nark

I. vb

British

1.

to inform on, betray. From the noun nark.

2.

to stop or to keep quiet. This cockney usage invariably occurred in the com-mand 'nark it!'.

3.

to annoy or affront; to needle. This expression, which was particularly popu-lar in the 1950s and which is also heard in Australia, is derived ultimately from the Romany word nak, meaning nose. Nark in its modern sense is semantically related to such expressions as 'to have one's nose put out of joint', to get up one's nose, or 'poke one's nose in'. It is often heard in the form of its past participle, narked, meaning annoyed or affronted.

► 'The trouble is, many people today they won't do anything. I got a very poor opinion of my fellow creatures, a very poor opinion. So I nark them whenever I can. I like narking people.' (82-year-old Ted Bosley, quoted in the Independent, 18 May 1989)

II. n

British

a.

an informer. The expression originated in the 19th century as 'copper's nark', meaning a police spy or grass, nark being an alteration of the Romany (gypsy) word nak, meaning nose.

b.

a spoilsport, teacher's pet, nuisance or toady. This more generalised usage, deriving from the previous sense, was fairly widespread in the 1950s in working-class circles and is still heard among schoolchildren.

c.

a policeman. In underworld, prison and tramp's jargon.