Parp

Part of speech: verb, noun

Definitions

1. A short, blaring honk from a car horn or similar device ; an informal British slang term for a fart
2. The brief, loud beep of a horn on a vehicle ; a casual, childish word for a flatulent release of gas
3. A quick honking noise made by a horn ; a playful informal term for passing wind from the body

Etymology: "Parp" is imitative, meaning it was formed to echo the sound it names, here the short, blaring note of a horn. The verb and noun share that origin: the verb describes a horn or similar device giving out such a sound, and the noun is the sound itself, as in a car's parp. The sound-imitation explains the word's shape more than any older root does. Words built this way often cluster around a few familiar consonant and vowel patterns, so "parp" sits comfortably beside other onomatopoeic terms for loud, brief noises. Its vowel and the hard "p" at each end give it the blunt, quick quality of the sound it reproduces.

Synonyms: honk, toot, beep