spankingn.
/ˈspaŋkɪŋ/, U.S. /ˈspæŋkɪŋ/ The action of beating or slapping with the open hand by way of punishment. Also figurative.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > punishment > corporal punishment > [noun] > spanking
spanking1854
the world > movement > impact > striking > striking with specific thing > [noun] > with the hand > with the open hand
spank1785
spanking1854
smacking1860
potch1966
1854 A. E. Baker Gloss. Northants. Words II. 269
1859 J. C. Hotten Dict. Slang 98 Spanking, a good beating.
1868 in Sat. Rev. (1869) 30 Jan. I gave her what some American friends call ‘a spanking’, sharp, short and effectual.
1885 G. A. Sala Let. in Queen 26 Sept. 307/3 The American lady doctor..suggested ‘spanking’ all round as a cure for the evil.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1913; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
spankingadj.
/ˈspaŋkɪŋ/, U.S. /ˈspæŋkɪŋ/ Chiefly dialect and colloquial.figurative.1858 P. J. Bailey Age 61 He lives at what folks call a spanking rate.
1. Very big, large, or fine; exceptionally good in some respect, frequently with implication of showiness or smartness.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > fashionableness > [adjective] > smart
gallantc1420
galliard1513
fine1526
trickly1580
pink1598
genteel1601
sparkful1605
sparkish1657
jaunty1662
spankinga1666
shanty1685
trig1725
smartish1738
distinguished1748
nobby1788
dashing1801
vaudy1805
swell1810
distingué1813
dashy1822
nutty1823
chic1832
slicked1836
flash1838
rakish1840
spiffy1853
smart1860
sassy1861
classy1870
spiffing1872
toffish1873
tony1877
swish1879
hep1899
toffy1901
hip1904
toppy1905
in1906
floozy1911
swank1913
jazz1917
ritzy1919
smooth1920
snappy1925
snazzy1931
groovy1937
what ho1937
gussy1940
criss1954
high camp1954
sprauncy1957
James Bondish1966
James Bond1967
schmick1972
designer1978
atas1993
as fine as fivepence-
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > excellence > [adjective]
faireOE
bremea1000
goodlyOE
goodfulc1275
noblec1300
pricec1300
specialc1325
gentlec1330
fine?c1335
singulara1340
thrivena1350
thriven and throa1350
gaya1375
properc1380
before-passinga1382
daintiful1393
principala1398
gradelya1400
burlyc1400
daintyc1400
thrivingc1400
voundec1400
virtuousc1425
hathelc1440
curiousc1475
singlerc1500
beautiful1502
rare?a1534
gallant1539
eximious1547
jolly1548
egregious?c1550
jellyc1560
goodlike1562
brawc1565
of worth1576
brave?1577
surprising1580
finger-licking1584
admirablea1586
excellinga1586
ambrosial1598
sublimated1603
excellent1604
valiant1604
fabulous1609
pure1609
starryc1610
topgallant1613
lovely1614
soaringa1616
twanging1616
preclarent1623
primea1637
prestantious1638
splendid1644
sterling1647
licking1648
spankinga1666
rattling1690
tearing1693
famous1695
capital1713
yrare1737
pure and —1742
daisy1757
immense1762
elegant1764
super-extra1774
trimming1778
grand1781
gallows1789
budgeree1793
crack1793
dandy1794
first rate1799
smick-smack1802
severe1805
neat1806
swell1810
stamming1814
divine1818
great1818
slap-up1823
slapping1825
high-grade1826
supernacular1828
heavenly1831
jam-up1832
slick1833
rip-roaring1834
boss1836
lummy1838
flash1840
slap1840
tall1840
high-graded1841
awful1843
way up1843
exalting1844
hot1845
ripsnorting1846
clipping1848
stupendous1848
stunning1849
raving1850
shrewd1851
jammy1853
slashing1854
rip-staving1856
ripping1858
screaming1859
up to dick1863
nifty1865
premier cru1866
slap-bang1866
clinking1868
marvellous1868
rorty1868
terrific1871
spiffing1872
all wool and a yard wide1882
gorgeous1883
nailing1883
stellar1883
gaudy1884
fizzing1885
réussi1885
ding-dong1887
jim-dandy1888
extra-special1889
yum-yum1890
out of sight1891
outasight1893
smooth1893
corking1895
large1895
super1895
hot dog1896
to die for1898
yummy1899
deevy1900
peachy1900
hi1901
v.g.1901
v.h.c.1901
divvy1903
doozy1903
game ball1905
goodo1905
bosker1906
crackerjack1910
smashinga1911
jake1914
keen1914
posh1914
bobby-dazzling1915
juicy1916
pie on1916
jakeloo1919
snodger1919
whizz-bang1920
wicked1920
four-star1921
wow1921
Rolls-Royce1922
whizz-bang1922
wizard1922
barry1923
nummy1923
ripe1923
shrieking1926
crazy1927
righteous1930
marvy1932
cool1933
plenty1933
brahmaa1935
smoking1934
solid1935
mellow1936
groovy1937
tough1937
bottler1938
fantastic1938
readyc1938
ridge1938
super-duper1938
extraordinaire1940
rumpty1940
sharp1940
dodger1941
grouse1941
perfecto1941
pipperoo1945
real gone1946
bosting1947
supersonic1947
whizzo1948
neato1951
peachy-keen1951
ridgey-dite1953
ridgy-didge1953
top1953
