spunk
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spunk
(spŭngk)n.
1. Informal Spirit; pluck.
2. Punk, touchwood, or other tinder.
3. Vulgar Slang Ejaculated semen.
[Scottish Gaelic spong, tinder, from Latin spongia, sponge; see sponge.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
spunk
(spʌŋk)n
1. informal courage or spirit
2. Brit a slang word for semen
3. touchwood or tinder, esp originally made from various spongy types of fungus
4. informal Austral and NZ a person, esp male, who is sexually attractive
[C16 (in the sense: a spark): from Scottish Gaelic spong tinder, sponge, from Latin spongia sponge]
ˈspunky adj
ˈspunkily adv
Usage: The second sense of this word was formerly considered to be taboo, and it was labelled as such in older editions of Collins English Dictionary. However, it has now become acceptable in speech, although some older or more conservative people may object to its use
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
spunk
(spʌŋk)n.
1. pluck; spirit; mettle.
2. tinder; touchwood; punk.
[1530–40; obscurely akin to funk spark, touchwood, punk1]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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Noun | 1. | spunk - material for starting a fire |
2. | spunk - the courage to carry on; "he kept fighting on pure spunk"; "you haven't got the heart for baseball" braveness, bravery, courage, courageousness - a quality of spirit that enables you to face danger or pain without showing fear |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
spunk
noun (Informal) courage, spirit, nerve, balls (taboo slang), bottle (Brit. slang), resolution, guts (informal), pluck, grit, backbone, toughness, mettle, gumption (informal), gameness, ballsiness (taboo slang) I admired her independence and her spunk.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
spunk
nounInformal. The quality of mind enabling one to face danger or hardship resolutely:
braveness, bravery, courage, courageousness, dauntlessness, doughtiness, fearlessness, fortitude, gallantry, gameness, heart, intrepidity, intrepidness, mettle, nerve, pluck, pluckiness, spirit, stoutheartedness, undauntedness, valiance, valiancy, valiantness, valor.
Informal: spunkiness.
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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