Frisking

/ˈfrɪskɪŋ/ verb

Definition

The present participle of frisk; moving about in a playful manner, or searching someone by feeling their clothing.

Etymology

From 'frisk,' with present participle suffix '-ing.' The base verb comes from Middle Dutch 'frisk.'

Kelly Says

Frisking has two opposite lives in English: one playful (a puppy frisking in a field), one serious (police frisking a suspect)—the same word, split in tone.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.