Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Skunk
Skunk
,Noun.
[Contr. from the Abenaki (American Indian)
seganku
.] (Zool.)
Any one of several species of American musteline carnivores of the genus
Mephitis
and allied genera. They have two glands near the anus, secreting an extremely fetid liquid, which the animal ejects at pleasure as a means of defense. ☞ The common species of the Eastern United States (
Mephitis mephitica
) is black with more or less white on the body and tail. The spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius
), native of the Southwestern United States and Mexico, is smaller than the common skunk, and is variously marked with black and white. Skunk bird
,
Skunk blackbird
(Zool.)
, the bobolink; – so called because the male, in the breeding season, is black and white, like a skunk.
– Skunk cabbage
(Bot.)
, an American aroid herb (
– Symplocarpus fœtidus
) having a reddish hornlike spathe in earliest spring, followed by a cluster of large cabbagelike leaves. It exhales a disagreeable odor. Also called swamp cabbage
. Skunk porpoise
. (Zool.)
See under
Porpoise
.Skunk
,Verb.
T.
In games of chance and skill: To defeat (an opponent) (as in cards) so that he fails to gain a point, or (in checkers) to get a king.
[Colloq. U. S.]
Webster 1828 Edition
Skunk
SKUNK
,Noun.
Definition 2025
Skunk
Skunk
See also: skunk
German
Skunk
Noun
Skunk m
- skunk (animal)
This German entry was created from the translations listed at skunk. It may be less reliable than other entries, and may be missing parts of speech or additional senses. Please also see Skunk in the German Wiktionary. This notice will be removed when the entry is checked. (more information) August 2009
skunk
skunk
See also: Skunk
English
A striped skunk, Mephitis mephitis.
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.
- (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
Translations
animal
|
|
despicable person
skunkweed — see marijuana
walkover victory
|
Verb
skunk (third-person singular simple present skunks, present participle skunking, simple past and past participle skunked)
- To defeat so badly as to prevent any opposing points.
- I skunked him at cards.
- We fished all day but the lake skunked us.
- (cribbage) To win by 30 or more points.
- (intransitive, of beer) to go bad, to spoil
See also
Etymology 2
Blend of skinhead + punk, influenced by the animal (Etymology 1).
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) Short for skunkweed (marijuana).
- Any of the strains of hybrids of Cannabis sativa and Cannabis indica that may have THC levels exceeding those of typical hashish.