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Skunk vs Lurk - What's the difference?

skunk | lurk |

As nouns the difference between skunk and lurk

is that skunk is skunk (animal) while lurk is the act of lurking.

As a verb lurk is

to remain concealed in order to ambush.

skunk

English

(wikipedia skunk)

Etymology 1

At first spelt squunck, from the (etyl) name for the animal, .

Noun

(en noun)
  • Any of various small mammals, of the family Mephitidae, native to North and Central America, having a glossy black with a white coat and two musk glands at the base of the tail for emitting a noxious smell as a defensive measure.
  • (slang) A despicable person.
  • (slang) A walkover victory in sports or board games, as when the opposing side is unable to score. Compare shutout.
  • (cribbage) A win by 30 or more points.
    • Derived terms
    * drunk as a skunk * skunky

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To defeat so badly as to prevent any opposing points.
    • I skunked him at cards.
    We fished all day but the lake skunked us.
  • (cribbage) To win by 30 or more points.
  • to go bad, to spoil

    • See also

    * Mephitidae * Mephitis * * * polecat

    Etymology 2

    , influenced by the animal (Etymology 1).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A member of a hybrid skinhead and punk subculture.
  • * 2006 , Pam Nilan, Carles Feixa, Global Youth?: Hybrid Identities, Plural Worlds (page 192)
    • In the early 1980s, certain ex-punks joined them, becoming 'skunks' – a hybrid subculture of skinheads and punks.
  • * 2011 , Gerard DeGroot (quoting Brown), Seventies Unplugged

    • Etymology 3

    From

    Noun

  • (slang) (marijuana).
  • Any of the strains of hybrids of Cannabis sativa'' and ''Cannabis indica that may have THC levels exceeding those of typical hashish.
    • ----

    lurk

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To remain concealed in order to ambush.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-29, volume=407, issue=8842, page=55, magazine=(The Economist)
    • , title= Travels and travails , passage=Even without hovering drones, a lurking assassin, a thumping score and a denouement, the real-life story of Edward Snowden, a rogue spy on the run, could be straight out of the cinema. But, as with Hollywood, the subplots and exotic locations may distract from the real message: America’s discomfort and its foes’ glee.}}
  • To remain unobserved.
  • * 1898 , , (Moonfleet) Chapter 4
    • Thus my plight was evil indeed, for I had nothing now to burn to give me light, and knew that 'twas no use setting to grout till I could see to go about it. Moreover, the darkness was of that black kind that is never found beneath the open sky, no, not even on the darkest night, but lurks in close and covered places and strains the eyes in trying to see into it.
  • To hang out or wait around a location, preferably without drawing attention to oneself.
  • * 2005 , (Plato), Sophist . Translation by Lesley Brown. .
    • if we find the sophist lurking , we must round him up by royal command of the argument
  • (Internet) To view an internet forum without posting comments.

    • Derived terms

    * lurker

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The act of lurking.
  • * 1921 : George Colby Borley, The Lost Horizon
    • There were enemies on the lurk and time was against him.
  • * 1955 : John Maxwell Edmonds Longus, Daphnis et Chloe
    • ... barked furiously and made at him as at a wolf, and before he could wholly rise from the lurk because of the sudden consternation, ...
  • * 2004 : Charles Reade, A Simpleton
    • At two PM a man had called on him, and had produced one of his advertisements, and had asked him if that was all square—no bobbies on the lurk .