punks

1. 1
   noun

   Plural of punk.

   In the late 1970s, punks in New York and Los Angeles built their own music scene.

   The store owner chased off a couple of punks who had spray-painted his wall.

   Note

   Most of the meanings this plural carries are old or harsh. Used of prostitutes, it belongs to writing about the past; several others are insults aimed at gay men or terms tied to sexual coercion, especially in prison. The surrounding text decides both which meaning is in play and how offensive it is, so it needs care outside historical writing.

2. 2
   verb

   Third-person singular simple present indicative of punk.

   The host punks a celebrity guest on every episode with a hidden-camera stunt.

   Every time the boss raises his voice, Danny punks out and agrees to whatever he wants.

   Note

   Most of its uses are slang, and a particle often changes the meaning: someone who backs down punks out, while a prankster simply punks the victim, with no particle at all. A darker pair of slang meanings, pimping and sexual assault, shares the spelling, so the playful prank sense is safest where the context makes the joke plain.

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