skunk

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Informal

n. a person who is mean, dishonest, or very unpleasant.

n. a contemptible or despicable person; often used as a mild to moderate insult.

“I can't believe he lied to us; he is such a skunk.”

“After he cheated his business partners out of their life savings, the local community treated him like a total skunk.”

C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Slang

n. a type of very strong marijuana that has a powerful smell.

n. a high-potency strain of cannabis, typically a hybrid of Cannabis sativa and Cannabis indica, noted for its pungent aroma.

“The police found a small amount of skunk in the suspect's car.”

“Public health officials have expressed concern over the increasing availability of skunk due to its significantly higher THC concentrations compared to traditional varieties.”

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Sports American English · Informal

n. a game or match where one side fails to score any points at all.

n. a shutout or overwhelming defeat in a game, particularly in North American sports or board games like cribbage.

“The final score was 15-0, which meant the losing team suffered a skunk.”

“In their final match of the season, the home team managed a skunk, preventing the visitors from scoring a single point throughout the game.”

C2 · Proficiency Sports American English · Slang

v. to beat an opponent so badly that they do not score any points.

v. to defeat an opponent decisively, specifically by preventing them from scoring.

“We totally skunked them in the second half of the tournament.”

“The underdog team surprised everyone when they skunked the reigning champions in the opening round of the playoffs.”