To frisk means to search someone quickly by patting down their clothes with your hands, usually to check for hidden weapons or other dangerous items. Police officers might frisk a suspect they've stopped, running their hands over the person's jacket, pockets, and clothing to make sure they're not carrying anything that could be used to hurt someone. Airport security might frisk a passenger if the metal detector beeps. The search is quick and stays on the outside of the clothing.

You can also use frisk to mean moving in a quick, playful way, like how a puppy frisks around the yard. A lamb might frisk through a meadow, bouncing and jumping with energy. But today, when people say “frisk,” they almost always mean the security search.

Because being frisked involves someone touching you, there are rules about when police can do it. They usually need a good reason to believe someone might be dangerous. The difference between a frisk and a full search is that a frisk is quicker and less thorough, focused on finding things that could cause immediate harm.