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Definition of mark noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

mark

noun
 
 
/mɑːk/
 
/mɑːrk/
Idioms
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    symbol

  1.  
     a written or printed symbol that is used as a sign of something, for example the quality of something or who made or owns it
    • I put a mark in the margin to remind me to check the figure.
    • Any piece of silver bearing his mark is extremely valuable.
    • A faint pencil mark showed where the house was on the map.
    • Every image is made up of hundreds of brush marks.
    see also exclamation mark, expression mark, punctuation mark, question mark, quotation marks, stress mark, trademark

    2. standard/grade

  2.  
     (especially British English) a number or letter that is given to show the standard of somebody’s work or performance or is given to somebody for answering something correctly
    • to get a good/poor mark in English
    • to give somebody a high/low mark
    • What's the pass mark (= the mark you need in order to pass)?
    see also black mark, grade
    Wordfinder
    Topics Educationb1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • good
    • high
    • bad
    • …
    verb + mark
    • get
    • receive
    • deserve
    • …
    preposition
    • mark for
    • mark out of
    See full entry
  3.  
     (especially British English) a point given for a correct answer in an exam or competition
    • You get two marks for each correct answer.
    • You will lose marks for bad grammar.
    • I got full marks (= all the possible points) in the spelling test.
    • (ironic) ‘You're wearing a tie!’ ‘Full marks for observation.’
    Topics Educationb1
    Extra Examples
    • How many marks out of ten would you give it?
    • If you get below 40 marks, you're not allowed to go up into the next class.
    • Marks are deducted for incorrect spelling.
    • The festival organizers deserve high marks.
    4.

    spot/dirt

  4.  
     a small area of dirt, a spot or a cut on a surface that makes it look less good
    • The children left dirty marks all over the kitchen floor.
    • There was a red mark on his arm.
    • a burn/scratch mark
    • Detectives found no marks on the body.
    Synonyms markmarkstain ▪ fingerprint ▪ streak ▪ speck ▪ blot ▪ smear ▪ spotThese are all words for a small area of dirt or another substance on a surface.mark a small area of dirt, a spot or a cut on a surface that makes it look less good:
    • The kids left dirty marks all over the kitchen floor.
    stain a dirty mark on something that is difficult to remove, especially one made by a liquid:
    • blood stains
    fingerprint a mark on a surface made by the pattern of lines on the end of a person’s finger, often used by the police to identify criminals:
    • Her fingerprints were all over the gun.
    streak a long, thin mark or line that is a different colour from the surface it is on:
    • She had streaks of grey in her hair.
    speck a very small mark, spot or piece of a substance on something:
    • There isn’t a speck of dust anywhere in the house.
    blot a spot or dirty mark left on something by a substance such as ink or paint being dropped on a surfacesmear a mark made by something such as oil or paint being spread or rubbed on a surfacespot a small dirty mark on something:
    • There were grease spots all over the walls.
    Patterns
    • a streak/​speck/​blot/​smear/​spot of something
    • a greasy mark/​stain/​smear
    • an ink mark/​stain/​blot/​spot
    • a grease mark/​stain/​spot
    • to leave a mark/​stain/​fingerprint/​streak/​speck/​blot/​smear
    see also scorch mark,
    Extra Examples
    • How did you get that mark on your shirt?
    • The iron left scorch marks on my new shirt.
    • Skid marks curved across the road.
    • Stretch marks appear in pregnancy.
    • The girl was left with two rows of bite marks on her shin.
    • The dirty water left a mark around the side of the bathtub.
    • These greasy marks just won't come out.
    • Police examined the tyre marks left in the mud.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • dirty
    • grubby
    • visible
    • …
    verb + mark
    • get
    • leave
    • make
    • …
    mark + verb
    • come off
    • come out
    preposition
    • mark on
    See full entry
  5. a spot or area of colour on the body of a person or an animal that helps you to recognize them
    • a horse with a white mark on its head
    • He was about six feet tall, with no distinguishing marks.
    • Look for a bird with a blue mark on its wings.
    Synonyms patchpatchdot ▪ mark ▪ spotThese are all words for a small part on a surface that is a different colour from the rest.patch an area of something, especially one which is different from the area around it:
    • a white dog with a black patch on its head
    • patches of dense fog
    dot a small round mark on something, especially one that is printed:
    • The letters ‘i’ and ‘j’ have dots over them.
    • The island is a small green dot on the map.
    mark an area of colour that is easy to notice on the body of a person or animal:
    • The horse had a white mark on its head.
    spot a small round area that is a different colour or feels different from the surface it is on:
    • Which has spots, a leopard or a tiger?
    Patterns
    • a patch/​dot/​mark/​spot on something
    • with patches/​dots/​marks/​spots
    • a blue/​black/​red, etc. patch/​dot/​mark/​spot
    see also beauty mark, birthmark, marking, scent mark
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • dirty
    • grubby
    • visible
    • …
    verb + mark
    • get
    • leave
    • make
    • …
    mark + verb
    • come off
    • come out
    preposition
    • mark on
    See full entry
    6.

