What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Punk vs Spunk - What's the difference?

punk | spunk |

In uncountable terms the difference between punk and spunk

is that punk is any material used as tinder for lighting fires, such as agaric, dried wood, or touchwood, but especially wood altered by certain fungi while spunk is courage; spirit; mettle; determination.

As nouns the difference between punk and spunk

is that punk is a prostitute; courtezan while spunk is a spark.

As verbs the difference between punk and spunk

is that punk is to pimp while spunk is to ejaculate.

As an adjective punk

is of, from, or resembling the punk subculture.

punk

English

Etymology 1

Of uncertain origin. Possibly from the application of the sense

Noun

  • (obsolete, countable) A prostitute; courtezan.
  • * , V.i.
    • My lord, she may be a punk ; for many of them are neither maid, widow, nor wife.
  • * 1663 : .
    • And made them fight, like mad or drunk,
    For Dame Religion, as for punk .
  • (countable, uncommon) The bottom in a male-male sexual relationship, especially in prison.
    • Because he was so weak, Vinny soon became Tony's punk .
  • * 1946 , Mezz Mezzrow & Bernard Wolfe, Really the Blues , Payback Press 1999, p. 15:
    • A punk , if you want it in plain English, is a boy with smooth skin who takes the place of a woman in a jailbird's love life.
  • (countable) A juvenile delinquent; a young, petty criminal or trouble-maker; a hoodlum; a hooligan.
  • (countable) Any worthless person.
  • * 1971 ,
    • I know what you're thinking, punk'. You're thinking, "Did he fire six shots or only five?" Well, to tell you the truth, I've forgotten myself in all this excitement. But being as this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and would blow your head clean off, you've got to ask yourself a question: Do I feel lucky? / Well, do ya, ' punk ?
  • (uncountable) A social and musical movement rooted in rebelling against the established order.
  • (uncountable) The music of the punk movement, known for short songs with electric guitars, strong drums, and a direct, unproduced approach.
  • (countable, sometimes as informal plural punx) A person who belongs to that movement and/or listens to that music, a punk rocker.
    • Usage notes
    The most common use of the term is in the term punk rock (for a certain social and musical movement). In the UK, this is the only common usage.

    Adjective

    (er)
  • Of, from, or resembling the subculture.
    • ''You look very punk with your t-shirt, piercing and chains.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To pimp.
    • Tony punked-out Vinny when he was low on smokes.
  • To forcibly perform anal sex upon an unwilling partner.
    • Ricky punked his new cell-mates.
  • To prank.
    • I got expelled when I punked the principal.
  • To give up or concede; to act like a wimp.
    • Jimmy was going to help me with the prank, but he punked (out) at the last minute.
    Usage notes
    The relatively tame 21st century usage of punk'' to mean "prank" was popularized by the American television show . Until as recently as the late 20th century, ''punk'' still connoted rape or submitting to anal rape (''punk-out''). The second use of the term ''punk-out'' is now comparable to acting like a ''pussy and mildly implies submissive behavior in general.
    Synonyms
    * see

    Derived terms

    * cyberpunk * post-punk * protopunk * punk music * punk rock * punkabilly * punker * punkette * punkish * punkling * punkster * punky * ska punk

    Etymology 2

    Perhaps a reduction of Lenape Talking Dictionary'', punkw.Robert K. Barnhart (editor), ''The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology'' (H. W. Wilson, 1988), page 864: "Probably borrowed from Algonquian (Delaware) ''ponk , literally, living ashes."

    Noun

  • (uncountable) Any material used as tinder for lighting fires, such as agaric, dried wood, or touchwood, but especially wood altered by certain fungi.
  • * 1899 , H. B. Cushman, History of the Choctaw, Chickasaw and Natchez Indians , page 271:
    • On one occasion a venerable old Indian man, who, in order to light his pipe, was trying to catch a spark upon a piece of punk struck from his flint and steel; ...
  • * 1922 , Harry Ignatius Marshall, The Karen People of Burma , page 61:
    • The oil is mixed with bits of dry wood or punk and moulded into sticks about a cubit long and an inch in diameter by putting it into joints of small bamboo.
  • * 2001 , William W. Johnstone, War of the Mountain Man , page 116:
    • He made him a little smoldering pocket of punk to light the fuses and waited.
  • (countable) A utensil for lighting wicks or fuses (such as those of fireworks) resembling stick incense.
  • * 1907 , Jack London, The Road , [http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/14658]:
    • On the end a coal of fire slowly smouldered. It would last for hours, and my cell-mate called it a "punk ."
  • * 1994 , Ashland Price, Viking Tempest , page 353:
    • Then, without another word, he rose and left the shelter, apparently in order to light the vessel's wick with a punk from the dying campfire.
  • * 2004 , Shawn Shiflett, Hidden Place , page 221:
    • He raised the cylinder high in the air with his bare hand, used a punk to light the fuse, and KABOOM !

    References

    English words with different meanings in different locations ----

    spunk

    English

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • (countable, obsolete) A spark.
  • * 1886 , , 2009, page 109,
    • “That?s none such an entirely bad little man, yon little man with the red head,” said Alan. “He has some spunks of decency.”
  • (uncountable) Touchwood; tinder.
  • * 1646 , (Thomas Browne), Pseudodoxia Epidemica , II.5:
    • Spunk , or Touch-wood prepared, might perhaps make it Russet: and some, as Beringuccio affirmeth, have promised to make it Red.
  • (countable, chiefly, Scotland, obsolete) A piece of tinder, sometimes impregnated with sulphur; a match.
  • * 1829 , Society for Relief of the Destitute Sick (Edinburgh), Report , page 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.
  • * 1843 , John Wilson, John Gibson Lockhart, William Maginn, James Hogg, The Noctes Ambrosianæ of “Blackwood” , Volume IV, page 396,
    • “Spunks' — '''spunks''' — '''spunks''' — who will buy my ' spunks ?” — cried an errant voice with a beseeching earnestness.
  • (uncountable) Courage; spirit; mettle; determination.
  • * 1920 August, Edward Leonard, Old Zeke?s Mule'', '' , 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.”
  • * 1991 , Lindsey Hanks, (copyright Linda Chesnutt, Georgia Pierce), Long Texas Night , Zebra Books, US, page 26,
    • “You've got spunk', missy, I?ll have to say that for you. Maybe with your ' spunk and my good looks we can get this place in shape again.”
    It was Sarah?s turn to laugh.
  • *
  • (countable, UK, Australia, New Zealand, slang) An attractive person (normally male).
  • * 2005 , Sue Austin, Women?s Aggressive Fantasies: A Post-Jungian Exploration of Self-Hatred, Love and Agency , Routledge, UK, page 166,
    • We are welcomed by 20 year old spunks , as we make a last valiant attempt with our bodies - gasp, gasp - and try to get back in shape.
  • (uncountable, chiefly, UK, vulgar, slang) Semen.
  • * 2007 , Debra Hyde, Kidnapped'', Violet Blue (editor), ''Lust: Erotic Fantasies for Women , 2010, ReadHowYouWant, page 188,
    • It was runny stuff and, as she felt Brain loosen his hold on the drawstrings, Cackle's spunk dripped onto the shelf of her chin.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (slang, vulgar) To ejaculate.

    • Anagrams

    *