😒 An insult (woman) 🦨 A foul substance 🕺 To dance 🕺 A ska dance

to skank

3 9.6

To dance with bent knees and swinging arms to ska or reggae music

verb
/skæŋk/

: skankear

Synonyms

to boogie

vsto skank

Informal

28 7.5

Dance energetically to lively upbeat music

is more arm-swing focused and tied to ska or reggae rhythm

to slam

vsto skank

Jargon

23 7.5

To dance with strong, fast movements at punk shows

keeps a rhythmic arm-swing and bent knees, not aggressive contact moves

to twerk

vsto skank

NSFW

8 9.4

Shake your hips and bottom in time with music, often while low in a squat

focuses on bent knees and swinging arms rather than hip shaking

to jigg

vsto skank

Informal

1 9.9

To move your body quickly to lively club music

leans on bent knees and swinging arms rather than regional club steps

to steppin'

vsto skank

Informal

8.4

Move your feet in time with music as a dance

uses bent knees and swinging arms rather than mainly footwork

Antonyms

to stand still

75 1.0

Stay upright in one place without moving

Compounds

skank behavior

Slur

9.9

Actions that show sexual interest in a way people strongly disapprove

How Energetic

to mosh

Slang

1 9.0

to skank

3 9.6

to groove

Informal

18 3.9

to bob

24 2.7

to sway

77 2.4

Surface Forms

skank infinitive

skanked past

skanked past participle

skanking present participle

skanks third person singular

Etymology

Skank as a verb comes from the dance name in Jamaican music like ska, so to skank is to move your knees and arms in time with the quick beat of ska or reggae.