chalk

noun
\ ˈchȯk How to pronounce chalk (audio) \

Definition of chalk

 (Entry 1 of 2)

1a : a soft white, gray, or buff limestone composed chiefly of the shells of foraminifers
b : a prepared form of chalk or a material resembling chalk especially when used (as for writing on blackboards) as a crayon
2a : a mark made with chalk
b British : a point scored in a game

chalk

verb
chalked; chalking; chalks

Definition of chalk (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to write or draw with chalk
2 : to rub or mark with chalk
3a : to delineate roughly : sketch
b : to set down or add up with or as if with chalk : record usually used with up chalk up the totals

intransitive verb

: to become chalky the paint had begun to chalk

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Other Words from chalk

Noun

chalky \ ˈchȯ-​kē How to pronounce chalky (audio) \ adjective

Examples of chalk in a Sentence

Noun

The teacher handed her a piece of chalk and asked her to write the answer on the chalkboard. He put chalk marks on the stage to show the actors where they should stand. They drew pictures on the sidewalk with colored chalks.

Verb

She chalked a message on the side of the barn. He chalked the stage to show the actors where they should stand.
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Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Tempera, acrylic, ink, chalk and graphite are sometimes densely applied, sometimes softly layered, often mixed together in dramatic and luminous ways. Los Angeles Times, "Review: Jay DeFeo show offers a provocative sketch of a California artist finding her voice," 17 Aug. 2019 Indeed, contouring has long been associated with performance; actors in Elizabethan England smeared chalk and soot on their face. Sarah Todd, Quartzy, "Why getting dewy skin became a global obsession," 24 July 2019 The first uses smoke from a lighted candle to create impressions on paint, while the last finds charcoal or chalk dust scattered across a watery surface and skimmed off with a stiff piece of paper. Meilan Solly, Smithsonian, "Tate Acquires Archive of Works by Little-Known Surrealist Ithell Colquhoun," 17 July 2019 Federer would kick up chalk with an ace to a corner, and Nadal would do the same in the next game. Howard Fendrich, baltimoresun.com, "Eleven years after epic, Roger Federer tops Rafael Nadal in Wimbledon semis," 12 July 2019 Federer would kick up chalk with an ace to a corner, and Nadal would do the same in the next game. Howard Fendrich, Houston Chronicle, "Roger Federer tops Rafael Nadal in Wimbledon semifinals," 12 July 2019 Every year, Joe Spangler uses red, white and blue sidewalk chalk to cover his Fishers driveway with the Declaration of Independence. Stephen J. Beard, Indianapolis Star, "There's a guy in Fishers who writes the Declaration of Independence on his driveway every Fourth of July," 2 July 2019 Entire families turn out, bringing buckets, wagons, and extra chalk. Sarah Schutte, National Review, "Solemn Parties, Festive Liturgies — What’s Not to Like about Being Catholic?," 22 June 2019 The larger sticks of chalk were made by the gallery with Plaster of Paris and pipes, Carr said. Author: Lauren Ellenbecker, Anchorage Daily News, "Anchorage artists leave downtown street chalk-full of color," 24 June 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Fisher chalks this up to an overcorrection – kind of like the stock market. CBS News, "#MeToo has changed how a lot of single men behave, new study finds," 30 July 2019 Connell chalks this up to extra nitrogen availability. Katie Camero, Science | AAAS, "Ocean acidification could boost shell growth in marine life like snails and sea urchins," 23 July 2019 Eagly chalks it up to the way women and men are segregated within fields, with women often filling roles that require skills associated more with communion than agency. Los Angeles Times, "It’s official: Majority of Americans think women are just as competent as men, if not more so," 19 July 2019 Policymakers, analysts and scholars trying to discern the retailer’s motives and objectives chalked it up to a public relations move or the natural result of a tight labor market. Scott F. Latham, The Conversation, "What Amazon’s decision to retrain a third of its employees means for the future of work," 19 July 2019 But the couple chalked it up to their glee over buying the inn, then a run-down building filled with trash and history on a side street in Seguin. Madison Iszler, ExpressNews.com, "Historic Seguin hotel, ‘paranormal Disneyland,’ to open for overnight stays," 18 July 2019 Attorneys concluded their arguments Monday, with the plaintiff’s side describing an elaborate betrayal and the defense chalking it up to miscommunication. Janelle Bitker, SFChronicle.com, "Jurors begin deliberation in Thomas Keller pregnancy discrimination trial," 25 June 2019 Pinault chalks that up to setting these kinds of ambitious, seemingly-impossible targets and galvanizing his team to work towards them. Emily Farra, Vogue, "At the Copenhagen Fashion Summit, Kering’s François-Henri Pinault Shares a Radical New Vision of Sustainability," 16 May 2019 Hague chalks it up to so much time spent training, going through every possible failure scenario -- including one similar to what actually happened. Ashley Strickland, CNN, "What it takes to be an astronaut: the real 'right stuff'," 17 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'chalk.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of chalk

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1580, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

History and Etymology for chalk

Noun

Middle English, from Old English cealc, from Latin calc-, calx lime; akin to Greek chalix pebble

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More Definitions for chalk

chalk

noun

English Language Learners Definition of chalk

 (Entry 1 of 2)

: a type of soft, light-colored rock
: a substance that is made into white or colored sticks and used for writing or drawing
: a piece of chalk

chalk

verb

English Language Learners Definition of chalk (Entry 2 of 2)

: to write or draw (something) with chalk
: to mark (something) with chalk

chalk

noun
\ ˈchȯk How to pronounce chalk (audio) \

Kids Definition of chalk

 (Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a soft white, gray, or buff limestone made up mainly of the shells of tiny saltwater animals
2 : a material like chalk especially when used for writing or drawing

chalk

verb
chalked; chalking