narknark /nɑːk $ nɑːrk/ noun [countable] informal especially British English 
Examples
ExamplesEXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
Thesaurus- I know if he is a thief, right, a beggar, a pimp, a copper's nark.
Longman Language Activatorto tell someone in authority about something wrong that someone has done► tell on/tell
someone who is friendly with criminals and who secretly tells the police about their activities SYN informer to tell someone in authority, especially a parent or teacher, about something wrong that someone has done - used by children: · I'm going to tell if you don't stop messing around.· Please don't tell on me -- Mum thinks I've been staying at my friend's house.
► rat on also split on somebody British informal to tell someone in authority about something wrong that someone has done, especially when this seems disloyal: · Can you believe he ratted on his own brother?· Don't worry, Robert's reliable. He won't split on us.
► tell tales British /tattle (on somebody) American if a child tells tales or tattles on someone, they tell a parent or teacher about something another child has done in order to cause trouble: · "Mum, Daniel's broken a plate." "Don't tell tales, dear."· Sarah's teacher told her it was silly to keep tattling on her classmates.· You'll lose all your friends if you keep tattling.
► report to give information about a crime, an accident etc to the police or to someone in authority: · I'd like to report a theft.report something to somebody: · All accidents must be reported at once to the aviation authority.· Many rape victims are too scared to report the attack to the police.report somebody (for something): · A man has been reported for a number of alleged motoring offences.
► inform on to secretly tell the police that someone you know has done something illegal: · Charlotte informed on her brother, who was then arrested for drug-dealing.· He categorically denied that he had ever informed on dissidents.
► grass British informal /squeal American informal to tell the police who is responsible for a crime or illegal activity when this seems disloyal: · When we got there the cops were waiting for us. Somebody must have squealed.grass on: · If the others ever found out he'd squealed on them, they'd kill him.· You grassed on us to save your own life.grass somebody up: · I don't trust her -- what if she grasses us up?
► talk to give the police information about a crime that you know about or are involved in, especially when they are questioning you officially about it: · The suspect was questioned for two hours, but refused to talk.· He said he'd come back and kill me if I talked.
► blow the whistle to let people know about an illegal activity which has been happening for a long time, especially when you have been helping to keep it secret: · He was shot because he knew too much and was about to blow the whistle. blow the whistle about: · It was the factory manager who eventually blew the whistle about the pollution scandal.blow the whistle on: · We'd better get her before she has a chance to blow the whistle on us.
► tip off to give the police or another authority information that will allow them to prevent a crime taking place: tip off somebody: · Somebody must have tipped off the police. They were already waiting at the house.· The alert was started by another inmate who tipped off prison staff.tip somebody off: · I wonder who tipped them off.tip somebody off that: · His contact had not merely tipped him off that drugs were on the premises, he had told him where to look.
► name names to make public the names of people who have done something wrong: · If you don't give me the money, I'm going to start naming names.· Someone -- I won't name names -- has been caught stealing from the stores.
► nark especially British, informal /narc especially American, informal to secretly tell the police or someone in authority about someone else's criminal activity, especially activities involving illegal drugs: · "How'd they get caught?" "Somebody must've narked."nark on: · If things get too risky, Ken'll probably narc on you to the cops.
someone who gives information to the police► informer/informant someone who is part of or closely connected with a criminal organization but who secretly tells the police about its activities: · An informer had warned police about the bombing.police informer/informant: · The three men were released on condition that they became police informants.
► grass British informal someone who secretly gives the police information about someone who is responsible for a crime, in return for money, when this seems disloyal: · I wouldn't inform on you -- I'm no grass.
► nark especially British, informal /narc especially American, informal someone who is friendly with criminals and who secretly tells the police about their activities, especially activities involving illegal drugs: · I wouldn't trust that new guy - I think he's a narc.
► stool pigeon especially American a criminal who helps the police to trap other criminals by telling the police about a crime that is going to take place: · How could he ever live with himself after being a stool pigeon?
► source someone who gives information to the police, a newspaper etc, especially someone who does not want their name to be known: · It's the first duty of a journalist to protect his or her sources (=not say who they are).· Our source informed us that there was a possibility of another attack the following week, possibly in the central London area.
WORD SETS► Crimeabet, verbaccusation, nounaccuse, verbaffray, nounarson, nounassault, nounassault and battery, nounbackhander, nounbattery, nounbigamy, nounblack market, nounblack marketeer, nounbreak-in, nounbreaking and entering, nouncaper, nouncapital, adjectivecarjacking, nouncat burglar, nouncontract, nouncosh, nouncounterfeit, adjectivecounterfeit, verbcover, nouncrack, verbcriminal, adjectivecriminal, nouncriminal law, nouncriminal record, nouncriminology, nouncrook, nounculpable, adjectiveculprit, noundefamation, noundefraud, verbdelinquency, noundelinquent, adjectivedelinquent, noundesperado, noundisorderly, adjectivedrug baron, noundrug runner, nounDUI, nounembezzle, verbexpropriate, verbextort, verbeyewitness, nounfelon, nounfelony, nounfence, nounfiddle, nounfiddle, verbfiddler, nounfilch, verbfinger, verbfire-raising, nounfirst offender, nounflash, verbflasher, nounforge, verbforger, nounforgery, nounfoul play, nounframe, verbframe-up, nounfratricide, nounfraud, nounfreebooter, noungang, noungang-bang, noungang rape, noungangster, nounGBH, noungenocide, noungetaway, noungodfather, noungrand larceny, noungrass, noungrievous bodily harm, nounheist, nounhijack, verbhijack, nounhijacking, nounhit, nounhit-and-run, adjectivehit man, nounincriminate, verbindecent assault, nounindecent exposure, nouninfanticide, nounjob, nounjoyriding, nounjuvenile delinquent, nounkidnap, verblarceny, nounlibel, nounlibel, verblibellous, adjectivelow life, nounmafioso, nounmalpractice, nounmanslaughter, nounmassacre, nounmassacre, verbmatricide, nounmisappropriate, verbmisconduct, nounmisdeed, nounmisdemeanour, nounmobster, nounmoll, nounmug, verbmugshot, nounmurder, nounmurder, verbmurderer, nounmurderess, nounmuscleman, nounnark, nounnefarious, adjectiveneighbourhood watch, nounnick, verbno-go area, nounoffence, nounoffend, verboffender, nounold lag, nounorganized crime, nounoutlaw, nounparricide, nounpatricide, nounpetty larceny, nounPhotofit, nounpiracy, nounplant, verbpoach, verbpoacher, nounpossession, nounprivateer, nounprotection, nounprowl, verbprowler, nounpublic nuisance, nounpull, verbpunk, nounpurloin, verbraid, nounram-raiding, nounrape, verbrape, nounrapist, nounravish, verbreceiver, nounreceiving, nounrecidivist, nounregicide, nounring, nounringleader, nounriotous, adjectiverob, verbrobber, nounrobbery, nounroll, verbrustler, nounscheme, nounscheme, verbshady, adjectiveshoplift, verbshoplifting, nounslander, nounsmuggle, verbsnout, nounspeeding, nounstabbing, nounstalking, nounstatutory offence, nounstatutory rape, nounsteal, verbstoolpigeon, nounsupergrass, nounsuspect, nounswag, nountheft, nounthief, nounthievish, adjectivetorch, verbtraffic, nountrafficker, nountriad, noununder-the-counter, adjectiveunderworld, nounundesirable, nounvagrancy, nounvandal, nounvandalism, nounvandalize, verbvice, nounvigilante, nounvillainy, nounviolate, verbviolation, nounwanted, adjective