earmark
pronunciation
How to pronounce earmark in British English:
UK [ˈɪəmɑ:k]
How to pronounce earmark in American English:
US [ˈɪrmɑrk]
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- Noun:
- identification mark on the ear of a domestic animal
- a distinctive characteristic or attribute
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- Verb:
- give or assign a share of money or time to a particular person or cause
Word Origin
- earmark (n.)
- mid-15c., from ear (n.1) + mark (n.1). Originally a cut or mark in the ear of sheep and cattle, serving as a sign of ownership (also a punishment of certain criminals); first recorded 1570s in figurative sense "stamp of ownership."
- earmark (v.)
- 1590s, "to identify by an earmark," from earmark (n.). Meaning "to set aside money for a special purpose" is attested by 1868. Related: Earmarked; earmarking.
Example
- 1. A congressman has the power to " earmark " funds for a specific project .
- 2. Weekly address : president obama calls for earmark reform .
- 3. The ecb and national central banks will earmark income from their greek bond holdings either to reduce further greece 's debt burden or to compensate eurozone governments .
- 4. But its signing signalled a big geopolitical shift as the us appeared to earmark india as a vital asian ally and possible regional check to the ambitions of china .
- 5. California politicians have also started to earmark the expected facebook tax receipts , with democrats arguing that the money should be used to keep open state schools that are threatened by the state 's budget crisis .