prank

Everyday

1. A prank is a trick played on someone to make people laugh. tree →
2. To prank someone means to play such a trick on them. tree →

In the lessons

In lessons about truth and tricks, a good prank is harmless and the person tricked can laugh too, like on April Fools' Day; a prank becomes unkind or dangerous when it hurts, scares, embarrasses or bullies someone (pulling a chair away, prank calls to emergency numbers, pranks with food allergies). In stories pranks show cheeky or mischievous characters. Phrases: play a prank on, prank call, April Fools' prank.

Examples

• My brother played a prank on me and put a rubber spider in my bed. tree →
• We laughed at the April Fools' Day prank. tree →
• A prank that hurts someone is not funny. tree →
• Never make prank calls to emergency numbers. tree →
• He pranked his dad by hiding his slippers. tree →
• Pulling a chair away as someone sits down is a dangerous prank. tree →
• The class clown loved pranks. tree →
• If a prank upsets someone, say sorry. tree →
• He sent them into the woods and fields, but instead of looking for a nest they only played pranks on him. tree →

Note

Countable: pranks. «Play a prank on someone». A prank is not the same as bullying, but repeated pranks against the same person to upset them are bullying. Calling emergency services as a prank is against the law in many places and can stop real emergencies getting help.