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 touchwood or tinder, esp originally made from various spongy types of fungus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:
Noun1.spunk - material for starting a firespunk - material for starting a fire  
kindling, tinder, touchwood, punk
igniter, ignitor, lighter - a substance used to ignite or kindle a fire
2.spunk - the courage to carry onspunk - the courage to carry on; "he kept fighting on pure spunk"; "you haven't got the heart for baseball"
mettle, nerve, heart
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

noun
Informal. 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.
Slang: gut (used in plural), gutsiness, moxie.
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.
Translations

spunk

[spʌŋk] N
1. (= spirit) → ánimo m, valor m, agallas fpl
2. (Brit) (sperm) → leche f
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

spunk

[ˈspʌŋk] n
(= courage) → cran m
(British) (= semen) → foutre m
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

spunk

n
(inf) → Mumm m (inf), → Courage f
(vulg: = semen) → Saft m (sl)
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

spunk

[spʌŋk] n (fam) she's got spunk → ha fegato
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
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References in classic literature ?
I had got my strength back with my spunk, and I walked on part of the night away from the lake, until I got to the edge of a very big wood.
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Also, take it from me, he's all spunk. He'll stand up to anything.
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"I know it; but they did," declared Old Tom, "and of course no gal of any spunk'll stand that.
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I tried for a second or two to brace up and out with it, but I warn't man enough -- hadn't the spunk of a rabbit.
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Anne wondered if Jane had also proposed to Nettie for him, or if he had mustered enough spunk to ask the fateful question himself.
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That fireplace--those big stones--I was soft, then, a little, anemic, alcoholic degenerate, with the spunk of a rabbit and about one per cent as much stamina, and some of those big stones nearly broke my back and my heart.
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You've got spunk, as you Yanks s'y, an' I like yer in a w'y.
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But you've sure got the spunk. And you're trustful on top of it.
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Not one of them had half the spunk of this or that burglar he had known.
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Motolite extends run, downs Army in 5 sets !-- -- (The Philippine Star) - September 2, 2019 - 12:00am MANILA, Philippines Dragged into a five-set test by PacificTown Army, Motolite showed its staying power and spunk as it eked out a 25-16, 22-25, 25-18, 23-25, 15-10 decision to extend its win run to four for solo second in the Premier Volleyball League Season 3 Open Conference at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan last night.
Motolite extends run, downs Army in 5 sets
It is almost difficult to credit that so young an actress (all of 12 years old) can project so much talent, musical and dramatic; so much spunk and wit and heartbreak; so much, yes, charisma.
'Dani Girl': 12-year-old Felicity Napuli's incandescent performance
Production-wise, it's her most sonically adventurous release to date: an excursion to a more bluesy territory, a more organic vibe that gives her personality the spunk and edge it needs.
Syd Hartha takes pro-women stand on new single

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