skunk

[skuhngk] /skʌŋk/
noun, plural skunks (especially collectively) skunk.
1.
a small North American mammal, Mephitis mephitis, of the weasel family, having a black coat with a white, V -shaped stripe on the back, and ejecting a fetid odor when alarmed or attacked.
2.
any of several related or similar animals.
Compare hog-nosed skunk, spotted skunk.
3.
Informal. a thoroughly contemptible person.
4.
U.S. Navy Slang. an unidentified ship or target.
verb (used with object)
5.
Slang. to defeat thoroughly in a game, especially while keeping an opponent from scoring:
The team skunked the favorites in the crucial game.
Origin
1625-35, Americanism; < the Massachusett reflex of Proto-Algonquian *šeka·kwa (derivative of *šek- urinate + -a·kw fox, foxlike animal
Examples from the web for skunk
  • For comic relief, show monkey approaching a skunk and getting sprayed.
  • If monkey will not approach skunk, feed monkey whiskey so he will relax and go up to skunk.
  • Controlling lawn grubs may reduce skunk damage to lawns.
  • The typical compound in skunk spray is butyl mercaptan.
  • They have a characteristic handstand defense mechanism which makes the skunk appear larger.
  • When he treats a skunk kindly, all animals everywhere thereafter trust him.
British Dictionary definitions for skunk

skunk

/skʌŋk/
noun (pl) skunks, skunk
1.
any of various American musteline mammals of the subfamily Mephitinae, esp Mephitis mephitis (striped skunk), typically having a black and white coat and bushy tail: they eject an unpleasant-smelling fluid from the anal gland when attacked
2.
(informal) a despicable person
3.
(slang) a strain of cannabis smoked for its exceptionally powerful psychoactive properties
verb
4.
(transitive) (US & Canadian, slang) to defeat overwhelmingly in a game
Word Origin
C17: from Algonquian; compare Abnaki segākw skunk
Word Origin and History for skunk
n.

1630s, squunck, from a southern New England Algonquian language (probably Abenaki) seganku, from Proto-Algonquian */šeka:kwa/, from */šek-/ "to urinate" + */-a:kw/ "fox." As an insult, attested from 1841. Skunk cabbage is attested from 1751; earlier skunkweed (1738).

v.

"to completely defeat (in a game), to shut out from scoring," 1831, from skunk (n.). Related: Skunked; skunking.

Slang definitions & phrases for skunk

skunk

noun
  1. A despicable person; bastard, louse (1840+)
  2. Marijuana; pot, grass (1990s+ Narcotics)
verb
  1. To defeat utterly, esp to hold the opponent scoreless in sports; trounce; clobber: They're saying I'm going to get skunked in the black community (1849+)
  2. To learn by deduction the signals used by an opposing team telling the quarterback what play to call (1980s+ Football)
  3. To lack wind for sailing: We went to Baja last month, but got skunked every day (1990s+ Windsurfers)
Related Terms

drunk as a skunk