carp Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun the lean flesh of a fish that is often farmed; can be baked or braised
  2. noun any of various freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae
  3. verb raise trivial objections
    cavil; chicane.

WordNet

Carp intransitive verb
Etymology
OE. carpen to say, speak; from Scand. (cf. Icel. karpa to boast), but influenced later by L. carpere to pluck, calumniate.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Carped ; present participle & verbal noun Carping
Definitions
  1. To talk; to speak; to prattle. Obs. Chaucer.
  2. To find fault; to cavil; to censure words or actions without reason or ill-naturedly; -- usually followed by at.
    Carping and caviling at faults of manner. Blackw. Mag.
    And at my actions carp or catch. Herbert.
Carp transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To say; to tell. Obs.
  2. To find fault with; to censure. Obs. Dryden.
Carp noun
Etymology
Cf. Icel. karfi, Dan. karpe, Sw. karp, OHG. charpho, G. karpfen, F. carpe, LL. carpa.
Wordforms
plural Carp, formerly Carps
Definitions
  1. (Zoöl.) A fresh-water herbivorous fish (Cyprinus carpio.). Several other species of Cyprinus, Catla, and Carassius are called carp. See Cruclan carp. ✍ The carp was originally from Asia, whence it was early introduced into Europe, where it is extensively reared in artificial ponds. Within a few years it has been introduced into America, and widely distributed by the government. Domestication has produced several varieties, as the leather carp, which is nearly or quite destitute of scales, and the mirror carp, which has only a few large scales. Intermediate varieties occur.

Webster 1913