Marks & Sparks

English Etymology A rhyming alteration of en w:Marks & Spencer. Proper noun en UK colloquial Marks & Spencer, a British multinational retailer. en M&S Marks<l:colloquial> 18 November 1973 Roy Bongartz At Marks and Spencer, Even Princess Anne May Be the Next in Line https://www.nytimes.com/1973/11/18/archives/at-marks-and-spencer-even-princess-anne-may-be-the-next-in-line.html The clientele of “Marks & Sparks,” as the chain is affectionately known to British shoppers, comes from every level of society, up to and including royalty. 4 March 1988 Betty Goodwin Fashion 88: Fergie i.e., Sarah, Duchess of York’s Look in L.A.: Flair Without Fuss https://web.archive.org/web/20260806131503/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-03-04-vw-428-story.html And the skirt? “Marks & Sparks,” chirped the duchess, uttering the nickname all British folk use to identify the famous low-price store. 6 January 2002 w:Tamsin Blanchard Marks’s spark https://web.archive.org/web/20160516092642/https://www.theguardian.com/observer/comment/story/0,,628289,00.html While the rest of the high street looks down-at-heel, determined to offload the dregs of the January sales, Marks & Sparks will start the new year confident and upbeat. 4 October 2008 w:Hadley Freeman Absolutely fabulous https://web.archive.org/web/20191017180604/https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2008/oct/04/fashion.marksspencer What is surprising is that the dress is from Marks & Sparks and that this high street behemoth, associated more with the British basics look of David Cameron than the over-the-top fabulousness of Sarah Jessica Parker, should have joined forces with Patricia Field. en eponyms rhyming compounds en Nicknames