dart

dart — noun

1. a small thin pointed object, often fitted with feathers or plastic fins at the b

1.nounB1
Definition

a small thin pointed object, often fitted with feathers or plastic fins at the back, which players throw at a circular board in the sport called darts to win points

Example

Christopher threw three darts at the board and scored fifty-two points.

dart + at the board / score + points

The blue dart had a cracked tip, so Andrés chose another from the set.

Common collocations
  • dart + board
  • dart + player
  • dart + flight
  • dart + tip
  • dart + throw
  • dart + set
Synonyms
  • arrow

    larger and shot from a bow, not thrown by hand

  • missile

    general term for any object thrown or fired as a weapon; much broader in meaning

Usage Note

Frequently found in compounds such as dartboard, dart player, and dart throw. The object itself has a pointed metal tip and a flight section at the back to stabilise its path through the air.

Common Mistakes

He threw a dart to the target.
He threw a dart at the target.
the preposition 'at' marks the intended point of impact, not 'to' which would mean towards without the idea of aiming.

2. a sport where participants take turns throwing pointed objects at a circular tar

2.nounB1
Definition

a sport where participants take turns throwing pointed objects at a circular target divided into numbered sections, each worth a different number of points

Example

Zayd plays darts every Thursday at a pub near his apartment.

play darts at a pub

The local darts league has eight teams that compete from September to May.

Common collocations
  • play + darts
  • darts + league
  • darts + match
  • darts + tournament
  • darts + board
  • darts + player

Usage Note

Takes a singular verb: 'Darts is played indoors.' Distinguished from sense 1 by the uncountable use — compare 'three darts' (countable objects) with 'play darts' (the game). Common in British cultural contexts; less familiar to learners from cultures where pub games are different.

Common Mistakes

Darts are very popular in Britain.
Darts is very popular in Britain.
the name of the game is treated as a singular uncountable noun, not a plural.

3. a small thin pointed object that can be fired using a gun or launched through a

3.nounB2
Definition

a small thin pointed object that can be fired using a gun or launched through a blowpipe by breath, sometimes tipped with a substance to drug or poison for hunting or defence

Example

The hunter dipped each dart in poison before loading the blowpipe.

dart + dipped in poison

Park rangers use tranquiliser darts to calm large animals before moving them.

tranquiliser dart / calm animals

Common collocations
  • tranquiliser + dart
  • poison + dart
  • blowpipe + dart
  • dart + gun
  • dart + tip
Synonyms
  • projectile

    any object fired through the air; much broader, includes bullets and arrows

  • tranquiliser dart

    a specific type of dart used to sedate animals; the most common modern context for this sense

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 1: the weapon dart is propelled by a device (gun or blowpipe) and is often coated with substances, whereas the game dart is thrown by hand and has no coating. Common in contexts of hunting, animal conservation, and certain traditional cultures.

4. a narrow, V-shaped stitched fold in a garment that tapers to nothing, made so th

4.nounB2
Definition

a narrow, V-shaped stitched fold in a garment that tapers to nothing, made so the fabric fits the curves of the body more snugly

Example

Élise sewed two long darts into the back of the dress to make it fit.

sew a dart into a dress

The tailor unpicked the darts and re-stitched them closer to the side seams.

Common collocations
  • sew + a dart
  • dart + position
  • dart + seam
  • dart + fabric
  • bust + dart
  • waist + dart
Synonyms
  • tuck

    a broader term for any folded-and-stitched area in fabric; a dart is a specific type of tuck that tapers

Usage Note

Domain-specific to sewing and fashion design. Not related to the other senses of dart etymologically — this sense comes from a different Old Germanic root meaning 'to cut'. Distinguished by the clothing context.

5. a sudden, swift movement in a particular direction, often by a person, animal, o

5.nounB2
Definition

a sudden, swift movement in a particular direction, often by a person, animal, or thing

Example

The cat made a sudden dart toward the open kitchen door.

make a sudden dart

With a swift dart to the left, the goalkeeper caught the ball.

Common collocations
  • sudden + dart
  • swift + dart
  • quick + dart
  • dart + of pain
  • dart + of light
Synonyms
  • rush

    a fast movement, but usually over a slightly longer distance and with less implication of a change in direction

  • dash

    a short, fast run; stronger than dart in suggesting speed over ground

  • bolt

    a sudden, rapid movement, often triggered by fear or surprise

Antonyms

Usage Note

Often used in literary or descriptive language. The phrase 'a dart of pain' figuratively compares a sudden stabbing pain to the movement of a thrown dart. The bare noun form usually appears with a modifier such as 'sudden', 'swift', or 'quick'.

dart — verb

Word family

  • dartboard
    nounB1
  • darts
    nounB1
  • darting
    adjectiveC1
  • dartlike
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All five words describe fast movement, but they differ in distance, direction change, and register. Dart suggests a sudden, brief movement in a specific direction, often with a change of path — like a fish darting between rocks. Dash implies running very fast over a short distance, usually in a straight line and often with urgency: 'She dashed to the station.' Bolt adds the idea of sudden, uncontrolled speed triggered by fear or surprise — a horse might bolt from a loud noise. Sprint is the most specific: running at full speed over a set distance, as in athletics. Zip is informal and suggests light, effortless speed: 'He zipped across town on his scooter.' For learners at B1 level, dart and dash are the most versatile; bolt fits best in contexts of sudden escape; sprint belongs to sports; and zip is for casual conversation.

dart ↗dash ↗bolt ↗sprint ↗zip

Common collocations

Nouns

  • dartboard
  • dart player
  • dart throw
  • dart league
  • dart match
  • bullseye

Adverbs

Phrases

  • dart a glance at
  • dart a look at
  • make a dart for
  • eyes dart to

Prepositions

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'dart' entered English from Old French 'dart', meaning a javelin or spear thrown by hand. That came from a Frankish or Proto-Germanic source *darothō, related to Old English 'daroþ' (spear). The earliest meaning was literally a thrown weapon. By the 1500s, the verb sense 'to move like a dart — suddenly and fast' had appeared in English. The sewing sense (a tapered tuck in fabric) developed independently from a different Germanic root meaning 'to cut' or 'to split', though the two word histories merged in spelling over time.