punk

¹punk

noun \ˈpəŋk\

Definition of PUNK

1

archaic : prostitute

2

[probably partly from ³punk] : nonsense, foolishness

3

a : a young inexperienced person : beginner, novice; especially : a young man

b : a usually petty gangster, hoodlum, or ruffian

c slang : a young man used as a homosexual partner especially in a prison

4

a : punk rock

b : a punk rock musician

c : one who affects punk styles

Origin of PUNK

origin unknown

First Known Use: 1596

Rhymes with PUNK

bunk, chunk, clunk, drunk, dunk, flunk, funk, gunk, hunk, junk, monk, plunk, skunk, spunk, sunk, thunk, trunk

²punk

adjective

Definition of PUNK

1

: very poor : inferior <played a punk game>

2

: being in poor health <said that she was feeling punk>

3

a : of or relating to punk rock

b : relating to or being a style (as of dress or hair) inspired by punk rock

— punk·ish \ˈpəŋ-kish\ adjective

Examples of PUNK

1. <she plays a punk game of tennis, so you won't have any trouble beating her>
2. <the acting in the movie ranged all the way from poor to punk>

First Known Use of PUNK

1896

Related to PUNK

Synonyms

bastard, bush, bush-league, crummy (also crumby), deficient, dissatisfactory, ill, inferior, lame, lousy, off, paltry, poor, bad, sour, suboptimal, subpar, substandard, unacceptable, unsatisfactory, wack [slang], wanting, wretched, wrong

Antonyms

acceptable, adequate, all right, decent, fine, OK (or okay), passable, respectable, satisfactory, standard, tolerable

Related Words

abysmal, atrocious, awful, bitchin' [slang], brutal, damnable, deplorable, detestable, disastrous, dreadful, execrable, gnarly [slang], horrendous, horrible, pathetic, stinky, sucky [slang], terrible, unspeakable; defective, faulty, flawed; egregious, flagrant, gross; bum, cheesy, coarse, common, crappy [slang], cut-rate, junky, lesser, low-grade, low-rent, mediocre, miserable, reprehensible, rotten, rubbishy, second-rate, shoddy, sleazy, trashy; abominable, odious, vile; useless, valueless, worthless; inadequate, insufficient, lacking, meager (or meagre), mean, miserly, niggardly, scanty, shabby, short, skimp, skimpy, spare, stingy; miscreant, scurrilous, villainous; counterfeit, fake, phony (also phoney), sham

Near Antonyms

classic, classical; A1, bang-up, banner, boss [slang], capital, choice, crackerjack, dandy, divine, excellent, exceptional, fabulous, fine, first-class, first-rate, grand, great, groovy, heavenly, high-test, jim-dandy, keen, marvelous (or marvellous), mean, neat, nifty, noble, par excellence, perfect, premium, prime, sensational, slick, splendid, stellar, sterling, superb, superior, superlative, supernal, swell, terrific, tip-top, top, top-notch, unsurpassed, wonderful; better, exceptional, fancy, high-grade, special, sufficient; average, borderline, fair, mediocre, middling, minimal, so-so, unexceptional; suitable, useful, worthy; gratifying, satisfying

³punk

noun

Definition of PUNK

1

: wood so decayed as to be dry, crumbly, and useful for tinder

2

: a preparation (as of a stick of coated wood) that burns slowly and is used to ignite fuses especially of fireworks

Origin of PUNK

perhaps alteration of spunk

First Known Use: 1687

Other Wood Production Terms

cord, lumber

punk

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Aggressive form of rock music that coalesced into an international (though predominantly Anglo-American) movement in 1975–80. Originating in the countercultural rock of artists such as the Velvet Underground and Iggy (Pop) and the Stooges, punk rock evolved in New York City in the mid-1970s with artists such as Patti Smith and the Ramones. It soon took root in London—where distinctly “punk” fashions, including spiked hair and ripped clothing, were popularized—with bands such as the Sex Pistols and the Clash, and later in California, with X, Black Flag, and the Dead Kennedys. It is often marked by a fast, aggressive beat, loud guitar with abrupt chord changes, and nihilistic lyrics. Variants include new wave (more pop-oriented and accessible) and hardcore (characterized by brief, harsh songs played at breakneck speed); the latter continued to thrive through the 1990s.