different between whim vs prank

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /(h)w?m/
• Rhymes: -?m

Etymology 1

Clipping of whim-wham.

Noun

whim (countable and uncountable, plural whims)

1. A fanciful impulse, or whimsical idea.
   • (Can we find and add a quotation of Churchill to this entry?)

     Let every man enjoy his whim.

2. (mining) A large capstan or vertical drum turned by horse power or steam power, for raising ore or water, etc., from mines, or for other purposes

Synonyms

• (fancy): lark, especially in phrase on a whim, see also Thesaurus:whim

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

whim (third-person singular simple present whims, present participle whimming, simple past and past participle whimmed)

1. (rare, intransitive) To be seized with a whim; to be capricious.

Further reading

• Picture of a horse-powered whim used to wind the cables on to work the mine between the depth of 50 feet to 500 feet - photo taken at Gympie, Queensland, Australia

Etymology 2

Compare whimbrel.

Noun

whim (plural whims)

1. A bird, the Eurasian wigeon.

English

Etymology

From Middle English pranken (“to adorn, arrange one's attire”), probably from Middle Dutch pronken, proncken (“to flaunt, make a show, arrange one's attire”). Cognate with Middle Low German prunken (“to flaunt”), German prunken (“to flaunt”), Danish prunke (“to make a show, prank”). Connected also with German prangen (“to make a show, be resplendent”), Dutch prangen (“to squeeze, press”), Danish pragt (“pomp, splendor”), all from Proto-Germanic *prangan?, *prangijan?, *prag- (“to press, squeeze, thring”), from Proto-Indo-European *brAngh- (“to press, squeeze”). Sense of "mischievous act" from earlier verbal sense of "to be crafty or subtle, set in order, adjust". See also prink, prance, prong.

Pronunciation

• enPR: pr?ngk, IPA^(key): /p?æ?k/
• Rhymes: -æ?k

Noun

prank (plural pranks)

1. A practical joke or mischievous trick.

   He pulled a gruesome prank on his sister.

   • The harpies […] played their accustomed pranks.

2. (obsolete) An evil deed; a malicious trick, an act of cruel deception.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:joke

Derived terms

• prankish
• pranksome
• prankster
• pranky

Translations

Verb

prank (third-person singular simple present pranks, present participle pranking, simple past pranked, past participle pranked or (archaic) prankt)

1. (transitive) To perform a practical joke on; to trick.
2. (transitive, slang) To call someone's phone and promptly hang up

   Hey man, prank me when you wanna get picked up.

   I don't have your number in my phone; can you prank me?

3. (transitive) To adorn in a showy manner; to dress or equip ostentatiously.
   • 1748, James Thomson, The Castle of Indolence, B:II

     And there a Sea?on atween June and May,

     Half prankt with Spring, with Summer half imbrown'd,

     A li?tle?s Climate made, where, Sooth to ?ay,

     No living Wight could work, ne cared even for Play.

   • 1880 Dante Gabriel Rosetti, For Spring, by Sandro Botticelli, lines 2–3

     Flora, wanton-eyed

     For birth, and with all flowrets prankt and pied:

4. (intransitive) To make ostentatious show.
   • 1867, Matthew Arnold, "Obermann Once More", in New Poems

     White houses prank where once were huts.

Synonyms

(call and promptly hang up): missed call, missed-call

Translations

Adjective

prank

1. (obsolete) Full of gambols or tricks.

Danish

Noun

prank

1. prank
   • 2016, Klaus Rifbjerg, Falsk forår, Gyldendal A/S (?ISBN)

     Hvad hun tillod sig nu var altså en prank, en joke, noget, der havde med overskud at gøre og slet ikke kunne bringes under de rubrikker, hun lå og forestillede sig.

   • 2014, Nick Clausen, Kanel, klejner og julekaos, Tellerup A/S (?ISBN)

     Bare fordi det er min tur til at finde på en prank gider du ikke gøre dig umage .

   • 2016, Lasse Henriksen, Pil Ingerslev, Benny 1's normale guide til det paranormale, Art People (?ISBN)

     Pranken fik sit eget liv, ...