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   Skunk

   /skəNGk/

   

   noun

   • 1. a cat-sized American mammal of the weasel family, with distinctive black-and-white striped fur. When threatened it squirts a fine spray of foul-smelling irritant liquid from its anal glands towards its attacker.
   • ▪ the fur of the skunk.
   • 2. a contemptible person: informal, derogatory "he'd run up a massive phone bill and hadn't paid—the skunk"
   • 3. short for skunkweed informal

   verb

   • 1. defeat (someone) overwhelmingly in a game or contest, especially by preventing them from scoring at all: informal North American "I knew he was a good fisherman, but I didn't expect him to skunk you"
   • 2. fail to pay (a bill or creditor): informal, dated North American "he made a practice of skunking hotels"

   Word Origin mid 17th century: from Abnaki segankw; variants occur in many other North American Indian dialects.

   Scrabble Points: 13

   • S

     1

   • K

     5

   • U

     1

   • N

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   • K

     5

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