bunk
B1informal
Definition
Meaning
A narrow bed, typically one of two or more arranged one on top of the other; to sleep in such a bed.
Nonsense, rubbish; a hurried departure or escape (to bunk off); a place to sleep or stay, often temporary.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Noun senses (bed, nonsense) are more common than verb senses (to sleep, to flee). The 'nonsense' meaning is informal and often used dismissively.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
UK: 'bunk off' = to skip school/work. US: less common for 'skip', more for bed/nonsense. 'Bunk bed' is standard in both.
Connotations
UK: stronger association with truancy ('bunking off'). US: stronger association with rustic/simple sleeping arrangements.
Frequency
Both: 'bunk beds' common. 'Bunk' meaning nonsense equally informal in both. The verb 'to bunk' (to sleep) is slightly more UK.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
bunk (down) for the nightbunk off (school/work)bunk with (someone)call something bunkVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “do a bunk (to leave hastily, especially to avoid something)”
- “bunk up (to share a bed/bunk, or to help someone climb)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Possibly in informal dismissals: 'His proposal was complete bunk.'
Academic
Rare, except in historical/sociological contexts (e.g., ship bunks, worker accommodation).
Everyday
Common for furniture ('bunk beds'), informal for nonsense ('That's bunk!'), UK for truancy.
Technical
Maritime/aviation: sleeping berth. Military: barracks bed.
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- The kids argued over who got the top bunk.
- He told me a load of old bunk about his famous uncle.
- He did a bunk before the police arrived.
American English
- The summer camp cabin had wooden bunks.
- Don't listen to him; it's all bunk.
- She found a spare bunk in the hostel.
verb
British English
- Can I bunk with you tonight? My flat's flooded.
- We used to bunk off games to go to the chip shop.
American English
- You can bunk down on the sofa for now.
- The suspect bunked at his cousin's place for a week.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My brother sleeps on the top bunk.
- The bunk beds are for the children.
- He talks a lot of bunk about politics.
- We had to bunk together in a small room.
- The politician's excuse was dismissed as pure bunk.
- Several soldiers shared a cramped bunk room.
- The theory, though popular, is historiographical bunk lacking primary evidence.
- He bunked off the seminar, claiming illness.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
A BUNK is a bed you BUNK in, or nonsense you'd BUNK off to avoid hearing.
Conceptual Metaphor
NONSENSE IS WORTHLESS FURNITURE (something you dismiss or discard).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'банк' (bank).
- 'Bunk' as nonsense ≠ 'чепуха' always; it's more dismissive, like 'ерунда' or 'вздор'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'bunk' in formal writing for 'nonsense'.
- Using US 'bunk' for UK 'bunk off' meaning without context.
- Confusing verb patterns: 'He bunked the school' (wrong) vs. 'He bunked off school' (right, UK).
Practice
Quiz
In British English, 'to bunk off' most commonly means:
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it's informal but not rude. Calling an idea 'bunk' is dismissive but not offensive like swear words.
They mean the same thing (nonsense). 'Bunkum' is slightly older and more emphatic. 'Bunk' is more common today.
Yes, but less frequently than in UK English. In the US, it usually means 'to sleep in a bunk or simple bed' (e.g., 'We bunked in the cabin'). The UK meaning 'to skip' (bunk off) is not standard in US English.
It's a shortening of 'bunkum', which originated from a pointless speech by a 19th-century US congressman, Felix Walker, from Buncombe County, North Carolina. He insisted on delivering a speech 'for Buncombe', meaning just for show, which came to mean empty talk.