Word Confusion: Mark versus Marque

Plural for the noun: marks
Gerund: marking

Third person present verb: marks
Past tense or past participle: marked
Present participle: marking

Plural: marques

• A spot, area, or feature on a person’s or animal’s body by which they may be identified or recognized

A line, figure, or symbol made as an indication or record of something

• Written symbol made on a document in place of a signature by someone who cannot write
• A level or stage that is considered significant
• Sign or indication of a quality or feeling
• Characteristic property or feature
• Competitor’s starting point in a race
• [Nautical] Piece of material or a knot used to indicate a depth on a sounding line
• [Telecommunications] One of two possible states of a signal in certain systems

Point awarded for a correct answer or for proficiency in an examination or competition

• A figure or letter representing the total of such points and signifying a person’s score
• [Especially in track and field] A time or distance achieved by a competitor, especially one which represents a record or personal best

[Followed by a numeral] A particular model or type of a vehicle, machine, or device

A target

• [Informal] A person who is easily deceived or taken advantage of

Basic monetary unit of Germany (until the introduction of the euro), equal to 100 pfennigs, a Deutschmark, or formerly, an Ostmark ²

Former English and Scottish money of account, equal to thirteen shillings and four pence in the currency of the day

• Denomination of weight for gold and silver, formerly used throughout western Europe and typically equal to 8 ounces (226.8 grams)

Verb, intransitive:
Become stained ¹

Verb, transitive:
Make a visible impression or stain on ¹

Write a word or symbol on (an object), typically for identification

• Write a word or figure on an object
• [mark something off] Put a line by or through something written or printed on paper to indicate that it has passed or been dealt with

Show the position of

• Separate or delineate a particular section or area of something
• [Of a particular quality or feature] Separate or distinguish someone or something from other people or things
• [mark someone out for] Select or destine someone for a particular role or condition
• [mark someone down as] Judge someone to be a particular type or class of person
• Acknowledge, honor, or celebrate an important event or occasion with a particular action
• Be an indication of a significant occasion, stage, or development
• [Usually be marked] Characterize as having a particular quality or feature
• [Chiefly British; of a clock or watch] Show a certain time

[Of a teacher or examiner] Assess the standard of a piece of written work by assigning points for proficiency or correct answers

• [mark someone/something down] Reduce the number of marks awarded to a student, candidate, or their work

Notice or pay careful attention to

[Of a player in a team game] Stay close to a particular opponent in order to prevent them getting or passing the ball

[letter of marque, usually letters of marque (and reprisal)] A government license authorizing a person to attack and capture enemy merchant shipping and to commit legal piracy ²

Commissions or warrants issued to someone to commit what would otherwise be acts of piracy (Red)

• A ship carrying such a license

He was five feet nine, with no distinguishing marks.

Unemployment had passed the two million mark.

The flag was at half-mast as a mark of respect.

It is the mark of a civilized society to treat its elderly members well.

Many candidates lose marks because they don’t read the questions carefully.

Figurative full marks to them for highlighting the threat to the rain forest.

The highest mark was 98 percent.

He drove a Mark 10 Jaguar.

Few bullets could have missed their mark.

They figure I’m an easy mark.

Germany spent billions of marks to save the French franc from speculators.

Moreover, the budget was burdened annually to the tune of over 10 billion German marks by the war against the Kurds.

Some 7.5 billion of German marks are frozen in state banks.

Verb, intransitive:
It is made from a sort of woven surface which doesn’t mark or tear.

This pen will mark under water.

The floor marks easily.

Mr Jones is a teacher who marks strictly.

Verb, transitive:
He fingered the photograph gently, careful not to mark it.

She marked all her possessions with her name.

It was an envelope marked “private and confidential”.

She marked the date down on a card.

He marked off their names in a ledger.

The top of the pass marks the border between Alaska and the Yukon.

You need to mark out the part of the garden where the sun lingers longest.

The solicitor general marked him out for government office.

She had marked him down as a liberal.

To mark its fiftieth anniversary, the group held a fashion show.

A series of incidents marked a new phase in the terrorist campaign.

His sword marked him out as an officer.

The reaction to these developments has been marked by a note of hysteria.

His watch marked five past eight.

The teachers are given adequate time to mark term papers.

I was marked down for having skipped the last essay question.

He’ll leave you, you mark my words!

He has 155 previous convictions, mostly for stealing cars, and has a knowledge of car marques and specifications which few can match.

Much of this has been concerned with the production of automobiles, and alongside a veritable library of antiquarian books about specific marques, there are a handful of excellent scholarly histories of individual manufacturers.

My enquiries showed, to my astonishment, that many of these features are optional in the rival marques and models.

A privateer is distinct from a pirate in that he carries letters of marque.

Sir Francis Drake and the Lafitte brothers are some of the more notorious “pirates” who sailed under letters of marque.

If, for example, a French vessel seized a British ship, then a letter of marque could be granted that would allow the legal seizure of an item of like value from any French vessel on the high seas.

Her business and diplomatic skills proved crucial after a raid on the Catholic-led colony early in 1645 by a ship captain armed with letters of marque from England’s Protestant Parliament.

It is conducted by individual ships (naval warships or privately owned ships armed with guns and authorized by government letters of marque to engage in legal privateering) or small squadrons.

Privateering involved the issuing of letters of marque by a supposedly legitimate authority, but they were not always choosy about the grantees.

1. Old English mearc, gemerce (nouns), mearcian (verb), are of Germanic origin and are from an Indo-European root shared by the Latin margo meaning margin.
2. Old English marc is from the Old Norse mҩrk.

1. Early 20th century from the French, a back-formation from marquer meaning to brand, although it’s of Scandinavian origin.

   Used in the motor industry.

2. Late Middle English [Law French] from the Old French marquee meaning right of reprisal.