Lexic.us

Definition of Spunk

1. Noun. Material for starting a fire.

2. Noun. The courage to carry on. "You haven't got the heart for baseball"

Definition of Spunk

1. n. Wood that readily takes fire; touchwood; also, a kind of tinder made from a species of fungus; punk; amadou.

Definition of Spunk

1. Noun. (obsolete) A spark. ¹

2. Noun. Touchwood; tinder. ¹

3. Noun. Courage; spirit; mettle; determination. ¹

4. Noun. (Australia New Zealand slang) An attractive person (normally male). ¹

5. Noun. (British slang) Male ejaculate; semen. ¹

6. Verb. (British slang) to ejaculate ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Spunk

1. to begin to burn [v -ED, -ING, -S]

Medical Definition of Spunk

1. 1. Wood that readily takes fire; touchwood; also, a kind of tinder made from a species of fungus; punk; amadou. 2. An inflammable temper; spirit; mettle; pluck; as, a man of spunk. "A lawless and dangerous set, men of spunk, and spirit, and power, both of mind and body." (Prof. Wilson) Origin: Gael. Spong, or Ir. Sponc, tinder, sponge; cf. AS. Sponge a sponge (L. Spongia), spon a chip. Cf. Sponge, Punk Alternative forms: sponk. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Spunk

spumones spumoni spumonis spumous spumy spun spun out spun sugar spun yarn spunbonded

spunge spunged spunges spunging spunging-house spunked spunkie spunkier spunkies spunkiest

spunkily spunkiness spunkinesses spunking spunks spunlaced spunlaid spunyarn

Literary usage of Spunk

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. An American Glossary by Richard Hopwood Thornton (1912)
"spunk—contd. 1796 No dog run mad, or Indian drunk, Could ever rival thee in spunk. 1798 We expect Smith will be dismissed from the service as wanting spunk ..."

2. One Hundred Modern Scottish Poets: With Biographical and Critical Notices by David Herschell Edwards (1880)
"... were blacken'd wi' mony a score, An' we ca'd him the Wee spunk Laddie. ... o' milk wadna hane, I hat sud think o' the Wee spunk Laddie. ..."

3. One Hundred Modern Scottish Poets: With Biographical and Critical Notices by David Herschell Edwards (1880)
"... An' we ca'd him the Wee spunk Laddie. An' a bunch i' his wee bit han'ie ; My mither wad gie his bit headie a clap, He'd stan' at the door wi' the spunks ..."

4. Dictionary of Obsolete and Provincial English: Containing Words from the by Thomas Wright (1904)
"spunk,«. (1) Spirit ¡mettle. Far. Л spunky, mettlesome. (2) A spark ; a match. North. (3) An excrescence on the trunki of trees. SPUNT, part. p. Spurned. ..."

5. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain (1881)
"Talk about trying to cure warts with spunk-water such a blame fool way as that! Why that ain'ta going to do any good. You got to go all by yourself, ..."

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