skunk

plural skunks · alternative scunck

1. USAny of various mammals of the subfamily Mephitinae, native to North and Central America, having a glossy black coat with white markings and two musk glands at the base of the tail for emitting a noxious smell as a defensive measure.

   The beaſts of offence be Squunckes, Ferrets, Foxes, vvhoſe impudence ſometimes drives them to the good vvives Hen rooſt, to fill their Paunch: ſome of theſe be blacke; their furre is of much eſteeme.

   1634, William Wood, “Of the Beasts that Live on the Land”, in New Englands Prospect. A True, Lively, and Experimentall Description of that Part of America, Commonly Called New England; […], London: […] Tho[mas] Cotes, for Iohn Bellamie, […], →OCLC, 1st part, pages 22–23

2. USdatedderogatoryslangA despicable person.

   In fact, the term he applied to this species of human being was "skunk," and he used it freely.

   1913, Norman Lindsay, A Curate in Bohemia, Sydney: N.S.W. Bookstall Co., published 1932, page 152

3. USdatedderogatoryslangAnything very bad; a stinker.

   On the other hand, many critics contend that in terms of literary quality, many of the multiple-storyline books are true skunks.

   1987, English Journal, volume 76, numbers 5-8, page 52

4. USslangA walkover victory in sports or board games, as when the opposing side is unable to score.
5. UScribbageA win by thirty or more points. (A double skunk is sixty or more, a triple skunk ninety or more.)

present singular third person skunks · participle present skunking · participle past skunked · past skunked · alternative scunck

1. USespeciallytransitiveTo spray someone with a strong-smelling liquid.

   Two girls help me to my feet, hug me, skunking me with perfume.

   2024 May 16, Tim Booth, When I Died for the First Time, Hachette UK, →ISBN

   2 more examples

   "Yeah, Nolan tried to skunk me. Malcolm's making him clean up the pit right now,” said Simon, heading over to his dresser. “That explains the smell,” muttered the mouse. “You need a shower.”

   2017 February 7, Aimée Carter, Simon Thorn and the Viper's Pit, Bloomsbury Publishing USA, →ISBN, page 11

   "While the two of them were having the time of their lives running around the park and doing whatever else they may have been doing, Walter must have been showing off for that poodle, and he got himself skunked." "Are you telling me as skunk sprayed him?"

   2024 February 1, Donny Friedman, Finding Kathleen, iUniverse, →ISBN

2. USslangtransitiveTo defeat so badly as to prevent any opposing points.

   I skunked him at cards.

   1 more example

   We fished all day but the lake skunked us.

3. UScribbageTo win by thirty or more points.
4. USintransitiveTo go bad, to spoil.

plural skunks · alternative scunck

1. USA member of a hybrid skinhead and punk subculture.

   2011, Gerard DeGroot (quoting Brown), Seventies Unplugged […] mods, skins, suedes, smoothies, punks, skunks, rude boys, soul boys and headbangers […]

   1 more example

   In the early 1980s, certain ex-punks joined them, becoming 'skunks' – a hybrid subculture of skinheads and punks.

   2006, Pam Nilan, Carles Feixa, Global Youth?: Hybrid Identities, Plural Worlds, page 192

plural skunks · alternative scunck

1. USabbreviationclippingcountableslanguncountableClipping of skunkweed, type of marijuana.
2. UScountableuncountableAny of the strains of hybrids of Cannabis sativa and Cannabis indica that may have THC levels exceeding those of typical hashish.

1. A river in Iowa, United States; tributary of the Mississippi.
2. A river in Morrison County, Minnesota, United States; tributary of the Platte.