What does "frisk" mean?
A little playful skip or leap; a brisk and lively movement.
Frisk
/fɹɪsk/ adj, name, noun, verb
adj, name, noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A little playful skip or leap; a brisk and lively movement.
- Grammar: frisk is listed as adj, name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: amble, antic, beat the bushes, bob.
- Useful contrasts: full search, idle, ignore.
- Usage evidence: Her hands must hide her mouth if she but smile; Fain would she seem all frisk and frolic still
How to use "frisk"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "frisk" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "frisk" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "frisk" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "frisk" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "frisk" is acting as adj, name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "amble" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "frisk", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A little playful skip or leap; a brisk and lively movement.
- 2 the act of searching someone for concealed weapons or illegal drugs wordnet
- 3 The act of frisking, of searching for something by feeling someone's body.
"The customs officer gave me a frisk after I went through the metal detector."
Verb
- 1 To frolic, gambol, skip, dance, leap. intransitive
- 2 search as for concealed weapons by running the hands rapidly over the clothing and through the pockets wordnet
- 3 To search (someone) by feeling their body and clothing. transitive
"The police frisked the suspiciously-acting individual and found a knife as well as a bag of marijuana."
- 4 play boisterously wordnet
- 5 To search (a place). transitive
"Furniture was tipped over and drawers pulled out. Someone had obviously frisked the joint before we arrived."
Adjective
- 1 Lively; brisk. archaic
"Her hands must hide her mouth if she but smile; Fain would she seem all frisk and frolic still"
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Her hands must hide her mouth if she but smile; Fain would she seem all frisk and frolic still"
Common questions
What is a synonym for "frisk"?
Common synonyms include: amble, antic, beat the bushes, bob, body check, body search.
How do you use "frisk" in a sentence?
Her hands must hide her mouth if she but smile; Fain would she seem all frisk and frolic still
How do you pronounce "frisk"?
Pronounced /fɹɪsk/.
Etymology
From Middle English frisk (“lively, frisky”), from Middle French frisque (“lively, jolly, blithe, fine, spruce, gay”), of Germanic origin, perhaps from Middle Dutch frisc (“fresh”) or Old High German frisc (“fresh”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *friskaz (“fresh”). Cognate with Icelandic frískur (“frisky, fresh”). Doublet of fresco and fresh. More at fresh. Alternative etymology derives frisk from an alteration (due to Old French fresche (“fresh”)) of Old French fricque, frique (“smart, strong, playful, bright”), from Gothic *𐍆𐍂𐌹𐌺𐍃 (*friks, “greedy, hungry”), from Proto-Germanic *frekaz, *frakaz (“greedy, active”), from Proto-Indo-European *preg- (“greedy, fierce”). Cognate with Middle Dutch vrec (“greedy, avaricious”), German frech (“insolent”), Old English frec (“greedy, eager, bold, daring, dangerous”). More at freak.