/ spB:k; spBrk/ n
[C] (a) tiny glowing particle thrown off from sth burning or produced when two hard substances (eg stone, metal, flint) are struck together 火花; 火星: Sparks from the fire were flying up the chimney. 火星沿着烟囱向上飘. * The firework exploded in a shower of sparks. 烟火炸开放出一阵火花. * Rubbing stones together produces sparks to start a fire. 用石头相擦可产生火花用来引火. (b) flash of light produced by the breaking of an electric current （切断电流而产生的）电火花: a faulty light switch sending out sparks 冒着火花的有故障的电灯开关.
[sing] ~ of sth trace (of a particular quality) （某特质的）极微的量: He hasn't a spark of generosity in him. 他一点也不慷慨. * without a spark of enthusiasm 没有丝毫的积极性.
(idm 习语) a bright spark => bright. make the fur/sparks fly => fly².
> spark v [I]
1 give out sparks (spark 1); producesparks 发出火花; 冒火星: The fire is sparking dangerously.那堆火迸出火星, 十分危险.
2 (phr v) spark sth off (infml 口) be the immediate cause of (usu sth bad); lead to sth 直接导致（尤指坏事）; 引发某事: His comment sparked off a quarrel between them. 他提的意见引起了他们之间的争吵. * The incident sparked off a whole chain of disasters. 那件事惹出了一连串的灾祸.
sparks n [sing v] (sl 俚) electrician or radio operator (esp on a ship) 电工, 无线电操作员（尤指船上的）.
# `sparking-plug (also `spark-plug) n device producingan electrical spark which fires the petrol mixture in a petrol engine 火花塞: The sparking-plugs need cleaning. 火花塞要清理一下了. =>illus at App 1 见附录1插图, page xii.