dart

1 of 2

noun

1
a
archaic : a light spear
b(1)
: a small missile usually with a pointed shaft at one end and feathers at the other
(2)
darts plural in form but singular in construction : a game in which darts are thrown at a target
2
a
: something projected with sudden speed
especially : a sharp glance
b
: something causing sudden pain or distress
darts of sarcasm
3
: something with a slender pointed shaft or outline
specifically : a stitched tapering fold in a garment
4
: a quick movement
made a dart for the door

dart

2 of 2

verb

darted; darting; darts

transitive verb

1
: to throw with a sudden movement
2
: to thrust or move with sudden speed
3
: to shoot with a dart containing a usually tranquilizing drug

intransitive verb

: to move suddenly or rapidly
darted across the street

Examples of dart in a Sentence

Noun He was hit with a poisoned dart. Her favorite game is darts. a quick dart to the left Verb We saw a deer dart across the road. The frog darted its tongue at a fly.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The initial locations in the New York area cater to golfers and non-golfers alike, offering interactive arcade games as well as game-mode favorites — like darts and window smash — in addition to more than 200 top golf courses available to play on the company’s high-end simulators. Erik Matuszewski, Forbes, 14 Oct. 2024 Williams found Cole Kmet for a 25-yard pass and two plays later sent a dart toward Moore, who made a beautiful falling catch. Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 6 Oct. 2024
Verb
Elsewhere onscreen, dart your eyes toward another frame with Richard and Margaret, or Richard’s parents (played by Paul Bettany and Kelly Reilly) in a moment of ecstasy or, more likely, one of their rows. Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 26 Oct. 2024 My heart is hammering, my eyes darting, my thighs and back now biologically indistinguishable from the couch. Evan Waite, The New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for dart 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dart.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German tart dart, Old English daroth

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1573, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dart was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near dart

Cite this Entry

“Dart.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dart. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

dart

1 of 2 noun
1
a
: a small pointed object that is meant to be thrown
b
plural : a game in which darts are thrown at a target
2
: something causing a sudden pain
3
: a stitched fold in a garment
4
: a quick movement
made a dart for the door

dart

2 of 2 verb
: to move or shoot out suddenly and quickly
the toad darted its tongue at a fly
darted through the traffic

More from Merriam-Webster on dart

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