spanking

[spang-king] /ˈspæŋ kɪŋ/
adjective
1.
moving rapidly and smartly.
2.
quick and vigorous:
a spanking pace.
3.
blowing briskly:
a spanking breeze.
4.
Informal. unusually fine, great, large, etc.; remarkable; distinctive:
a spanking monogram in gold embroidery.
adverb
5.
Informal. extremely, strikingly, or remarkably; very:
three little girls in spanking new dresses.
Origin
1660-70; perhaps < Scandinavian; compare Danish, Norwegian spanke, Swedish spånka to strut
Related forms
spankingly, adverb

spank1

[spangk] /spæŋk/
verb (used with object)
1.
to strike (a person, usually a child) with the open hand, a slipper, etc., especially on the buttocks, as in punishment.
noun
2.
a blow given in spanking; a smart or resounding slap.
Origin
1720-30; imitative

spank2

[spangk] /spæŋk/
verb (used without object)
1.
to move rapidly, smartly, or briskly.
Origin
1800-10; back formation from spanking
Examples from the web for spanking
  • Good ole fashion spanking is direct, timely, and it gets the message across.
  • Oddly, the world has yet to see the first cloned stuffed animal-a taxidermy specimen sampled to make a spanking new creature.
  • Tom attends the village school where he does a lot of tricks and often receives a spanking from the teacher.
  • We've tried scolding, spanking, and putting him in timeout in his doghouse nothing works.
  • The staff members do not approve of spanking, but neither do they try to talk parents out of it, unless it is clearly abusive.
  • The other two, rigs a and d, are brand spanking new and don't seem to have ever been discussed.
  • Either way, the technology behind these weapons isn't exactly brand spanking new.
  • There is talk about spanking him, though as one teacher points out, that's been tried in the past and hasn't been effective.
  • Now, despite the initial impression of spanking newness, his big super-slick paintings have a curious retro quality.
  • In the coming months, we'll be unveiling a brand-spanking new web site with lots of high-tech whiz bang.
British Dictionary definitions for spanking

spanking1

/ˈspæŋkɪŋ/
noun
1.
a series of spanks, esp on the buttocks, usually as a punishment for children

spanking2

/ˈspæŋkɪŋ/
adjective (prenominal)
1.
(informal) outstandingly fine, smart, large, etc
2.
quick and energetic; lively
3.
(esp of a breeze) fresh and brisk
Word Origin
C17: of uncertain origin. Compare Danish spanke to strut

spank1

/spæŋk/
verb
1.
(transitive) to slap or smack with the open hand, esp on the buttocks
noun
2.
a slap or series of slaps with the flat of the hand
Word Origin
C18: probably of imitative origin

spank2

/spæŋk/
verb
1.
(intransitive) to go at a quick and lively pace
Word Origin
C19: back formation from spanking²
Word Origin and History for spanking
adj.

1660s, "very big or fine," later (especially of horses) "moving at a lively pace" (1738), perhaps from a Scandinavian source (cf. Danish spanke "to strut").

spank

v.

1727, possibly imitative of the sound of spanking. Related: Spanked; spanking. The noun is from 1785.

Slang definitions & phrases for spanking

spanking

adverb

Very; extremely, esp in an admirable sense

[1666+; origin uncertain]