carp

• POS: Noun, Verb (intransitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

carp, v. i. [OE. carpen to say, speak; from Scand. (cf. Icel. karpa to boast), but influenced later by L. carpere to pluck, calumniate.].

•  To talk; to speak; to prattle.  Chaucer.  [1913 Webster]
•  To find fault; to cavil; to censure words or actions without reason or ill-naturedly; -- usually followed by at.  [1913 Webster]

  "Carping and caviling at faults of manner."  [1913 Webster]

  "And at my actions carp or catch."  [1913 Webster]

carp, v. t. 

•  To say; to tell.  [1913 Webster]
•  To find fault with; to censure.  Dryden.  [1913 Webster]

carp, n. [Cf. Icel. karfi, Dan. karpe, Sw. karp, OHG. charpho, G. karpfen, F. carpe, LL. carpa.].

 A fresh-water herbivorous fish (Cyprinus carpio.). Several other species of Cyprinus, Catla, and Carassius are called carp. See Cruclan carp.  [1913 Webster]
" 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."  [1913 Webster]

Carp louse (Zoöl.), a small crustacean, of the genus Argulus, parasitic on carp and allied fishes. See Branchiura. -- Carp mullet (Zoöl.), a fish (Moxostoma carpio) of the Ohio River and Great Lakes, allied to the suckers. -- Carp sucker (Zoöl.), a name given to several species of fresh-water fishes of the genus Carpiodes in the United States; -- called also quillback.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

carp, n. (pl. same) any freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae, esp. Cyprinus carpio, often bred for use as food.

carp, v.intr. (usu. foll. by at) find fault; complain pettily.

Derivative

carper n.

Etymology

obs. ME senses 'talk, say, sing' f. ON karpa to brag: mod. sense (16th c.) from or infl. by L carpere pluck at, slander

THESAURUS

carp

bug, bully, bullyrag, carp at, catch at straws, cavil, complain, criticize, cut up, fault-find, find fault, fret at, fuss at, gripe, hassle, henpeck, knock, nag, nibble at, niggle, nitpick, peck at, pester, pettifog, pick at, pick holes, pick on, pick to pieces, pull apart, pull to pieces, quibble, take exception, tear apart, tear to pieces, yap at