Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (orig. US black) dirty, second-rate, unattractive, cheap-looking, ugly [skank n.¹ (5)].

1965		‘SWAP Dict. Teen-age Sl’ in Ebony Mar. 98/2: Skanky: an ugly girl — as in ‘That’s a skanky broad’.
1972		R.A. Wilson Playboy’s Book of Forbidden Words.
1975		E. Torres Carlito’s Way 55: Junkies [...] shanky, dirty, always in pairs like faggots, never no pussy.
1989		P. Munro Sl. U.
1992		Eble Campus Sl. Apr. 8: skank – gross, repulsive, disgusting. ‘The food in Lenoir is skank.’.
1992		UGK ‘I’m So Bad’ 🎵 I ain’t rappin no more about these ol’ chickenhead / skanky-ass bitches.
1993		M. Myers et al. Wayne’s World II [film script] This is a room of about fifty skanky groupies.
1994		G. Indiana Rent Boy 26: Some skank crackhead who couldn’t get a date with a blind fizzhead.
1995		J. Stahl Permanent Midnight 28: Loads, source of so much compact inspiration for the Hollywood skank scene.
1997–2000		Da Bomb 🌐 24: Scanky (skanky): Disgusting, dirty.
2001		OnLine Dict. of Playground Sl. 🌐 skank n. [...] mercenary or thrifty (in a ‘picking pennies out of the bin’ kind of way) You skanky b*****d, you are such a skank!
2002		J. Lerner You Got Nothing Coming 122: Get moving, you skank-ass, scab-domed piece a shit!
2006		G. Malkani Londonstani (2007) 140: One a them skanky minicabs with an Afghan driver.
2006		D. Winslow Winter of Frankie Machine (2007) 29: Frank doesn’t have to worry about [...] them having skanky guys from the strip clubs moving in.
2007		L. Redhead Cherry Pie [ebook] Shit happened when you lurked round skanky alleys.
2009		T. Black Gutted 89: Get some clothes on. Your skanky arse is the last thing I want to see.
2009		(con. 1960s) J. Ellroy Blood’s a Rover 23: They were low-rent [...] They waited for work from skank private eyes and divorce lawyers.
2014		T. Black Artefacts of the Dead [ebook] I’ll drag you out in the buff and show the world that skanky arse!
2016		A. Bennett Diary 30 Sept. I don’t know what ‘memes’ are or what ‘skanky’ means. Whether it is worth finding out I’m not sure. Are they comfortably ensconced in the language already or are they just lodging there?
2019		S.M. Jones Lives Laid Away [ebook] ‘I [...] don’t really give a rat’s skanky ass what your tin star says’.
2022		J. Hannaham Didn’t Nobody Give a Shit 27: The skankiest greasy-spoon joint in Chinatown.

2. of a woman, attractive, sexy; promiscuous [skank n.¹ (1) on bad = good model].

1989		P. Munro Sl. U.
1995		Eble Campus Sl. Apr. 8: scank – lewd, disreputable: ‘She is so scank – she slept with the entire football team.’.
1997–2000		Da Bomb 🌐 24: Scanky (skanky): [...] 2. Floozy; sexually promiscuous.
2002		Travis Daub ‘Exclusive Interview! Julia’s Breasts!’ on Lost Brain Entertainment 🌐 ‘Is that true Lefty?’ ‘Damn no. N-F-W man. I don’t hang with that skanky-ho no more.’.
2004		Guardian 10 July 3: He [...] labelled a conservative female columnist a ‘skanky ho’.
2004		L. Redhead Peepshow [ebook] I was Vivien, skanky stripper, confromnted with two lines of free blow.
2005		Mad mag. Jan. 34: Paris Hilton [...] a bratty, brain-dead socialite, a skanky amateur porn star.
2010		L. Redhead Thrill City [ebook] I was a skanky yet up myself bogan stripper-princess [...] fully aware of my sexual power.
2011		S. Kelman Pigeon English 222: Green eyeshadow [...] makes her look like skanky green fool.
2013		K. Shea ‘Having Chiqui’ in ThugLit July-Aug. [ebook] ‘Her and her pack of skanky bitches scamming free boo’.