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ENGLISH DICTIONARY

Skunk

/skʌŋk/ · noun

Meaning

Any of various small mammals, of most genera 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..

Definitions by Sense

  1. Any of various small mammals, of most genera 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.
  2. (slang, derogatory, dated) A despicable person.
  3. (slang, derogatory, dated) Anything very bad; a stinker.
  4. (slang) A walkover victory in sports or board games, as when the opposing side is unable to score.
  5. (cribbage) A win by thirty or more points. (A double skunk is sixty or more, a triple skunk ninety or more.)
  6. (transitive, slang) To defeat so badly as to prevent any opposing points.
  7. (cribbage) To win by thirty or more points.
  8. (intransitive, of beer) To go bad, to spoil.

Example Sentences

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.
In fact, the term he applied to this species of human being was "skunk," and he used it freely.
On the other hand, many critics contend that in terms of literary quality, many of the multiple-storyline books are true skunks.
I skunked him at cards.
We fished all day but the lake skunked us.
2011, Gerard DeGroot (quoting Brown), Seventies Unplugged […] mods, skins, suedes, smoothies, punks, skunks, rude boys, soul boys and headbangers […]
In the early 1980s, certain ex-punks joined them, becoming 'skunks' – a hybrid subculture of skinheads and punks.

Synonyms for skunk

lurchbumgageratpotweedrottergrasssesscrumbso-and-sodopecannabislowlifemary janepolecatstinkerganjascum bagmarijuana

Antonyms for skunk

Related Words

polecatratwood pussyweedgrasscannabismarijuanaganjamarihuanacrumbpotsmokebumstinkerpukedopelurchlowliferotterso-and-so

Word Forms

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does skunk mean?

Skunk means Any of various small mammals, of most genera 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..

What is a synonym for skunk?

Common synonyms include lurch, bum, gage, rat.

What is the opposite of skunk?

The opposite depends on the specific sense.

How do you use skunk in a sentence?

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.

Sources & Attribution

FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0

Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.