Advertisement

Advertisement

View synonyms for skunk

skunk

[ skuhngk ]

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)

  1. Slang. to defeat thoroughly in a game, especially while keeping an opponent from scoring:

    The team skunked the favorites in the crucial game.

skunk

/ skʌŋk /

noun

  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
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


verb

  1. slang.
    tr to defeat overwhelmingly in a game
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of skunk1

1625–35, Americanism; < the Massachusett reflex of Proto-Algonquian *šeka·kwa (derivative of *šek- urinate + -a·kw fox, foxlike animal
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of skunk1

C17: from Algonquian; compare Abnaki segākw skunk
Discover More

Example Sentences

Welcome to Florida, where a skunk ape sighting is just one of a host of crazy events that defined life in the Sunshine State during the 1970s.

From Ozy

Dave Shealy claims to have seen the ever-elusive skunk ape of Florida legend in 1974.

From Ozy

The skunk ape also, apparently, prefers hanging out in trees to lumbering around on the ground.

From Ozy

It smells like skunk, it’s the most pungent thing in the universe.

Despite all the jokes I made about turning into Cruella de Vil or the Bride of Frankenstein, seeing other women’s skunk stripes made mine feel a little less weird.

The army met the stone-throwing with a fecal-smelling concoction called "skunk" and later with tear gas.

So how did this proverbial skunk at the garden party obtain his tickets to the events?

Sheppy had been having an argument with a skunk and there was strong reason—very strong—to suppose that he got the worst of it.

She saw the natural skunk coat she had been planning to give to poor dear Caroline for Christmas.

A fine male antelope was shot by Lieut. Swift, and a skunk was also the game of the day.

"A particular —— skunk," added another in sepulchral accents.

Ef it's that skunk, I'll spot him soon enough and let you know whar he's hiding.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


skull sessionskunk cabbage