prank


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Related to prank: Prank call
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play a prank (on one)

To carry out a trick, deception, or practical joke (at one's expense). It turns out that the supposed alien visitors that people had been seeing were just a bunch of teenagers playing an elaborate prank. I've got a great plan to play a prank on the school for April Fools' Day.
See also: play, prank

prank call

A phone call that is typically anonymous and done as a practical joke or mischievous trick. The caller's message is usually wacky or makes little sense. A: "Why are we getting so many annoying prank calls all of a sudden?" B: "Probably just kids on summer vacation looking for ways to pass the time." I got a prank call last night asking me if my refrigerator was running.
See also: call, prank

prank caller

Someone who makes a phone call, usually anonymously, as a practical joke or mischievous trick. The caller's message is usually wacky or makes little sense. A: "Who was that, honey?" B: "Oh, just some prank caller asking if our refrigerator was running." A: "Why have there been so many prank callers all of a sudden?" B: "Probably just kids on summer vacation looking for ways to pass the time."
See also: caller, prank

pull a prank (on someone)

To carry out a trick, deception, or practical joke (against someone). It turns out that the supposed alien visitors that people had been seeing were just a bunch of teenagers pulling a prank on the town. I've got a great plan to pull a prank on the school for April Fools' Day. The fake article had been in print in the renowned scientific journal for more than a week before its author revealed that he had pulled a prank when he decided to submit it.
See also: prank, pull
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

play a trick on someone

 and play a prank on someone
to do a trick that affects someone. Somebody played a trick on me by hiding my shoes. The little boys planned to play a trick on their teacher by turning up the heat in the classroom.
See also: on, play, trick
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
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References in periodicals archive ?
Overall, this study of pranks is engrossing in the fullest meaning of the term.
Pranksters: Making Mischief in the Modern World
The father told the investigators that his son downloaded the application and called his friend as part of a prank and that he meant to have fun and tease him.
Suicide attack prank lands Saudi teenager in court
The Black Magic singers, due at Newcastle's Metro Radio Arena on their Get Weird tour in March, then burst back into the room to reveal the drama had been a prank - but it was too late for Jackie, who was already in tears.
South Shields' Jade Thirlwall reduces host to tears during Little Mix radio prank; Jade and her bandmates Perrie Edwards, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jesy Nelson sprung the prank during Little Mix's interview on KIIS 1065
Actor and comedian Drew Carey offered a $ 10,000 reward to anyone who would help police find the teenagers who pranked a boy with autism by pouring urine and feces over his head in mockery of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.
Actors rally
"Not only will Barefoot Wine get a lot of media exposure and the broad distribution that we're going to bring to the table with the Prank It Fwd promotion, but also they're going to get positive media attention that's going to benefit their brand," Barry Blumberg, evp of Defy Media, explained.
Prankvertising gets all warm and fuzzy: a new feel-good spin on stunt ads may be the perfect antidote for marketers who fear losing consumers to creepy, mean-spirited pranks
Elsewhere, there were reports of pranks going bad this year, including one in South Carolina that ended with a woman under arrest after her text message sent sheriffs to what they thought was a school shooting.
Coffee prank leaves cops laughing
The trio are the latest in a number of celebrities to fall victim to a 'swatting' prank, following a similar incident at Paris Hilton's home recently and Tom Cruise's Beverly Hills home in January when a prank caller claimed an armed robbery was taking place, but officers found no crime had been committed.
Police called to Justin Timberlake's home after hoax call
The success of Prank Patrol Australia is emblematic of various trends in contemporary 0children's television.
You've been pranked: reality TV, national identity and the privileged status of Australian children's drama
tw on of C Mc C Young, Maidstone, Kent MAYBE time to end prank calls once and for all?
Royal hoax a wake-up call to comedians; Letters
Canberra : Two Australian radio announcers who made a prank call to a British hospital treating Prince William's pregnant wife Kate broke a three-day silence yesterday to speak of their distress at the apparent suicide of the nurse who took their call.
DJs break silence over royal prank tragedy
The people who carried out the prank were two Australian DJs.
This is no time for finger-pointing
"A good prank is part of the dressing-room culture in the British game, so footballers are more than qualified to star in the show."
SOCCER STARS TO PLAYFORLAUGHS
Link to android market: December 16, 2011- Webelinx has launched a new application that contains the largest collection of funny prank videos for android mobile phones.
Funny Pranks Collection - Application for Android Mobile Phones That Provides Hours of Fun
" The genuine cases are also getting affected due to this menace." He said the number of prank calls was on the rise of late and it was found out that these calls were from either mischief mongers or children.
Ambulance service plagued by hoax calls
The best explanation the council has been able to come up with is that some joker must have taken it upon themselves to play an April Fool prank - nearly a month late.
Street signs are a right mes . . mess! Extra 'S' is added to city Princes Ave
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