▪ I. spanking, vbl. n.
(ˈspæŋkɪŋ)
[f. spank v.1]
The action of beating or slapping with the open hand by way of punishment. Also fig.
| 1854 A. E. Baker Northampt. Gloss. 1859 Slang Dict. 98 Spanking, a good beating. 1868 in Sat. Rev. (1869) 30 Jan., I gave her what some American friends call ‘a spanking’, sharp, short and effectual. 1885 Sala Let. in Queen 26 Sept. 307/3 The American lady doctor..suggested ‘spanking’ all round as a cure for the evil. |
| attrib. 1899 Westm. Gaz. 1 June 5/3 The Warden of Denver Penitentiary has introduced a ‘spanking chair’ into the list of punishments permitted in the State prison. |
| fig. 1922 H. Crane Let. 25 Feb. (1965) 80 Your translations amuse me without interesting me as thoroughly as your nicely administered spanking of McAlmon. 1978 Times Lit. Suppl. 1 Dec. 1393/1 A. A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh stories receive a monstrous spanking for their promotion of snobbery and imperialist values. |
▪ II. spanking, ppl. a. Chiefly dial. and colloq.
(ˈspæŋkɪŋ)
[Of doubtful origin. Cf. Da. (and NFris.) spanke to strut.]
1. Very big, large, or fine; exceptionally good in some respect, freq. with implication of showiness or smartness.
| a 1666 Fanshawe Love for Love's sake ii. (1671) 64 What a spanking Labradora! 1706 Phillips (ed. Kersey), Spanking, spruce, fine, jolly; as A spanking Lass. 1772 Bridges Burlesque Homer 501 (Farmer), A table..Whereon she placed a spanking dish. 1780 in W. Beckford Italy (1834) I. 16 The worthy dignitary..enjoys a spanking revenue. 1791 O'Keeffe Wild Oats iv. i, Now for a spanking lie, to continue her in the belief that Jack is the man she thinks him. 1837 Miss Mitford Country Stories (1850) 118 We must see what can be done for that boy—he's a fine spanking fellow. 1842 S. Lover Handy Andy iv. 40 We'll have some spanking sport. |
2. a. Of horses; esp. in later use: Moving or travelling at a rapid pace and in a smart and vigorous manner. (Cf. spank v.2 1 b.)
| 1738 Bracken Farriery Impr. (1756) II. 167 He goes by the Name of Spanking Roger. 1802 Colman Poor Gentleman iv. i, There are four spanking greys..here, that shall whisk us to town in a minute. 1863 Sala About Shrimpington 110 As the ‘spanking tits’, which..were on this occasion more ‘spanked’ themselves than ‘spanking’, clattered along. 1897 W. H. Thornton Remin. of West-Co. Clergym. iii. 96 We had a spanking sixteen-hands-high mare in a dogcart. |
b. Of persons: Dashing, lively, boisterous.
| 1801 M. Edgeworth Mlle. Panache ii. Wks. 1832 III. 254 This spanking horsewoman has frightened us all out of our senses. |
3. Of a breeze: Blowing strongly or briskly; rattling.
| 1849 Cupples Green Hand ii. (1856) 23 They..struck up the ‘Buffalo’, that finest of chants for the weather forecastle with a spanking breeze. 1862 Lond. Rev. 16 Aug. 139 We are rushing through the water with a spanking breeze on our quarter. 1888 Boston (Mass.) Jrnl. 14 Aug. 1/2 Spanking Breeze for the Yachts. |
4. Of a pace, rate, etc.: Rapid, smart, vigorous.
| 1857 Hughes Tom Brown i. v, The wheelers in a spanking trot, and leaders cantering. 1882 W. Ballantine Exper. xxiii. 230 We went at a spanking pace until suddenly brought to a stand-still. 1899 F. T. Bullen Log Sea-waif 39 A large canoe..was coming off to us at a spanking rate. |
| fig. 1858 Bailey Age 61 He lives at what folks call a spanking rate. |
5. Used as adv. Very, exceedingly; esp. as spanking new, brand-new. Cf. span-new a. colloq.
| 1886 H. Baumann Londinismen 188/2 A spanking fine dinner. 1905 Dialect Notes III. 71 Bran spankin' new,..absolutely new. 1925 F. Scott Fitzgerald Great Gatsby i. 6 The [house]..on my right was a colossal affair..spanking new under a thin beard of raw ivy. 1959 Weekly Times (Melbourne) 30 Sept. 1 (Advt.), Imagine that great day..when you take delivery of your new working partner: a spanking new Ferguson 35. 1972 Newsweek 10 Jan. 34/2 The spanking new city of Bras{iacu}lia was carved painfully out of the wilderness. 1977 Time 19 Dec. 12/1 The spanking-white train chugged into Reading station. 1979 Radio Times 5–11 May 4/1 Luxurious surroundings at Lewisham's spanking new leisure centre. 1979 W. Styron Sophie's Choice vii. 164 On the driveway there now rested a spanking clean and polished Cadillac sedan. |
Hence ˈspankingly adv., at a spanking pace; in a rapid and smart manner.
| 1803 Couper Tourifications II. 16 A country lad, mounted on a spirited pretty galloway, came spankingly along. 1830 Fraser's Mag. II. 439 The time put on his seven-leagued boots, and went spankingly away so rapidly that [etc.]. 1866 Lond. Rev. 23 June 697/1 You are told how his reverence rode spankingly to church. |