You searched for: “punks
punk (s) (noun), punks (pl)
1. A light, brownish, spongy preparation which burns very slowly; usually, made from fungi: A stick of punk is used to light fireworks.
2. Decayed wood which is used when it is dry for tinder (anything that catches on fire easily): Another term for punk is touch wood, which is a fungus that is found on old tree trunks and can be used in a stove or fireplace to keep warm.
3. Etymology: possibly from Delaware ponk, "ashes".
This entry is located in the following unit: English Words from Amerind (page 3)