earmark
English
Etymology
Pronunciation
Audio (US): (file)
Verb
earmark (third-person singular simple present earmarks, present participle earmarking, simple past and past participle earmarked)
- (transitive) To mark (as of sheep) by slitting the ear.
- (transitive, by extension) To specify or set aside for a particular purpose, to allocate.
- You can donate to the organization as a whole, or you can earmark your contribution for a particular project.
Synonyms
- (set aside for a particular purpose): appropriate, sepose; see also Thesaurus:set apart
Translations
to mark by slitting the ear
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to specify or set aside for a particular purpose
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Noun
earmark (plural earmarks)
- A mark or deformation of the ear of an animal, intended to indicate ownership.
- (US, politics) The designation of specific projects in appropriations of funding for general programs.
- A mark for identification; a distinguishing mark.
- Wharton
- Money is said to have no earmark.
- Burrow
- A set of intellectual ideas […] have earmarks upon them, no tokens of a particular proprietor.
- Wharton
Coordinate terms
- (US politics): phonemark
Translations
A mark of the ear of an animal
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The designation of specific projects in appropriations of funding for general programs