brisk

Etymology

Uncertain. Compare Welsh brysg and French brusque.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bɹɪsk/
• Rhymes: -ɪsk

Adjective

brisk (comparative brisker or more brisk, superlative briskest or most brisk)

1. Full of liveliness and activity; characterized by quickness of motion or action

   Synonyms: lively, spirited, quick

   We took a brisk walk yesterday.

   • 2012 December 29, Paul Doyle, “Arsenal's Theo Walcott hits hat-trick in thrilling victory over Newcastle”, in The Guardian‎:

     Ba, who has been linked with a January move to Arsenal, should have rewarded their brisk start with the opening goal in the 16th minute.

2. Full of spirit of life; effervescing
3. (archaic) sparkling

   brisk cider

4. Stimulating or invigorating.

   This morning was a brisk fall day. It wasn't cold enough for frost, but you wanted to keep moving.

5. Abrupt, curt in one's manner or in relation to others.
   • 1919, W. Somerset Maugham, The Moon and Sixpence, ch. 15

     Her manner was brisk, and her good-breeding scarcely concealed her conviction that if you were not a soldier you might as well be a counter-jumper.

Verb

brisk (third-person singular simple present brisks, present participle brisking, simple past and past participle brisked)

1. (transitive, often with "up") To make or become lively; to enliven; to animate.

Further reading

• brisk in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• brisk in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
• brisk at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• birks

Etymology

From brej, possibly related to Proto-Indo-European *bhrisqo- 'bitter'. Compare Norwegian brisk (“bitter taste”), brisken (“bitter, sharp”), Welsh brysg, French brusque, Russian брезга́ть (brezgátʹ, “nauseate, feel disgust”), English brisk.

Noun

brisk

1. razor
2. sharp, smart, keen, freezing cold

Alternative forms

• briski

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [bʲrʲɪs̪k]

Verb

brìsk

1. second-person singular imperative of bristi.