Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1852-1958
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STUNK, v.1, n.1 Also deriv. forms stunkle, stunkel, stunchil; stunker. [stʌŋk; ′stʌŋkl, ′stʌŋxl, ′stʌŋkər]
I. v. To sulk, get into a pet or huff, be sullen (Abd. 1880 Jam.; Abd., Kcd. 1971). Deriv. †stunkus, an obstinate girl (s.Sc. 1825 Jam.).Abd. 1852 A. Robb Poems 167:
She manna' scaul', nor stunk, nor bang, nor huff.Ags. 1896 A. Blair Rantin Robin 132:
There's naething looks waur than folk stunchilin an' sourin at ither in the presence o' strangers.Abd. 1930 Nan Shepherd The Weatherhouse (1988) 23:
That Weelum did not speak on his return gave him no anxiety: Weelum often stunkit at him and kept silence for days.ne.Sc. 1958 Mearns Leader (25 April):
The Seddler's dother's stunkit wi' him.
II. n. Gen. in pl. with def. art.: the sulks, a fit of pettish sullenness (Abd. 1825 Jam.), also in forms stunkle(s) (Kcd., Ags. 1825 Jam.; Abd., Kcd. 1971), stunker.m.Lth. 1857 Misty Morning 229:
He wadna crack, nor drink, nor smoke, But wander'd in his stunker.Ags. 1894 A. Reid Songs 36:
Cankert daddy Care Lang has haen the stunkles.
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"Stunk v.1, n.1". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Feb 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/stunk_v1_n1>
