spank

Meaning

Verb

1. (transitive) To beat, smack or slap a person's buttocks, with the bare hand or other object, as punishment, or for sexual gratification.
2. (transitive) To soundly defeat, to trounce.
3. (transitive) To hit very hard.

Noun

1. An instance of spanking, separately or part of a multiple blows-beating; a smack, swat, or slap.
2. A slapping sound, as produced by spanking.
3. (euphemistic, slang) An instance of masturbation.

Noun

A leap or bound.

Synonyms

slap

smack

whip

beat

paddle

hit

spanking

scourge

slapdash

thrash

slapping

blow

slug

beat up

larrup

strike

lash

lick

pat

punch

👊

cuff

give a smack

torture

trellis

trounce

vanquish

wallop

whack

whang

whop

bowl along

riding whip

beanpole

strike violently

cane

chastise

churn

clash

clip

club

drub

ferule

flog

jounce

knock down

lambaste

penalize

punish

shellac

slam

Translations

fesser

palmada

Klaps

sculacciare

golpear

bofetada

zele

verhauen

sîle

ceffone

fessée

صفعة

gifle

tep

ραπίζω

Pronounced as (IPA)

/spæŋk/

Etymology

Cognate with Northern Frisian: spanke

Cognate with Saterland Frisian: spankje

Cognate with Dutch: spanken

Cognate with Dutch: spankeren

Cognate with Danish: spanke

Cognate with Swedish: spånka

In summary

Uncertain. Possibly imitative, or perhaps a special use of Etymology 2 (below) in the sense of a horse stamping its foot against the ground. There is no evidence of a relation with Portuguese espancar (“to batter, strike”).