skunk
See also: Skunk
English

A striped skunk, Mephitis mephitis.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /skʌŋk/
- Rhymes: -ʌŋk
Etymology 1
From an unattested Southern New England Algonquian word, cognate with Abenaki segôgw, segonku (“he who squirts (musk) / urinates”), from Proto-Algonquian *šeka·kwa, from *šek- (“to urinate”).
Noun
skunk (plural skunks)
- Any of various small mammals, of the family Mephitidae, native to North and Central America, having a glossy black with a white coat and two musk glands at the base of the tail for emitting a noxious smell as a defensive measure.
- 1634, William Wood, New Englands Prospect:
- The beaſts of offence be Squunckes, Ferrets, Foxes, whoſe impudence ſometimes drives them to the good wives Hen rooſt […].
- 1634, William Wood, New Englands Prospect:
- (slang) A despicable person.
- (slang) A walkover victory in sports or board games, as when the opposing side is unable to score. Compare shutout.
- (cribbage) A win by 30 or more points.
Derived terms
Descendants
Translations
animal
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despicable person
skunkweed — see marijuana
walkover victory
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Verb
skunk (third-person singular simple present skunks, present participle skunking, simple past and past participle skunked)
See also
Noun
skunk (plural skunks)
- A member of a hybrid skinhead and punk subculture.
- 2006, Pam Nilan, Carles Feixa, Global Youth?: Hybrid Identities, Plural Worlds (page 192)
- In the early 1980s, certain ex-punks joined them, becoming 'skunks' – a hybrid subculture of skinheads and punks.
- 2011, Gerard DeGroot (quoting Brown), Seventies Unplugged
- […] mods, skins, suedes, smoothies, punks, skunks, rude boys, soul boys and headbangers […]
- 2006, Pam Nilan, Carles Feixa, Global Youth?: Hybrid Identities, Plural Worlds (page 192)
Etymology 3
From skunkweed (“certain highly aromatic marijuana”)
Noun
skunk (countable and uncountable, plural skunks)
- (slang) Clipping of skunkweed (marijuana).
- Any of the strains of hybrids of Cannabis sativa and Cannabis indica that may have THC levels exceeding those of typical hashish.
Czech
Dutch
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /skʏŋk/
Audio (file) - Hyphenation: skunk
Swedish
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