Dart

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /dɑː(ɹ)t/
• US IPA: /dÉ‘Éšt/
• Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)t

From Middle English dart, from Old French dart, dard ("dart"), from Old Frankish *daroth ("dart, spear"), from Proto-Germanic *darōþuz ("dart, spear"), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰō- ("to sharpen"); compare Old High German tart ("javelin, dart"), Old English daroþ, dearod ("javelin, spear, dart"), Swedish dart ("dart, dagger"), Icelandic darr, dör ("dart").

Full definition of dart

Noun

1. A pointed missile weapon, intended to be thrown by the hand; a short lance; a javelin; any sharp-pointed missile weapon, as an arrow.
• 1769, Oxford Standard Text, , , xviii, 14,Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.
2. Anything resembling such a pointed missile weapon; anything that pierces or wounds like such a weapon.
• 1830, Hannah More, Sensibility, The Works of Hannah More, Volume 1, page 38,The artful inquiry, whose venom′d dart
  Scarce wounds the hearing while it stabs the heart.
3. (Australia, obsolete) A plan or scheme.
• 1947, Norman Lindsay, Halfway to Anywhere, 1970, page 79,Trucking′s my dart too.
4. A sudden or fast movement.
• 2011, Septembe 24, Ben Dirs, Rugby World Cup 2011: England 67-3 Romania, Six minutes later Cueto went over for his second try after the recalled Mike Tindall found him with a perfectly-timed pass, before Ashton went on another dart, this time down his opposite wing, only for his speculative pass inside to be ruled forward.
5. (sewing) A fold that is stitched on a garment.
• 2013, The Economist, Nadia PopovaSomehow she managed, with a cinched waist here and a few darts there, to look like a Hollywood star.
6. (zoology) A fish; the dace.
7. (in the plural) A game of throwing darts at a target.

Derived terms

• dart sac

From Middle English darten, from the noun (see above).

Verb

1. (transitive) To throw with a sudden effort or thrust, as a dart or other missile weapon; to hurl or launch.
2. (transitive) To send forth suddenly or rapidly; to emit; to shootThe sun darts forth his beams.Or what ill eyes malignant glances dart? - Alexander Pope
3. (intransitive) To fly or pass swiftly, as a dart; to move rapidly in one direction; to shoot out quicklyThe flying man darted eastward.
4. (intransitive) To start and run with speed; to shoot rapidly alongThe deer darted from the thicket.
• 2010, December 29, Mark Vesty, Wigan 2 - 2 Arsenal, The impressive Frenchman drove forward with purpose down the right before cutting infield and darting in between Vassiriki Diaby and Koscielny.

Derived terms

• dartle

Anagrams

• drat
• DTRA
• tard
• trad