of trees.

v. [~ + object]

2. to scrape the skin of, as by rubbing:
   barked his shins.

bark³ or barque /bɑrk/   n. [countable]

1. Nautical, Naval Terms a sailing vessel with three or more masts and square sails.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

bark¹  (bärk), n. 

1. the abrupt, harsh, explosive cry of a dog.
2. a similar sound made by another animal, as a fox.
3. a short, explosive sound, as of firearms:
   the bark of a revolver.
4. a brusque order, reply, etc.:
   The foreman's bark sent the idlers back to their machines.
5. a cough.

v.i. 

6. (of a dog or other animal) to utter an abrupt, explosive cry or a series of such cries.
7. to make a similar sound:
   The big guns barked.
8. to speak or cry out sharply or gruffly:
   a man who barks at his children.
9. [Informal.] to advertise a theater performance, carnival sideshow, or the like, by standing at the entrance and calling out to passersby.
10. to cough.

v.t. 

11. to utter in a harsh, shouting tone:
    barking orders at her subordinates.
12. bark at the moon, to protest in vain:
    Telling her that she's misinformed is just barking at the moon.
13. bark up the wrong tree, to assail or pursue the wrong person or object;
    misdirect one's efforts:
    If he expects me to get him a job, he's barking up the wrong tree.

• bef. 900; Middle English berken, Old English beorcan; akin to Old English borcian to bark, Old Norse berkja to bluster, Lithuanian burgė́ti to growl, quarrel, Serbo-Croatian br̀gljati to murmur

bark′less, adj. 
Synonyms

• 11. shout, bellow, yell, roar, bawl.

bark²  (bärk), n. 

1. the external covering of the woody stems, branches, and roots of plants, as distinct and separable from the wood itself.
2. Clothing [Tanning.] a mixture of oak and hemlock barks.
3. candy, usually of chocolate with large pieces of nuts, made in flat sheets.

v.t. 

4. to rub off or scrape the skin of, as by bumping into something:
   to bark one's shins.
5. to remove a circle of bark from;
   girdle.
6. to cover, enclose, or encrust with or as if with bark.
7. Clothing to treat with a bark infusion;
   tan.
8. to strip the bark from;
   peel.

• Old Norse bǫrkr (genitive barkar)
• Middle English 1250–1300

bark′less, adj. 

bark³  (bärk), n. 

1. Nautical, Naval Terms a sailing vessel having three or more masts, square-rigged on all but the aftermost mast, which is fore-and-aft-rigged.
2. Naval Terms [Literary.] a boat or sailing vessel.

Also, barque. 

• Coptic barī barge
• Greek bâris Egyptian barge
• Old French barque Late Latin barca, Latin *bārica, bāris
• late Middle English barke 1425–75

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

bark / bɑːk/ noun

1. the loud abrupt usually harsh or gruff cry of a dog or any of certain other animals
2. a similar sound, such as one made by a person, gun, etc
3. his or her bark is worse than his or her bite ⇒ he or she is bad-tempered but harmless

verb

1. (intransitive) (of a dog or any of certain other animals) to make its typical loud abrupt cry
2. (intransitive) (of a person, gun, etc) to make a similar loud harsh sound
3. to say or shout in a brusque, peremptory, or angry tone: he barked an order
4. bark up the wrong tree ⇒ to misdirect one's attention, efforts, etc; be mistaken

Etymology: Old English beorcan; related to Lithuanian burgěti to quarrel, growl

bark / bɑːk/ noun

1. a protective layer of dead corky cells on the outside of the stems of woody plants
2. any of several varieties of this substance that can be used in tanning, dyeing, or in medicine
3. an informal name for cinchona

verb (transitive)

1. to scrape or rub off skin, as in an injury
2. to remove the bark or a circle of bark from (a tree or log)
3. to cover or enclose with bark
4. to tan (leather), principally by the tannins in barks

Etymology: 13th Century: from Old Norse börkr; related to Swedish, Danish bark, German Borke; compare Old Norse björkr birch

bark / bɑːk/ noun

1. a variant spelling (esp US) of barque