See Also: punk(medicine)
punk(1)(dictionary)
punk(2)(dictionary)
punk(dictionary)
punk(encyclopedia)
punk(dictionary)

punk(2) (iou)



punk noun2 & adjective. L17.
[Origin uncertain: perh. rel. to FUNK noun1, SPUNK noun. Perh. also rel. to PUNK noun1 in some senses.]
A. noun.
I.
Soft dry crumbly wood, rotted by fungal attack, esp. used for tinder; any of several bracket fungi also so used. Cf. TOUCHWOOD 1, 2. Orig. US. L17.
b. = AMADOU. US. M19.
Something worthless; foolish talk; nonsense, rubbish. Chiefly US colloq. M19.
Bread. US slang. L19.
Chinese incense; joss-sticks. US. L19.
a. A passive male homosexual, a catamite. US slang. E20.
b. A person of no account, a worthless fellow; a young hooligan or petty criminal. Chiefly N. Amer. colloq. E20.
E. Hemingway This fellow was just a punk..a nobody. V. S. Naipaul The telephone rang. 'Hallo, punk'.
c. Esp. in show business: a youth, a novice; a young circus animal. US slang. E20.
II.
Punk rock; the subculture or style associated with this. Also, a punk rocker; a person who adopts or typifies a punk style. L20.
S. Townsend Nigel brought his records round. He is into punk. R. Alter Shakespeare has been presented in every conceivable mode from neoclassical stateliness to raucous punk. Hair Punks, with their super-glued spikes and day-glo colours.
b. adjective.
Worthless, bad, poor in quality, disappointing; nonsensical. Chiefly US colloq. L19.
E. Leonard I don't know what is the matter with me. I feel kind of punk.
Of timber: decayed, rotten. US. E20.
Designating or pertaining to a loud fast-moving form of rock music with crude and aggressive effects; characteristic of the subculture or style associated with this, esp. as distinguished by the wearing of leather ornamented with zips and chains and brightly dyed hair dressed in spikes. L20.
L. R. Banks He never liked me in my punk gear.
Comb. & special collocations: punk chic a fashionable style of design reflecting unconventional aspects of punk rock; punk rocker a player or admirer of punk rock.
punker noun (colloq.) a punk rocker L20.
punkette noun (colloq.) a young female punk rocker L20.
punkish adjective characteristic of or like a punk rocker, somewhat punk L20.

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