whizzing1953
badass1955
wild1955
belting1956
magic1956
bitching1957
swinging1958
ridiculous1959
a treat1959
fab1961
bad-assed1962
uptight1962
diggish1963
cracker1964
marv1964
radical1964
bakgat1965
unreal1965
pearly1966
together1968
safe1970
bad1971
brilliant1971
fabby1971
schmick1972
butt-kicking1973
ripper1973
Tiffany1973
bodacious1976
rad1976
kif1978
awesome1979
death1979
killer1979
fly1980
shiok1980
stonking1980
brill1981
dope1981
to die1982
mint1982
epic1983
kicking1983
fabbo1984
mega1985
ill1986
posho1989
pukka1991
lovely jubbly1992
awesomesauce2001
nang2002
bess2006
amazeballs2009
boasty2009
daebak2009
beaut2013
the world > space > extension in space > measurable spatial extent > largeness > [adjective] > exceptionally large of its kind
gurta1400
swappingc1440
swappit?a1513
strongc1540
thwacking1567
thumping1576
bouncing1579
swingeinga1592
whoppinga1625
rapping1657
spankinga1666
whisking1673
swagging1731
skelping?a1786
whacking1797
slapping1825
plumping1832
walloping1847
slashing1854
smacking1888
plonking1896
sollicking1946
the world > relative properties > quantity > greatness of quantity, amount, or degree > [adjective] > very great
swappingc1440
bumping1566
thumping1576
swingeinga1592
knocking1598
gigantical1604
gigantine1605
gigantean1611
gigantal?1614
thundering1618
whoppinga1625
humming1654
rapping1657
whisking1673
threshing1707
sousing1735
nation1765
heroic1785
runaway1790
spanking1791
gigantic1797
whacking1797
cracking1834
ringing1834
bouncing1842
walloping1847
stavingc1850
banging1864
howling1865
whooping1866
smacking1888
God almighty1913
Christ almighty1961
a1666 R. Fanshawe tr. A. Hurtado de Mendoza Querer por solo Querer (1670) ii. 64 What a spanking Labradora!
1706 Phillips's New World of Words (new ed.) Spanking, spruce, fine, jolly; as A spanking Lass.
1767 T. Bridges Homer Travestie (ed. 2) II. xi. 206 A table..Whereon she plac'd a spanking dish.
1791 J. O'Keeffe Wild Oats iv. i. 52 Now for a spanking lie, to continue her in the belief that Jack is the man she thinks him.
1834 W. Beckford Italy; with Sketches Spain & Portugal I. 16 This worthy dignitary..enjoys a spanking revenue.
1837 M. R. Mitford Country Stories (1850) 118 We must see what can be done for that boy—he's a fine spanking fellow.
1842 S. Lover Handy Andy iv. 40 We'll have some spanking sport.
2.
a. Of horses; esp. in later use: Moving or travelling at a rapid pace and in a smart and vigorous manner. (Cf. spank v.2 1b.)
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > mammals > group Ungulata (hoofed) > family Equidae (general equines) > horse defined by speed or gait > [adjective] > swift
raking?a1475
stirring horse1477
fire hoofed1621
fire-footeda1734
spanking1740
brushing1792
fast-gaited1841
1740 H. Bracken Farriery Improv'd (ed. 2) II. vi. 167 He goes by the Name of Spanking Roger.
1802 G. Colman Poor Gentleman (new ed.) iv. i. 56 There are four spanking greys..here, that shall whisk us to town in a minute.
1863 G. A. Sala About Shrimpington 110 As the ‘spanking tits’, which..were on this occasion more ‘spanked’ themselves than ‘spanking’, clattered along.
1897 W. H. Thornton Reminisc. Clergyman iii. 96 We had a spanking sixteen-hands-high mare in a dogcart.
b. Of persons: Dashing, lively, boisterous.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > excitement > excitability of temperament > spiritedness or liveliness > [adjective] > boisterously lively
exuberant?1504
flagartie1535
unsober1542
unstaida1557
coltisha1586
skittisha1592
unsettled1594
untameful1607
tearing1654
boisterousa1683
rackety1773
rumbustiousa1777
ranty1783
polrumptious1787
spanking1801
flisky1807
uproarious1819
unplacid1825
skylarking1826
fizzy1855
polyphloisboisterousa1875
polyphloisbic1915
raucous1919
boysy1921
bang-about1933
Tigger-like1974
1801 M. Edgeworth Mlle Panache ii, in Moral Tales III. 135 This spanking horsewoman has frightened us all out of our senses.
3. Of a breeze: Blowing strongly or briskly; rattling.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > weather and the atmosphere > weather > wind > [adjective] > strong
strongeOE
stiffc1290
sternc1374
wrothc1400
vehement1483
strainable1497
freshc1515
stout1533
bloysterous?1570
ruffing1577
boisterous?1594
lofty1600
chafing1762
blustery1774
smacking1820
snoring1822
spanking1849
gale force1902
1849 G. Cupples Green Hand ii, in Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. Mar. 321/2 They..struck up the ‘Buffalo’, that finest of chaunts for the weather forecastle with a spanking breeze.
