What is "punk"

Punk \Punk\, n. [Cf. Spunk.]

1. Wood so decayed as to be dry, crumbly, and useful for tinder; touchwood.

2. A fungus ( Polyporus fomentarius, etc.) sometimes dried for tinder; agaric.

3. An artificial tinder. See Amadou, and Spunk.

4. A prostitute; a strumpet. [Obsoles.]
   --Shak.

"inferior, bad," 1896, also as a noun, "something worthless," earlier "rotten wood used as tinder" (1680s), "A word in common use in New England, as well as in the other Northern States and Canada" [Bartlett]; perhaps from Delaware (Algonquian) ponk, literally "dust, powder, ashes;" but Gaelic spong "tinder" also has been suggested (compare spunk "touchwood, tinder," 1580s).

"Chinese incense," 1870, from punk (adj.).

"worthless person" (especially a young hoodlum), 1917, probably from punk kid "criminal's apprentice," underworld slang first attested 1904 (with overtones of "catamite"). Ultimately from punk (n.1) or else from punk "prostitute, harlot, strumpet," first recorded 1590s, of unknown origin.\n

\nFor sense shift from "harlot" to "homosexual," compare gay. By 1923 used generally for "young boy, inexperienced person" (originally in show business, as in punk day, circus slang from 1930, "day when children are admitted free"). The verb meaning "to back out of" is from 1920.\n

\nThe "young criminal" sense is no doubt the inspiration in punk rock first attested 1971 (in a Dave Marsh article in "Creem," referring to Rudi "Question Mark" Martinez); popularized 1976.\n\nIf you looked different, people tried to intimidate you all the time. It was the same kind of crap you had to put up with as a hippie, when people started growing long hair. Only now it was the guys with the long hair yelling at you. You think they would have learned something. I had this extreme parrot red hair and I got hassled so much I carried a sign that said "FUCK YOU ASSHOLE." I got so tired of yelling it, I would just hold up the sign.

[Bobby Startup, Philadelphia punk DJ, "Philadelphia Weekly," Oct. 10, 2001]

Etymology 1

1. Of, from, or resembling the #Noun subculture. n. 1 (context obsolete countable English) A prostitute; courtezan. 2 (context countable uncommon English) The bottom in a male-male sexual relationship, ''especially'' in prison. (since the 19th century) 3 (context countable English) A juvenile delinquent; a young, petty criminal or trouble-maker; a hoodlum; a hooligan. 4 (context countable English) Any worthless person. 5 (context uncountable English) A social and musical movement rooted in rebelling against the established order. 6 (context uncountable English) The music of the punk movement, known for short songs with electric guitars, strong drums, and a direct, unproduced approach. 7 (context countable sometimes as informal plural punx English) A person who belongs to that movement and/or listens to that music, a punk rocker. v

2. 1 To pimp. 2 To forcibly perform anal sex upon an unwilling partner. 3 To prank. 4 (context especially with "out" English) To give up or concede; to act like a wimp. Etymology 2

   n. 1 (context uncountable English) Any material used as tinder for lighting fires, such as agaric, dried wood, or touchwood, but especially wood altered by certain fungi. 2 (context countable English) A utensil for lighting wicks or fuses (such as those of fireworks) resembling stick incense.

adj. of very poor quality [syn: bum, cheap, cheesy, chintzy, crummy, sleazy, tinny]

1. n. an aggressive and violent young criminal [syn: hood, hoodlum, goon, thug, tough, toughie, strong-armer]

2. substance that smolders when ignited; used to light fuses (especially fireworks)

3. material for starting a fire [syn: kindling, tinder, touchwood, spunk]

4. a teenager or young adult who is a performer (or enthusiast) of punk rock and a member of the punk youth subculture [syn: punk rocker]

5. rock music with deliberately offensive lyrics expressing anger and social alienation; in part a reaction against progressive rock [syn: punk rock]

A punk is a smoldering stick used for lighting firework fuses. It is safer than a match or a lighter because it can be used from a greater distance and does not use an open flame. They are made of bamboo and a brown coating of dried manure or compressed sawdust. Punks often resemble sticks of incense, and in some countries actual incense sticks are used in a similar fashion. Punks are sold at nearly all firework stands and many stands will include them for free with a purchase.

Punk was a Punk and Ska radio station on Sirius Satellite Radio channel 29 and Dish Network channel 6029. In its time it rivaled Fungus 53 on XM Satellite Radio. It was added to Sirius Canada on June 24, 2008.

On September 19, 2006, following the merger of Sirius and XM, both Punk and Fungus were approved. To the dismay of many customers, both channels were replaced with a 24-hour AC/DC channel.

Punk was a music magazine and fanzine created by cartoonist John Holmstrom, publisher Ged Dunn, and "resident punk" Legs McNeil in 1975. Its use of the term " punk rock", coined by writers for Creem magazine a few years earlier, further popularized the term. The founders were influenced by their affection for comic books and the music of The Stooges, the New York Dolls, and The Dictators. Holmstrom later called it "the print version of The Ramones". It was also the first publication to popularize the CBGB scene.

Punk published 15 issues between 1976 and 1979, as well as a special issue in 1981 (The D.O.A. Filmbook), and several more issues in the new millennium. Its covers featured Sex Pistols, Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, Patti Smith, and Blondie.

Punk was a vehicle for examining the underground music scene in New York, and primarily for punk rock as found in clubs like CBGB, Zeppz, and Max's Kansas City. It mixed Mad Magazine-style cartooning by Holmstrom, Bobby London and a young Peter Bagge with the more straightforward pop journalism of the kind found in Creem. It also provided an outlet for female writers, artists and photographers who had been shut out of a male-dominated underground publishing scene.

Punk magazine was home to (many of whom were being published for the first time) writers Mary Harron, Steve Taylor, Lester Bangs, Pam Brown, artists Buz Vaultz, Anya Phillips, and Screaming Mad George, and photographers Bob Gruen, Barak Berkowitz, Roberta Bayley and David Godlis. After Dunn left in early 1977 and McNeil quit shortly afterwards, Bruce Carleton (art director, 1977–1979), Ken Weiner (contributor, 1977–79), and Elin Wilder, one of few African Americans involved in the early CBGB/punk rock scene, were added to the staff.

Punk was briefly revived in 2007.

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Punk or punks may refer to:

• Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres
• Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock
• P.U.N.K.S., a 1999 movie about a group of bullied teens who find a suit created by a scientist
• Punks (film), a 2001 film centered on a group of LGBT African American friends
• Punk (fireworks), a smoldering stick used for lighting firework fuse
• Punk (magazine), a 1970s United States punk music magazine
• CM Punk (born 1978), American retired professional wrestler and MMA fighter
• The Encyclopedia of Punk, a 2006 reference work by Brian Cogan
• Punk, a colloquialism for the Cattail reed, genus Typha
• "Punk", a song from the 2001 Gorillaz self-titled debut album
• "Punk", a song from the 2003 Ferry Corsten album Right of Way
• Punk, sometimes term for homosexual, as is pansy or queer.