Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. to work as a prostitute.

1720

in D’Urfey Pills to Purge Melancholy VI 212: We scorn to Punk, or to be drunk.

2. to engage in anal intercourse; to sodomize; thus get punked v., to be anally raped.

1949		N. Cassady letter in Charters (1993) 194: The desk copper leered and asked if we punked each other.
1969		B. Jackson Thief’s Primer 176: I know that he doesn’t like getting punked, but it’s gone so far now that he’s scared to say anything about it.
1975		J. Carr Bad (1995) 45: Everyone in the crew punked this poor guy.
1978		R.D. Pharr Giveadamn Brown (1997) 135: ‘He’s a faggot that wants whiteys to punk his rear so bad’.
1980		E. Folb Runnin’ Down Some Lines 250: punk v. Engage in anal intercourse.
1992		Bentley & Corbett Prison Sl. 60: Punk […] is also used as a verb. To punk someone is to sexually penetrate him.
2001		G. Pelecanos Right As Rain 50: Prison life was okay if you could avoid getting punked.
2005		G. Pelecanos Drama City 127: ‘You punked him,’ said Butler with imagination.

3. to beat up severely.

1967		F. Salas Tattoo the Wicked Cross (1981) 332: How about a good punking?
2000		Ebonics Primer at www.dolemite.com 🌐 punk Definition: 2. the act of inflicting severe physical harm upon another person to the point of unconsciousness and/or immobility. Example: Hey muthafuckah, you best get da’ fuck outta my face with yo pussy-ass, bullshit befo’ I straight punk yo ass.

4. to become pregnant.

1979

Sequence ‘Simon Says’ 🎵 We’re not like Jack or stupid Jill / Before we get punked we’ll take the pill.

5. (US black) to criticize, to insult.

1985		T.R. Houser Central Sl. 42: punkin’ around A situation where one attempts to embarrass another in front of a woman so as to make himself look better.
1997–2000		College Sl. Research Project (Cal. State Poly. Uni., Pomona) 🌐 Punk (verb) To put down; to let down; to dis; to insult.
2002		Simon & Burns ‘The Buys’ Wire ser. 1 ep. 3 [TV script] You ain’t gotta punk him like that.
2004		Simon & Price ‘All Due Respect’ Wire ser. 3 ep. 2 [TV script] ‘I thought he punked me, so I did what i had to do.’ ‘Which was?’ ‘Lit him up’.
2009		J. Stahl Pain Killers 90: Oh shit, Rev’s punkin’ an old man.
2011		F. Bill ‘Crimes in Southern Indiana’ in Crimes in Southern Indiana [ebook] Not wanting to be punked, Crazy said, ‘Tired of this never knowing’.

6. (also punk down, ... out) to make someone into an acquiescent weakling; to humiliate.

1996		P. Beatty White Boy Shuffle 169: Just when you let yourself go, your lover slips his finger into your anus and you’re punked for life.
1997		Simon & Burns Corner (1998) 104: Ronnie punking Gee in the middle of Monroe Street. Dag.
1998		(con. 1986) G. Pelecanos Sweet Forever 45: He had to act tough because if you didn’t those other boys would take you for bad and punk you out.
2005		W.D. Myers Autobiog. of My Dead Brother 141: He stood up and got as close to me as he could, trying to punk me down. ‘You want to step to me?’ I asked him.
2006		G. Pelecanos Night Gardener 39: Punk ’em now, and they won’t have the mind to rise up later on.
2019		C.D. Rosales Word Is Bone [ebook] ‘I ain’t a whiteboy and I ain’t a cholo so don’t try to punk me like neither’.
2020		S.A. Crosby Blacktop Wasteland 8: ‘Don’t let him punk you, man!’.

7. (US campus) to trick, to tease.

2003		Eble Campus Sl. Nov. 6: punk – play a trick or joke on someone.
2021		P Howard Braywatch 341: [T]he penny finally drops that our daughter has been punking us for the last six months.

8. (US teen) to steal.

2002

Teen Lingo: The Source for Youth Ministry 🌐 punk (v.) Steal or take something. ‘Did you punk the last ding-dong?’ ‘I heard Gena’s car got punked.’.

9. see punk out v. (1)