English Reference
Noun

honk

n.
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˈhɑŋk/ UK /hˈɒŋk/ honk UK spelling honked, honking, honks

n.a loud, short sound made by a car horn. You use this word when you want to be funny or casual about someone honking their horn.

n.a short, sharp sound made by a car horn.


SIMPLE

He gave a loud honk to get my attention.

CONTEXTUAL

The driver gave a quick honk as he pulled into the parking spot right next to me.

COMPLEX

The sudden honk of the car horn broke the silence of the quiet afternoon, startling the birds that had gathered on the lawn.


Onomatopoeic.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated