spark
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spark verb Especially of a man: to woo, court (a woman); hence sparking = courting.
1859 Taliaferro Fisher’s River 118 I sparked her a little that night, and told her I was a-gwine wiz her to meetin’ next Sunday. 1892 Fruit KY Words 232 sparking = courting: “To go sparkin’”; “What girl were you sparkin’ last Sunday?” 1935 Sheppard Cabins in Laurel 172 When he comes and takes her to the church-house and calls on her with presents of candy and Victrola records, they have advanced to the sparkin’ stage. c1950 Adams Grandpap 77 He begged the old folks for three solid days an’ sparked the girl for three solid nights. 1982 Slone How We Talked 4 This word “sparkin’” got its beginning because the couple’s only way to get to talk to each other was to sit side by side in two straight-backed chairs (homemade split bottoms) before the fire, after the family had gone to bed in the same room. Whispering to each other, sparks rising from the chimney told the neighbors that someone was up later than the usual bedtime. 1990 Merriman Moonshine Rendezvous 25 By May of ’40 I was on the whiskey haulin’ road day and night, it seemed. I was sparkin’ (going out on dates) the second I unloaded, too.