spunkyadj.
/ˈspʌŋki/, U.S. /ˈspəŋki/ 1.
a. Full of spunk or spirit; courageous, mettlesome, spirited.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > courage > spirit > [adjective]
braga1350
animose?a1425
heartlya1450
stomachous1547
bold-spirited1597
mettled1599
mettle1606
animous1609
stomachful1610
stomachious1611
brave-spiriteda1617
mettlesome1673
game1752
spunky1786
spunk1788
gamelike1804
good-woolled1846
plucked1846
bold-hearted1847
gamey1849
gameful1853
gutsy1893
feisty1896
gutty1953
(a)
(b)1804 C. Smith Conversations I. 26 I always get him upon a spunky horse, and the fun is to see his contrivances to stick fast, while I dash on, on purpose.1856 T. Aird Poet. Wks. (new ed.) 130 All the year she sings.., The spunky little bird.1873 C. Gibbon For Lack of Gold (new ed.) x He's a spunky wee beggar, that bantam.1786 R. Burns Poems 33 Erskine, a spunkie norland billie.
1793 J. Beresford in W. Roberts Looker-on No. 51. 405 A strapping lassie, So spunky, brazen, bold, and saucy.
1805 C. Lamb Let. 10 Nov. in Lett. C. & M. A. Lamb (1976) II. 189 Vittoria Corombona a spunky Italian lady, a Leonardo one, nick-named the White Devil.
1829 W. S. Landor Imaginary Conversat. 2nd Ser. II. vi. 260 They are grown again as young and spunky as undergraduates.
1884 Cent. Mag. 428 Spunk will sometimes carry a man through, and you can't say he ain't spunky.
b. Characterized by animation or spirit.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > vigour or energy > [adjective] > lively and energetic
doing1591
mettled1599
spiritful1599
spirited1601
mettle1606
free-spirited1613
high-mettleda1626
spright1658
racy1671
mettlesome1673
dashing1796
peppery1829
spunky1831
fizzy1855
zippy1903
the mind > emotion > excitement > excitability of temperament > spiritedness or liveliness > [adjective]
jollyc1325
kedgec1440
fledge?1461
frisky?a1500
sprightya1522
frisk1528
sprightful1550
quick-spirited1552
lively1567
quick-sprighted1579
alive-like1582
aleger1590
firking1594
sprightly1594
sportive1595
mettled1599
alives-like1601
spirited1601
spirituous1601
mettle1606
great-stomached1607
free-spirited1613
spirity1615
spiritous1628
vivacious1645
rattlingc1650
sportful1650
airy1654
animated1660
racy1671
mettlesome1673
sparklinga1704
raffing?1719
bob1721
vivace1721
alive1748
lifey1793
spunky1831
gilpie1835
bubbling1860
chippy1865
bubblesome1879
colourful1882
sparky1883
bubbly1912
jazzy1917
spritzy1973
sparkly1979
kicking1983
1831 J. Wilson in Blackwood's Mag. 30 408 He..has repartee at his command, and occasionally rises into spunky declamation.
2. Scottish and northern. Sparkling; burning or shining brightly.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > light > light emitted in particular manner > [adjective] > glittering or sparkling
sparkling?c1225
glising1340
glimmeringa1375
glistening1388
glistering1398
glitteringa1400
coruscantc1485
twinkling1508
flankering1577
fire-darting1594
glitterous1596
scintillant1611
winkinga1616
micant1657
scintillating1664
spangling1665
besparklinga1674
skinkling1790
spunky1791
micacious1797
glistery1806
spark-like1814
spangly1818
emicatious1819
sparky1827
aglitter1828
ablaze1851
aglist1858
scintillescent1860
aglisten1867
glittery1880
twinkly1884
sparkly1922
1791 E. Nairne Poems 131 For rotton wood will give i' th' dark The spunkey semblance of a spark.
1805 R. Anderson Ballads in Cumberland Dial. 19 How neyce the spunky fire it burns.
1825 J. T. Brockett Gloss. North Country Words Spunky, sparkling.
3. dialect and U.S. Angry, irritable, irascible.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > anger > [adjective]
irrec825
gramec893
wemodc897
wrothc950
bolghenc1000
gramelyc1000
hotOE
on fireOE
brathc1175
moodyc1175
to-bollenc1175
wrethfulc1175
wraw?c1225
agrameda1300
wrathfula1300
agremedc1300
hastivec1300
irousa1340
wretheda1340
aniredc1350
felonc1374
angryc1380
upreareda1382
jealous1382
crousea1400
grieveda1400
irefula1400
mada1400
teena1400
wraweda1400
wretthy14..
angryc1405
errevousa1420
wrothy1422
angereda1425
passionatec1425
fumous1430
tangylc1440
heavy1452
fire angry1490
wrothsomea1529
angerful?1533
wrothful?1534
wrath1535
provoked1538
warm1547
vibrant1575
chauffe1582
fuming1582
enfeloned1596
incensed1597
choleric1598
inflameda1600
raiseda1600
exasperate1601
angried1609
exasperated1611
dispassionate1635
bristlinga1639
peltish1648
sultry1671
on (also upon) the high ropes (also rope)1672
nangry1681
ugly1687
sorea1694
glimflashy1699
enraged1732
spunky1809
cholerous1822
kwaai1827
wrathy1828
angersome1834
outraged1836
irate1838
vex1843
raring1845
waxy1853
stiff1856
scotty1867
bristly1872
hot under the collar1879
black angry1894
spitfire1894
passionful1901
ignorant1913
hairy1914
snaky1919
steamed1923
uptight1934
broigus1937
lemony1941
ripped1941
pissed1943
crooked1945
teed off1955
ticked off1959
ripe1966
torqued1967
bummed1970
the mind > emotion > anger > irascibility > [adjective] > irascible (of person)
hotOE
wooda1250
hastivec1300
irous1303
hastya1350
angrya1387
melancholiousa1393
quicka1400
irefulc1400
melancholyc1450
turnec1480
iracundiousa1492
passionatea1500
fumish1523
irascible1530
wrothful1535
fierya1540
warm1547
choleric1556
hot at hand1558
waspish1566
incensive1570
bilious1571
splenative1593
hot-livered1599
short1599
spitfire1600
warm-tempered1605
temperless1614
sulphurous1616
angryable1662
huffy1680
hastish1749
peppery1778
quick-tempered1792
inflammable1800
hair-triggered1806
gingery1807
spunky1809
iracund1821
irascid1823
wrathy1828
frenzy1859
gunpowdery1868
gunpowderous1870
tempersome1875
exacerbescent1889
tempery1905
lightningy1906
temperish1925
short-fused1979
1809 Debates in Congress (1853) 31 Jan. 1259 It may be a spunky spiteful child, but will have no strength.
1822 J. Galt Provost xxvi. 192 The spunky nature of Mr. Hirple was certainly very disagreeable often to most of the council.
1873 W. Carleton Farm Ballads 7 We was both of us cross and spunky, and both too proud to speak.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1915; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1786