to be a berk
1
9.9
- idiom
- /biː ə bɜːk/
- Offensive
:
hacer el tonto
- Don't be a berk and forget your keys!
Examples
-
If you are a berk at work, people may stop taking you seriously.
-
He realised he was being a berk when he forgot her birthday again.
-
Stop being a berk and listen to what I'm saying.
-
Why did you be a berk during the meeting?
-
If you continue to make such silly mistakes, you will really be a berk.
-
She often be a berk during meetings, making everyone roll their eyes.
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It's embarrassing to see him be a berk in front of his peers.
Synonyms
88
2.1
Act in a foolish or playful way without taking things seriously
3
8.0
To behave in a silly or embarrassing way to get attention
2
8.1
To act in a silly, embarrassing way to make people laugh
1
9.4
Act in a foolish way and ignore good advice
1
9.9
To make yourself look foolish by doing or saying silly things
1
9.9
To behave in a rude, stupid way
1
9.9
To behave in a silly or clumsy way
1
9.9
Act in a rude, foolish way that annoys or upsets other people
1
9.9
To act rudely and annoy other people
Act in a foolish way that can cause trouble
To do something silly without thinking
Act in a silly or stupid way
Act in a silly, embarrassing way
To do silly things that make problems for yourself
To behave in a rude or foolish way that annoys other people
Act in a foolish way because you trust people too easily
To behave in a stupid and rude way
To behave rudely or foolishly in a way that annoys others
Behave in a silly, not very smart way
Behave in a silly, careless way to avoid serious talk
To behave in a silly way without thinking when nervous or tired
To behave in a silly, awkward way that looks foolish
Behave in a silly, clumsy way to make people laugh at you
Behave in a silly, clumsy way
To behave in a silly or wild way that makes people laugh
Behave in a rude, annoying, and foolish way toward other people
To behave in a rude and annoying way
Behave in a rude and stupid way
Behave rudely and selfishly and annoy other people
To behave in a very foolish and rude way
Behave in a very rude and thoughtless way that upsets other people
To behave in a silly or annoying way
To behave in a silly and immature way
To ignore good advice and behave foolishly
Behave in a silly or foolish way
To behave in a silly, rude way and break rules
Antonyms
How Foolish
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is a simple copula construction (be + a + noun) where the overall meaning 'to behave foolishly' follows directly from knowing 'be' (to be) and 'berk' (a foolish person). Although 'berk' is informal and regionally British slang, the composition is transparent and predictable for a learner who already knows the constituent words.
Etymology
Be a berk comes from old rhyming word play where people said 'Berkshire Hunt' to mean a rude word and then shortened it to berk. So, because that rude word was used for someone silly or bad, be a berk now means 'to act like a fool'.