funk

¹ American  

[fuhngk] / fʌŋk /

noun

1. cowering fear; state of great fright or terror.

2. a dejected mood.

   He's been in a funk ever since she walked out on him.

---

verb (used with object)

1. British.  to shrink from; try to shirk.

   We can only say that the government has funked its responsibility.

verb (used without object)

1. British.  to shrink or quail in fear.

   He funked at nothing, and could lick every boy in the neighborhood.

funk ² American  

[fuhngk] / fʌŋk /

noun

1. Jazz.  music having a funky quality.

   Let's set aside our music exercises for now and get down to some real funk.

2. a strong, earthy smell; stench.

   That is some serious funk coming from the compost pile.

3. the state or quality of being funky.

---

Funk ³ American  

[foongk, fuhngk] / fʊŋk, fʌŋk /

noun

1. Casimir 1884–1967, U.S. biochemist, born in Poland: discovered thiamine, the first vitamin isolated.

---

funk ¹ British  

/ fʌŋk /

noun

1. Also called: blue funk.  a state of nervousness, fear, or depression (esp in the phrase in a funk )

2. a coward

---

verb

1. to flinch from (responsibility) through fear

2. (tr; usually passive) to make afraid

funk ² British  

/ fʌŋk /

noun

1. slang  a strong foul odour

---

funk ³ British  

/ fʌŋk /

noun

1. informal  a type of polyrhythmic Black dance music with heavy syncopation

---

Funk ⁴ British  

/ fʌŋk /

noun

1. Casimir (ˈkæzɪˌmɪə). 1884–1967, US biochemist, born in Poland: studied and named vitamins

---

Funk Scientific  

/ fŭngk,fo̅o̅ngk /

1. Polish-born American biochemist who is credited with the discovery of vitamins. In 1912 he postulated the existence of four organic bases he called vitamines which were necessary for normal health and the prevention of deficiency diseases. He also contributed to the knowledge of the hormones of the pituitary gland and the sex glands.

---

Other Word Forms

• funker noun

Etymology

Origin of funk¹

First recorded in 1735–45; originally Oxford University slang; perhaps from early Dutch dialect (in de) fonck “in difficulties;” further origin unknown

Origin of funk¹

First recorded in 1615–25; perhaps from North French dialect funquier, funquer “give off smoke,” Old North French fungier, from Vulgar Latin fūmicāre, alteration of Latin fūmigāre fumigate

Example Sentences

With Dent’s funk deepening with a one-point effort in which he missed all three shots, Perry stepped up with 12 points off the bench to lead the Bruins.

From Los Angeles Times

“I’m in a little funk right now,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal

You could feel it in the interview room afterward, the walls penetrated by the bass of the funk music playing in the adjacent dressing quarters.

From Los Angeles Times

It lent a subtle, savory funk — the kind that hums beneath the cheese rather than shouting over it.

From Salon

Despite the burst of high-tech innovation, the economy seems mired in a long-term funk.

From Barron's