honky-tonk
a cheap, noisy, and garish nightclub or dance hall.
Also honk·y-tonk·y [hong-kee-tong-kee, hawng-kee-tawng-]. /ˈhɒŋ kiˌtɒŋ ki, ˈhɔŋ kiˌtɔŋ-/. of, relating to, or characteristic of a honky-tonk: a honky-tonk atmosphere.
characterized by or having a large number of honky-tonks: the honky-tonk part of town.
Music. noting a style of ragtime piano-playing characterized by a strict two-four or four-four bass, either contrapuntal or chordal, and a melody embellished with chords and syncopated rhythms, typically performed on a piano whose strings have been muffled and given a tinny sound.
to visit or frequent honky-tonks.
Origin of honky-tonk
1Other words from honky-tonk
- honky-tonker, noun
Words Nearby honky-tonk
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use honky-tonk in a sentence
In 1988 he dethroned The Honky Tonk Man in only seconds at Summerslam at Madison Square Garden.
The WWE Mourns the Death of Wrestling Icon Ultimate Warrior | Marina Watts | April 9, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
British Dictionary definitions for honky-tonk
/ (ˈhɒŋkɪˌtɒŋk) /
US and Canadian slang
a cheap disreputable nightclub, bar, etc
(as modifier): a honky-tonk district
a style of ragtime piano-playing, esp on a tinny-sounding piano
a type of country music, usually performed by a small band with electric and steel guitars
(as modifier): honky-tonk music
Origin of honky-tonk
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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