spunk

== English == === Etymology === 1530, blend of spark +‎ funk (obsolete, “spark”). Funk (“spark, touchwood”) is from Middle English funke, fonke (“spark”), from Old English *funca (“spark”), from Proto-West Germanic *funkō, from Proto-Germanic *funkô (“spark”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)peng- (“to shine”), and is akin to Middle Low German funke, fanke (“spark”), Middle Dutch vonke (“spark”), Old High German funcho, funko (“spark”), German Funke (“spark”). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /spʌŋk/ Rhymes: -ʌŋk === Noun === spunk (usually uncountable, plural spunks) (countable, obsolete) A spark. (uncountable) Touchwood; tinder. (countable, UK, obsolete) Synonym of taper, a thin stick used for transferring flames, especially a sulfur match. 1829, Society for Relief of the Destitute Sick (Edinburgh), Report, p. 7: At present, her only means of procuring subsistence for herself and children, is by making spunks or matches, which, either she or her eldest child, a girl about six years of age, sells from door to door. 1907 November, Elliot Stock & al., "Notes of the Month“, The Antiquary, Vol. XLIII (OS) or III (NS), No. 11, p. 411: ... the old sulphur match was intended, not to produce fire, but to convey fire from the tinder to the candle... The vernacular name for sulphur matches was "spunks", and even in some of the country districts of Scotland the name has descended to modern matches. (countable, Scotland, obsolete) Synonym of match, a thin chemically-treated stick used for creating flames. 1907 November, Elliot Stock & al., "Notes of the Month“, The Antiquary, Vol. XLIII (OS) or III (NS), No. 11, p. 411: ... the old sulphur match was intended, not to produce fire, but to convey fire from the tinder to the candle... The vernacular name for sulphur matches was "spunks", and even in some of the country districts of Scotland the name has descended to modern matches. (uncountable) Courage; spirit; mettle; determination. 1847, Anne Brontë, Agnes Grey, ch 17. She showed me the letters of another individual, too, the unfortunate Mr. Green, who had not the courage, or, as she expressed it, the “spunk,” to plead his cause in person, but whom one denial would not satisfy: he must write again and again. 1920 August, Edward Leonard, "Old Zeke′s Mule", Boys′ Life, p. 55: “I reckon I′m as good as a mule,” he declared. “Maria knows what that desert is as well as we do, but she′s got more spunk than either of us. I'm not going to let any mule show more spunk than me.” 2007 September 28, Graham Linehan, The IT Crowd, Season 2, Episode 6: Douglas: You've got spunk. And balls. And I like that in a woman. For more quotations using this term, see Citations:spunk. (countable, UK, Australia, New Zealand, slang) An attractive person; a good-looker. Synonyms: Adonis, beefcake, hunk (uncountable, chiefly UK, vulgar, slang) Semen. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Descendants ==== → Irish: sponc ==== Translations ==== === Verb === spunk (third-person singular simple present spunks, present participle spunking, simple past and past participle spunked) (intransitive, obsolete) To catch fire; flame up. Synonyms: go up in flames; see also Thesaurus:combust (intransitive, slang, vulgar) To ejaculate. Synonyms: cum; see also Thesaurus:ejaculate (transitive, slang, vulgar) To waste (money etc.). Synonyms: fritter, splurge, squander ==== Derived terms ==== spunk off ==== Translations ==== === Anagrams === punks