1862 London Rev. & Weekly Jrnl. 16 Aug. 139 We are rushing through the water with a spanking breeze on our quarter.
1888 Boston (Mass.) Jrnl. 14 Aug. 1/2 Spanking Breeze for the Yachts.
4. Of a pace, rate, etc.: Rapid, smart, vigorous.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > rate of motion > swiftness > [adjective] > specifically of pace
smart1748
rattling1768
slapping1812
fast-paced1838
clipping1845
spanking1857
1857 T. Hughes Tom Brown's School Days i. v. 97 The wheelers in a spanking trot, and leaders cantering.
1882 W. Ballantine Some Exper. Barrister's Life xxiii. 230 We went at a spanking pace until suddenly brought to a stand-still.
1899 F. T. Bullen Log of Sea-waif 39 A large canoe..was coming off to us at a spanking rate.
5. Used as adv. Very, exceedingly; esp. as spanking new, brand-new. Cf. span-new adj. colloquial.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > relative time > the future or time to come > newness or novelty > [adjective] > brand new
span-newc1300
spon-new13..
brand-newc1570
spick and span new1579
new-new1592
fire-new1597
fiery-new1644
spick and span1665
split-new1695
spander-new1707
spank span-new1775
spick-span1815
spleet-new1818
brand-span-new1828
spick-span new1880
firebrand new1882
spanking new1886
spandy new1903
pin-new1967
box-fresh1990
the world > relative properties > quantity > greatness of quantity, amount, or degree > high or intense degree > [adverb] > very
tooc888
swith971
wellOE
wellOE
fullOE
rightc1175
muchc1225
wellac1275
gainlya1375
endlyc1440
hard?1440
very1448
odda1500
great1535
jolly1549
fellc1600
veryvery1649
gooda1655
vastly1664
strange1667
bloody1676
ever so1686
heartily1727
real1771
precious1775
quarely1805
murry1818
très1819
freely1820
powerfula1822
gurt1824
almighty1830
heap1832
all-fired1833
gradely1850
real1856
bonny1857
heavens1858
veddy1859
canny1867
some1867
oh-so1881
storming1883
spanking1886
socking1896
hefty1898
velly1898
fair dinkum1904
plurry1907
Pygmalion1914
dinkum1915
beaucoup1918
dirty1920
molto1923
snorting1924
honking1929
hellishing1931
thumpingly1948
way1965
mega1966
mondo1968
seriously1970
totally1972
mucho1978
stonking1990
1886 H. Baumann Londinismen 188/2 A spanking fine dinner.
1905 Dial. Notes 3 71 Bran spankin' new,..absolutely new.
1925 F. S. Fitzgerald Great Gatsby i. 6 The [house]..on my right was a colossal affair..spanking new under a thin beard of raw ivy.
1959 Weekly Times (Melbourne) 30 Sept. 1 (advt.) Imagine that great day..when you take delivery of your new working partner: a spanking new Ferguson 35.
1972 Newsweek 10 Jan. 34/2 The spanking new city of Brasília was carved painfully out of the wilderness.
1977 Time 19 Dec. 12/1 The spanking-white train chugged into Reading station.
1979 Radio Times 5 May 4/1 Luxurious surroundings at Lewisham's spanking new leisure centre.
1979 W. Styron Sophie's Choice vii. 164 On the driveway there now rested a spanking clean and polished Cadillac sedan.
Derivatives
ˈspankingly adv. at a spanking pace; in a rapid and smart manner.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > rate of motion > swiftness > [adverb]
yeverlyeOE
cofeOE
snellya1000
whatlichea1000
swiftlyc1000
yernea1023
skeetc1175
swithc1175
whatec1175
lightly?c1225
tidelyc1225
fastlyc1275
swithc1275
fastc1300
quickc1300
titec1300
quicklya1325
rada1325
snellc1330
titelyc1330
swithly?1370
hastlya1375
ketlya1375
ketec1380
speedlyc1380
speedfully1398
keenlya1400
skeetlya1400
speedilya1400
swiftc1400
yederlyc1400
apacea1423
rasha1475
runninglyc1475
speedful?c1480
rackly?a1500
rashly1533
stiffly1535
roundly1548
post1549
fleet1587
fleetly1598
speedy1601
raptly1646
fastisha1650
wingedly1651
rapidly1653
rapid1677
velociously1680
express1765
quicklike1782
spankingly1803
spankily1842
fleetingly1883
quick-foot1891
on the quick-foot1894
zippily1924
1803 R. Couper Tourifications II. 16 A country lad, mounted on a spirited pretty galloway, came spankingly along.
1830 Fraser's Mag. 2 439 The time put on his seven-leagued boots, and went spankingly away so rapidly that [etc.].
1866 London Rev. 23 June 697/1 You are told how his reverence rode spankingly to church.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1913; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1854adj.a1666