barking
Barking (noun) means the sharp, repeated sound a dog makes. Example: “The barking next door kept us up half the night.”
How to use barking
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe noise dogs make, or the act of making it.
British slang: "barking" (or "barking mad") means completely crazy.
Word forms
- Plural
- barkings
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ next door kept us up half the night.
Etymology
Came into English via Middle English berkyng, berkande; equivalent to bark + -ing.