    sign

  6. a sign that a quality or feeling exists
    • On the day of the funeral businesses remained closed as a mark of respect.
    • Such coolness under pressure is the mark of a champion.
    Extra Examples
    • Such thoughtful behaviour is the mark of a true gentleman.
    • the real mark of a master craftsman
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • deep
    • indelible
    • permanent
    • …
    verb + mark
    • bear
    • have
    • leave
    • …
    preposition
    • mark of
    phrases
    • as a mark of respect
    • make your mark
    See full entry
    7.

    level

  7. a level or point that something reaches that is thought to be important
    • Unemployment has passed the four million mark.
    • Ratings had soared towards the 20 million mark.
    • The needle was flickering around the 80 mark.
    • She was leading at the halfway mark.
    see also low-water mark
    Extra Examples
    • Spending has now reached the $1 million mark.
    • Their relationship was approaching the two-year mark.
    • This year's sales figures have already passed the mark set last year.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • halfway
    • tide
    • high-tide
    • …
    verb + mark
    • set
    • approach
    • near
    • …
    preposition
    • above the mark
    • below the mark
    • around the mark
    • …
    See full entry
    8.

    machine/vehicle

  8. Mark
     (followed by a number) a particular type or model of a machine or vehicle
    • the Mark II engine
    9.

    in gas oven

  9. Mark
     (British English) (followed by a number) a particular level of temperature in a gas oven
    • Preheat the oven to gas Mark 6.
    10.

    for signing document

  10. a cross made on a document instead of a signature by somebody who is not able to write their name

    11. target

  11. (formal) a target
    • Of the blows delivered, barely half found their mark.
    • to hit/miss the mark
    • (figurative) Shock tactics often fall wide of their mark (= are not successful).
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • easy
    verb + mark
    • find
    • hit
    • miss
    • …
    phrases
    • wide of the mark
    See full entry
    12.

    German money

  12. (also Deutschmark, DM)
     the former unit of money in Germany (replaced in 2002 by the euro)Topics Moneyc2
    13. Word Originnoun senses 1 to 10 Old English mearc, gemerce (noun), mearcian (verb), of Germanic origin; from an Indo-European root shared by Latin margo ‘margin’. noun sense 11 Old English marc, from Old Norse mǫrk; probably related to mark (other senses).
Idioms
be close to/near the mark
  1. to be fairly accurate in a guess, statement, etc.
    • Such guesses are thought to be close to the mark.
    • ‘The Times’ was nearer the mark when it said…
    Topics Doubt, guessing and certaintyc2
be off the mark
  1. not to be accurate in a guess, statement, etc.
    • No, you're way off the mark.
    Topics Doubt, guessing and certaintyc2
be on the mark
  1. to be accurate or correct
    • That estimate was right on the mark.
    • I think that your idea is right on the mark.
fall short of the mark | fall short of something
  1. to fail to reach the standard that you expected or need
    • Taylor's solution falls short of the mark.
get off the mark
  1. to start scoring in a game or sport
    • Stewart got off the mark with a four.
hit/miss the mark
  1. to succeed/fail in achieving or guessing something
    • He blushed furiously and Robyn knew she had hit the mark.
    • The film misses the mark because it just isn't believable.
    Topics Successc2, Doubt, guessing and certaintyc2, Difficulty and failurec2
leave your/its/a mark (on something/somebody)
  1. to have an effect on something/somebody, especially a bad one, that lasts for a long time
    • Such a traumatic experience was bound to leave its mark on the children.
    • War has left its mark on the country.
    • She left a permanent mark on racing history.
    • The experience left a deep mark on his memory.
make your/a mark (on something)
  1. to become famous and successful in a particular area
    • He has already made his mark on the music industry.
    • She quickly made her mark as a film director.
    • Women are continuing to make their mark in business.
    Topics Successc1
not be/feel up to the mark
  1. (British English, old-fashioned) not to feel as well or lively as usual
    • I’m not feeling up to the mark at the moment.
on your marks, get set, go!
  1. used to tell runners in a race to get ready and then to start
overstep the mark/line
  1. to behave in a way that people think is not acceptable
    • She realized she had overstepped the mark and quickly apologized.
quick/slow off the mark
  1. fast/slow in reacting to a situation
    • If you’re quick off the mark in answering these questions, you could win a prize.
    • The government was slow off the mark in responding to the crisis.
toe the mark (North American English)
(also toe the (party) line British and North American English)
  1. to say or do what somebody in authority tells you to say or do, even if you do not share the same opinions, etc.
    • One or two of them refused to toe the mark.
    • They rarely fail to toe the mark.
up to the mark (British English)
(North American English up to snuff)
  1. as good as it/they should be synonym up to scratch
    • Your work isn't really up to the mark.
wide of the mark
  1. not accurate
    • Their predictions turned out to be wide of the mark.
See mark in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee mark in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
Check pronunciation: mark

Nearby words

sufficiently
adverb
 
 
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