Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (UK Und.) to rob a shop by breaking its window and grabbing whatever is within reach; thus spanking n.

1812		Vaux Memoirs in McLachlan (1964) 82: Lest the reader should be unprovided with a cant dictionary, I shall briefly explain in succession: viz., spanking [...] Breaking a shop-window at night, having first tied the door to prevent a pursuit, then snatching at any articles of value within reach.
1870		(con. 1800s) Leeds Times 7 May6/6: These youths practised [...] thirteen different ‘lays’ including [...] ‘spanking,’ or breaking shop-windows to snatch at valuables.

2. to play at.

1890

Sporting Times 1 Feb. 1/3: She had dropped in to spend the evening and spank the domino-box.

3. (N.Z.) to milk a cow.

1897		I. Scott How I Stole 10,000 Sheep 8: We got on pretty well and spanked, that is milked, his cows for him night and morning [DNZE].
1949		C.V. Smith N to Z 106: The dairy farmer [...] has to spank cows before breakfast and he has to spank them again before his tea [DNZE].
1971		N.Z. Dairy Exporter Sept. 131: ‘Going to spank cows?’ was usually the incredulous comment [DNZE].

4. to masturbate; usu. in var. combs. such as spank the monkey

1989

P. Munro Sl. U. 178: spank/shower spank to masturbate.

5. to criticize, to make fun of.

1946		J. Adams From Gags to Riches 301: Winchell has been spanking Jack and Charlie for many years.
2007		A.C. Shepard Woodward and Bernstein 37: ‘You did brilliant work and then you did lousy work and every once in a while you had to be spanked’.

6. (US) to imprison.

1968

in J.P. Spradley You Owe Yourself a Drunk (1988) 48: Believe I’m not being ‘spanked’ for being drunk but for not having $20 license fee.

7. to beat up.

1989		(con. 1950s–60s) in G. Tremlett Little Legs 110: The most they might do would be to spank a few people.
1991		Cooper & Wright New Jack City [film script] You got cute. You had to get spanked.
1996		S. Frank Get Shorty [film script] Anyway, you want this guy, he’s in L.A. We put him on a flight after he spanked one a my cocktail girls in the Keno room.

8. to beat comprehensively in a sport or game; to do well at something; thus spank it, to do well.

1937		J. Tully Bruiser 208: You look at him – the puny little runt! Shane Rory could of spanked him before every battle.
1982		Eble Campus Sl. Fall 3: get spanked on a test – to fail a test. [Ibid.] 5: spank a test – do well on a test.
1989		P. Munro Sl. U. 178: My opponent was terrible. I spanked him.
1995		Eble Campus Sl. Apr. 9: spank – defeat convincingly in a game or contest.
1999		Guardian Guide 24–30 July 87: A cheery social broker who ’spanks it’ on the golf links.
2004		J.A. Juarez Brotherhood of Corruption 240: ‘Did you finally get tired of her spanking your ass in triathlons?’ .
2023		J. Jackson Pineapple Street 67: Georgiana still played her heart out and spanked him royally [at tennis].

9. (US black) to buy an item of clothing.

2000

Ebonics Primer at www.dolemite.com 🌐 spank Definition: to purchase an outfit or other pieces of clothing Example: Damn tha hat tight...I might have to spank that.

10. (US) in fig. sense, to use enthusiastically or excessively.

2019

D. Winslow Border [ebook] ‘He’s been spanking the Amex card’.