dart

noun \ ˈdärt \

|Updated on: 10 Jun 2018

Examples: dart in a Sentence

Definition of dart

1 a archaic : a light spear

b (1) : a small missile usually with a pointed shaft at one end and feathers at the other

(2) darts plural in form but singular in construction : a game in which darts are thrown at a target

2 a : something projected with sudden speed; especially : a sharp glance

b : something causing sudden pain or distress

darts of sarcasm

3 : something with a slender pointed shaft or outline; specifically : a stitched tapering fold in a garment

4 : a quick movement

made a dart for the door

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See dart defined for kids

Examples of dart in a Sentence

He was hit with a poisoned dart.
Her favorite game is darts.
a quick dart to the left

Recent Examples of dart from the Web

The cabin can sleep 11 in three bedrooms and three bathrooms, and other amenities include a gas modfire, dining seating for 12, a hot tub, a shuffle board table and a vintage Ms Pac Man cocktail table and dart board.

— megan barber, Curbed, "8 A-frames you can rent right now," 1 June 2018
After a long chase, game wardens were successful in hitting the bear with a tranquilizer dart.

— los angeles times staff, latimes.com, "250-pound bear captured in La Verne," 1 June 2018
An officer takes a shot with a tranquilizer dart and the steer stumbles, then struggles to its feet in an attempt to leap over the police cars to freedom.

— Longreads, "Wild At Heart," 17 May 2018
From there? Push the rod through a little bit and the magnetic for will fire 'em at the dart board.

— john wenz, Popular Mechanics, "Why Throw Darts When You Can Shoot Them With Magnets?," 14 Mar. 2016
Was asked to carry his offense in college and demonstrated playmaking off the dribble, throwing darts with accuracy to shooters and cutters.

— sean meagher, OregonLive.com, "NBA draft rumors: Chandler Hutchison secures 1st-round draft promise," 17 May 2018
This hole is expected to be played from a little more than 100 yards, which means the pros should be throwing darts at the pin all day.

— drew davison, star-telegram, "For its 50th anniversary, the Byron Nelson golf tournament sets a new course | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 16 May 2018
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is about as stable as a Fabergé egg balancing on a toothpick that’s attached to the back of a cat that suffers from ADHD and hasn’t taken its medication but has just seen a mouse dart across the room.

— stephen a. crockett jr., The Root, "The Meeting Between Kim Jong Un and Trump Is About As Likely as a Full-Member New Edition Reunion Tour," 16 May 2018
Will Kahn come around on the hapless, constantly tardy Bobby, who wouldn’t know a lawnmower from a lawn dart?

— bill goodykoontz, azcentral, "Coming-of-age drama 'Measure of a Man' doesn't measure up, despite Donald Sutherland," 10 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'dart.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of dart

Middle English, from Anglo-French, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German tart dart, Old English daroth

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First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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dart Synonyms

dart

verb

Definition of dart

transitive verb

1 : to throw with a sudden movement

2 : to thrust or move with sudden speed

3 : to shoot with a dart containing a usually tranquilizing drug

intransitive verb

: to move suddenly or rapidly

darted across the street

See dart defined for English-language learners

Examples of dart in a Sentence

We saw a deer dart across the road.
The frog darted its tongue at a fly.

Recent Examples of dart from the Web

When the Warriors’ foes hit this point and reach this conclusion, their target almost always becomes the Splash Brothers, who rely so much on darting and dashing and cutting.

— scott ostler, San Francisco Chronicle, "Cavaliers have a puncher’s chance in NBA Finals if they get physical," 5 June 2018
While giving up two runs in one inning Tuesday, which raised his ERA to 6.33, Romo’s pitches floated more than dipped and darted, and his signature slider was mostly flat.

— jorge l. ortiz, USA TODAY, "Rays reliever Sergio Romo embraces role as a pitching chameleon," 31 May 2018
They were darted with a dose of antidote, and their blindfolds were removed.

— jason florio, Smithsonian, "The Dangerous Work of Relocating 5,000-Pound Rhinos," 22 May 2018
The 3-pounder darted and dove, running under the side of the boat before charting an urgent path to the bow.

— bryce miller, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Wildly-popular Lake Barrett adjusting its bass-catching expectations," 26 Apr. 2018
As the kids shoot baskets, their dark eyes dart to a far corner, where a two-story blue canvas structure that looks like an igloo is inflating.

— ned rozell, Anchorage Daily News, "Where myth meets science: The northern lights in Nuiqsut, seen inside a portable planetarium," 21 Apr. 2018
For the next few months, Kimball darted and dashed around McCain, throwing a lot of punches and landing none.

— azcentral, "The ever-ambitious John McCain rises to the U.S. Senate," 2 Apr. 2018
Most hands in the room dart back up, and a welcome ribbon of laughter ripples through the crowd.

— lizzy goodman, The Cut, "Just Ask," 23 Jan. 2018
Blue flames can be seen darting into the air -- a sign that dangerous gases are being released.

— david begnaud, CBS News, "Hawaii Kilauea volcano eruption: Fiery red lava, blue flames light up sky," 15 May 2018

First Known Use of dart

1573

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

See Words from the same year

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dart Synonyms

Synonyms

dance, flick, flicker, flirt, flit, flitter, flutter, zip;

Near Antonyms

float, hang, hover;

scamper, scud, scurry, scuttle, skip, skitter;

meander, ramble, roam, wander;

DART Defined for English Language Learners

dart

noun

Definition of dart for English Language Learners

: a small object that has a sharp point at one end and that is thrown in the game of darts or used as a weapon
darts : a game in which darts are thrown at a board that is marked with circles
: a quick movement