earmark
Plural: earmarks
Noun
- identification mark on the ear of a domestic animal
- a distinctive characteristic or attribute
- A mark made or tag attached to the ear of an animal (chiefly a livestock animal), generally to identify or indicate something about the animal, such as ownership, health or gestation status, etc.
- A distinguishing or identifying mark or sign; specifically (archaic), a mark of ownership.
- An act of designating certain funds to be used for a specific purpose; specifically (US, politics), a designation by the Congress that certain federal funds be appropriated for a specific project.
Verb
Verb Forms: earmarked, earmarking, earmarks
- To designate or set aside for a specific purpose.
- give or assign a resource to a particular person or cause
- "I will earmark this money for your research"
- To make a mark or attach a tag to the ear of (an animal, chiefly a livestock animal), generally to identify or indicate something about the animal, such as ownership.
- To put a distinguishing or identifying mark or sign on (something); to make (something) distinctive or identifiable.
- To designate or set aside (someone or something) for a particular purpose; to allocate.
- Chiefly followed by for: to designate (certain funds) to be used for a specific purpose.
- Chiefly followed by for: to designate (certain funds) to be used for a specific purpose.
- To designate (part of a pension) to be payable to the holder's former spouse or payment when the pension is paid.
- Chiefly followed by for: to designate (certain funds) to be used for a specific purpose.
- Of the Congress: to designate that certain federal funds be appropriated for a specific project.
Examples
- She decided to EARMARK her best tiles for a bingo bonus, hoping to clear her rack.
- You can donate to the organization as a whole, or you can earmark your contribution for a particular project.
Origin / Etymology
The noun is derived from ear + mark. The verb is derived from the noun.
Synonyms
allow, appropriate, hallmark, reserve, set aside, stylemark, trademark, allocate, allot, assign, dedicate, designate, detach, earmark, lugmark, preselect, put aside, secern, secernate, separate, sepose, sequester, set apart
Scrabble Score: 13
earmark: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Wordearmark: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
earmark: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary