Adjacent Words

Earmark definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

E'ARMARK, n. A mark on the ear, by which a sheep is known.
E'ARMARK, v.t. To mark, as sheep by cropping or slitting the ear.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: identification mark on the ear of a domestic animal
2: a distinctive characteristic or attribute [syn: hallmark, trademark, earmark, stylemark] v
1: give or assign a resource to a particular person or cause; "I will earmark this money for your research"; "She sets aside time for meditation every day" [syn: allow, appropriate, earmark, set aside, reserve]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Date: 15th century 1. a mark of identification on the ear of an animal 2. a distinguishing mark <all the earmarks of poverty> II. transitive verb Date: 1591 1. a. to mark (livestock) with an earmark b. to mark in a distinguishing manner 2. to designate (as funds) for a specific use or owner <money earmarked for education>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. 1 an identifying mark. 2 an owner's mark on the ear of an animal. --v.tr. 1 set aside (money etc.) for a special purpose. 2 mark (sheep etc.) with such a mark.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Earmark Ear"mark`, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Earmarked; p. pr. & vb. n. Earmarking.] To mark, as sheep, by cropping or slitting the ear.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Earmark Ear"mark`, n. 1. A mark on the ear of sheep, oxen, dogs, etc., as by cropping or slitting. 2. A mark for identification; a distinguishing mark. Money is said to have no earmark. --Wharton. Flying, he [a slave] should be described by the rounding of his head, and his earmark. --Robynson (More's Utopia). A set of intellectual ideas . . . have earmarks upon them, no tokens of a particular proprietor. --Burrow.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(earmarks, earmarking, earmarked) 1. If resources such as money are earmarked for a particular purpose, they are reserved for that purpose. ...the extra money being earmarked for the new projects... The education department has earmarked £6m for the new school... Some of the money has been earmarked to pay for the re-settlement of people from contaminated areas. = set aside VERB: be V-ed for n, V n for n, be V-ed to-inf 2. If something has been earmarked for closure or disposal, for example, people have decided that it will be closed or got rid of. Their support meant that he was not forced to sell the business which was earmarked for disposal last year... VERB: usu passive, be V-ed for n

Moby Thesaurus

allocate, allot, appoint, appropriate to, aroma, assign, assign to, attribute, badge, banner, be characteristic, birthmark, blaze, blemish, blotch, brand, cachet, cast, caste mark, character, characteristic, characterize, check, checkmark, cicatrix, configuration, cut, dapple, define, demarcate, describe, destine, detail, device, differentia, differential, differentiate, discoloration, distinctive feature, distinguish, dot, engraving, fate, feature, figure, flavor, fleck, flick, freckle, gash, graving, gust, hack, hallmark, idiocrasy, idiosyncrasy, image, impress, impression, index, indicant, indicator, individualism, insignia, jot, keynote, label, lentigo, lineaments, lot, macula, make assignments, mannerism, mark, mark off, mark out, mark out for, marking, measure, mold, mole, mottle, nature, nevus, nick, notch, note, odor, ordain, particularity, patch, peculiarity, picture, point, polka dot, portion off, prick, property, puncture, quality, quirk, representation, representative, reserve, restrict, restrict to, savor, scar, scarification, schedule, score, scotch, scratch, scratching, seal, set, set apart, set aside, set off, set the pace, set the tone, shape, sigil, sign, signal, signature, singularity, smack, sound the keynote, specialty, speck, speckle, splash, splotch, spot, stain, stamp, stigma, strawberry mark, sure sign, symptom, tab, tag, taint, tang, taste, tattoo, tattoo mark, telltale sign, tick, ticket, tittle, token, trait, trick, watermark