bunk

¹ American  

[buhngk] / bʌŋk /

noun

1. a built-in platform bed, as on a ship.

2. Informal. any bed.

3. a cabin used for sleeping quarters, as in a summer camp; bunkhouse.

4. a trough for feeding cattle.

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verb (used without object)

1. Informal. to occupy a bunk or any sleeping quarters.

   Joe and Bill bunked together at camp.

verb (used with object)

1. to provide with a place to sleep.

bunk ² American  

[buhngk] / bʌŋk /

noun

Informal.

1. humbug; nonsense.

   Synonyms:

   hooey, bull, applesauce, hogwash, rot, baloney

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bunk ³ American  

[buhngk] / bʌŋk /

verb (used with or without object)

1. Chiefly New York City. to bump.

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bunk ⁴ American  

[buhngk] / bʌŋk /

verb (used with object)

1. to absent oneself from (school, work, etc.).

   to bunk a history class.

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verb (used without object)

1. to run off or away; flee.

   When they heard the distant police sirens, they dropped the bag of jewelry and silver and bunked.

idioms

1. do a bunk, to leave hastily, especially under suspicious circumstances; run away.

bunk ¹ British  

/ bʌŋk /

noun

1. a narrow shelflike bed fixed along a wall

2. short for bunk bed

3. informal any place where one sleeps

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verb

1. to prepare to sleep

   he bunked down on the floor

2. (intr) to occupy a bunk or bed

3. (tr) to provide with a bunk or bed

bunk ² British  

/ bʌŋk /

noun

1. a hurried departure, usually under suspicious circumstances (esp in the phrase do a bunk )

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verb

1. (usually foll by off) to play truant from (school, work, etc)

bunk ³ British  

/ bʌŋk /

noun

1. informal short for bunkum

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Etymology

Origin of bunk¹

First recorded in 1750–60; back formation from bunker

Origin of bunk²

An Americanism dating back to 1895–1900; short for bunkum

Origin of bunk³

Perhaps expressive alteration of bump

Origin of bunk⁴

First recorded in 1865–70; perhaps special use of bunk ¹

Example Sentences

In a statement, ICE said staff found Ramos-Solano unresponsive in his bunk and immediately initiated life-saving measures, including CPR, while calling emergency services.

From Los Angeles Times

He arrivedpenniless but was given a warm welcome by his hosts, when he was allowed to bunk up in the judge's house in Dundonald and was treated to an Ulster fry.

From BBC

The barracks appeared almost identical with the one we had left this morning, except that this one was furnished with bunks as well as tables and benches.

From Literature

In a public bomb shelter two storeys underground, one woman lay sleeping on a bunk bed in the mid-afternoon, while another worked at their laptop.

From Barron's

And then to bunk off the show when she knew what it meant to me—that was worse than the fact that I’d been fired.

From Literature

Related Words

• baloney
• rubbish