frisk
frisk Lexical Profile
frisk Game Scores & Validity
• noun
An act of passing the hands over someone's outer clothing to detect concealed items.
"Every visitor had to undergo a brief frisk at the stadium entrance."
A playful skip, leap, or frolic.
"With a joyful frisk of its tail, the puppy bounded across the lawn."
• verb
To pass the hands over someone's outer clothing in search of concealed items.
"Security guards frisked all passengers before allowing them into the terminal."
To skip, leap, or dance about in a lively and playful manner.
"Young lambs frisked happily across the sunny meadow."
• Rhymes for frisk
Word Origin & Etymology
Entered English in the late 15th century as an adjective meaning 'brisk' or 'lively', borrowed from Old French 'frisque', which itself likely derived from a Germanic root related to 'fresh'. The sense of searching a person by passing hands over their clothing emerged in 18th-century British slang, originally referring to picking pockets with quick, nimble movements.