Flicker vs. Spark — What's the Difference?

To move waveringly; flutter

A small fiery particle thrown off from a fire, alight in ashes, or produced by striking together two hard surfaces such as stone or metal

To burn or shine unsteadily or fitfully

A small amount of a quality or intense feeling

To be displayed with fluctuating brightness

Used as a nickname for a radio operator or an electrician, especially in the armed forces

To appear briefly

A lively young man.

To cause to move waveringly.

Emit sparks of fire or electricity

A brief movement; a tremor.

Ignite

An inconstant or wavering light.

Engage in courtship

A brief or slight sensation

One thrown off from a burning substance.

Any of various large woodpeckers of the genus Colaptes of the Americas, having a long tail and large feet and often foraging on the ground, especially C. auratus, the northern flicker.

One resulting from friction.

An unsteady flash of light.

One remaining in an otherwise extinguished fire; an ember.

(figurative) A short moment.

A glistening particle, as of metal.

(US) Any of certain small woodpeckers, especially of the genus Colaptes.

A flash of light, especially a flash produced by electric discharge.

One who flicks.

A short pulse or flow of electric current.

(intransitive) To burn or shine unsteadily, or with a wavering light.

A quality or feeling with latent potential; a seed or germ

(intransitive) To keep going on and off; to appear and disappear for short moments; to flutter.

A vital, animating, or activating factor

(ambitransitive) To flutter or flap.

Sparks (used with a sing. verb) Informal A radio operator aboard a ship.

To flutter; to flap the wings without flying.

The luminous phenomenon resulting from a disruptive discharge through an insulating material.

To waver unsteadily, like a flame in a current of air, or when about to expire; as, the flickering light.

The discharge itself.

The act of wavering or of fluttering; fluctuation; sudden and brief increase of brightness; as, the last flicker of the dying flame.

An elegantly dressed, highly self-conscious young man.

The golden-winged woodpecker (Colaptes aurutus); - so called from its spring note. Called also yellow-hammer, high-holder, pigeon woodpecker, and yucca.

A male suitor; a beau.

A momentary flash of light

To give off sparks.

North American woodpecker

To operate correctly. Used of the ignition system of an internal-combustion engine.

The act of moving back and forth

To set in motion; activate

Move back and forth very rapidly;

To rouse to action; spur

Shine unsteadily;

To court or woo.

Flash intermittently;

To court a woman or women.

A small particle of glowing matter, either molten or on fire.

A short or small burst of electrical discharge.

A small, shining body, or transient light; a sparkle.

(figuratively) A small amount of something, such as an idea or romantic affection, that has the potential to become something greater, just as a spark can start a fire.

Any of various lycaenid butterflies of the Indomalayan genus Sinthusa.

(in plural sparks but treated as a singular) A ship's radio operator.

An electrician.

A gallant; a foppish young man.

A beau, lover.

To trigger, kindle into activity (an argument, etc).

(transitive) To light; to kindle.

To shoot; to fire

(intransitive) To give off a spark or sparks.

To woo, court; to act the gallant or beau.

A small particle of fire or ignited substance which is emitted by a body in combustion.

A small, shining body, or transient light; a sparkle.

That which, like a spark, may be kindled into a flame, or into action; a feeble germ; an elementary principle.

A brisk, showy, gay man.

A lover; a gallant; a beau.

To sparkle.

To produce, or give off, sparks, as a dynamo at the commutator when revolving under the collecting brushes.

To play the spark, beau, or lover.

A momentary flash of light

Brightness and animation of countenance;

Electrical conduction through a gas in an applied electric field

A small but noticeable trace of some quality that might become stronger;

Scottish writer of satirical novels (born in 1918)

A small fragment of a burning substance thrown out by burning material or by friction

Put in motion or move to act;

Emit or produce sparks;