Adjacent Words

Carp definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

CARP, v.i. Literally, to snap or catch at, or to pick. Hence, to censure, cavil, or find fault, particularly without reason, or petulantly; followed by at.
No, not a tooth or nail to scratch
And at my actions carp and catch. Herbert.
CARP, n. A fish, a species of cyprinus, an excellent fish for ponds. These fishes breed rapidly, grow to a large size, and live to a great age.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: the lean flesh of a fish that is often farmed; can be baked or braised
2: any of various freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae v
1: raise trivial objections [syn: cavil, carp, chicane]

Merriam Webster's

I. intransitive verb Etymology: Middle English, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Icelandic karpa to dispute Date: 14th century to find fault or complain querulously • carper noun II. noun Date: 1904 complaint III. noun (plural carp or carps) Etymology: Middle English carpe, from Middle French, from Late Latin carpa, probably of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German karpfo carp Date: 15th century 1. a large variable Asian soft-finned freshwater cyprinid fish (Cyprinus carpio) of sluggish waters that is often raised for food and has been widely introduced into United States waters; also any of various related cyprinid fishes (as the grass carp) 2. a fish (as the European sea bream) resembling a carp

Oxford Reference Dictionary

1. n. (pl. same) any freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae, esp. Cyprinus carpio, often bred for use as food. Etymology: ME f. OF carpe f. Prov. or f. LL carpa 2. v.intr. (usu. foll. by at) find fault; complain pettily. Derivatives: carper n. Etymology: obs. ME senses 'talk, say, sing' f. ON karpa to brag: mod. sense (16th c.) from or infl. by L carpere pluck at, slander

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Carp Carp, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Carped; p. pr. & vb. n. Carping.] [OE. carpen to say, speak; from Scand. (cf. Icel. karpa to boast), but influenced later by L. carpere to pluck, calumniate.] 1. To talk; to speak; to prattle. [Obs.] --Chaucer. 2. To find fault; to cavil; to censure words or actions without reason or ill-naturedly; -- usually followed by at. Carping and caviling at faults of manner. --Blackw. Mag. And at my actions carp or catch. --Herbert.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Carp Carp, v. t. 1. To say; to tell. [Obs.] 2. To find fault with; to censure. [Obs.] --Dryden.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Carp Carp, n.; pl. Carp, formerly Carps. [Cf. Icel. karfi, Dan. karpe, Sw. karp, OHG. charpho, G. karpfen, F. carpe, LL. carpa.] (Zo["o]l.) A fresh-water herbivorous fish (Cyprinus carpio.). Several other species of Cyprinus, Catla, and Carassius are called carp. See Cruclan carp. Note: The carp was originally from Asia, whence it was early introduced into Europe, where it is extensively reared in artificial ponds. Within a few years it has been introduced into America, and widely distributed by the government. Domestication has produced several varieties, as the leather carp, which is nearly or quite destitute of scales, and the mirror carp, which has only a few large scales. Intermediate varieties occur. Carp louse (Zo["o]l.), a small crustacean, of the genus Argulus, parasitic on carp and allied fishes. See Branchiura. Carp mullet (Zo["o]l.), a fish (Moxostoma carpio) of the Ohio River and Great Lakes, allied to the suckers. Carp sucker (Zo["o]l.), a name given to several species of fresh-water fishes of the genus Carpiodes in the United States; -- called also quillback.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Carp Carp, n.; pl. Carp, formerly Carps. [Cf. Icel. karfi, Dan. karpe, Sw. karp, OHG. charpho, G. karpfen, F. carpe, LL. carpa.] (Zo["o]l.) A fresh-water herbivorous fish (Cyprinus carpio.). Several other species of Cyprinus, Catla, and Carassius are called carp. See Cruclan carp. Note: The carp was originally from Asia, whence it was early introduced into Europe, where it is extensively reared in artificial ponds. Within a few years it has been introduced into America, and widely distributed by the government. Domestication has produced several varieties, as the leather carp, which is nearly or quite destitute of scales, and the mirror carp, which has only a few large scales. Intermediate varieties occur. Carp louse (Zo["o]l.), a small crustacean, of the genus Argulus, parasitic on carp and allied fishes. See Branchiura. Carp mullet (Zo["o]l.), a fish (Moxostoma carpio) of the Ohio River and Great Lakes, allied to the suckers. Carp sucker (Zo["o]l.), a name given to several species of fresh-water fishes of the genus Carpiodes in the United States; -- called also quillback.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(carps, carping, carped) Note: 'carp' can also be used as the plural form for meaning 1. 1. A carp is a kind of fish that lives in lakes and rivers. N-VAR 2. If you say that someone is carping, you mean that they keep criticizing or complaining about someone or something, especially in a way you think is unnecessary or annoying. He cannot understand why she's constantly carping at him... VERB: V at/about n [disapproval] • carping She was in no mood to put up with Blanche's carping.

Moby Thesaurus

bug, bully, bullyrag, carp at, catch at straws, cavil, complain, criticize, cut up, fault-find, find fault, fret at, fuss at, gripe, hassle, henpeck, knock, nag, nibble at, niggle, nitpick, peck at, pester, pettifog, pick at, pick holes, pick on, pick to pieces, pull apart, pull to pieces, quibble, take exception, tear apart, tear to pieces, yap at