frisk

Imagine a security guard at an airport: they might frisk you, meaning they quickly run their hands over your clothes to check for hidden items. It is a quick search, usually done by police or security staff. But frisk is not only about security. It also has an older meaning: to leap or skip in a playful way, like a lamb in a field. That use is less common now, but it shows the word's older sense of lively movement. You might frisk someone for weapons, but you would not usually use the word for checking a playful puppy.

To frisk someone means to search their body quickly by patting the outside of their clothes, usually to check for hidden weapons or other concealed items. It is often done by police officers or security staff as part of a security check or stop. For example: "The police officer asked if he could frisk him before he entered the building."

However, frisk also has an older meaning. It once meant to leap, skip, or move about playfully, like lambs frisking in a meadow. That sense brings up images of lively movement and lighthearted energy. It is less common today, but it helps explain how the word developed.

The modern meaning, focused on searching, became common later, especially in connection with law enforcement and security. A frisk is usually a limited pat-down rather than a full search. It is meant to find objects hidden under clothing, not to examine everything a person is carrying in detail.

So whether you picture playful lambs or a security check, frisk carries a sense of quick action, either lively movement or a rapid check. It is a word with an interesting history, showing how meaning can shift over time.