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definitions

funk

1
[fuhngk]
|
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR funk ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

cowering fear; state of great fright or terror.
a dejected mood: He's been in a funk ever since she walked out on him.

verb (used with object)

to be afraid of.
to frighten.
to shrink from; try to shirk.

verb (used without object)

to shrink or quail in fear.

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RELATED WORDS

gloom, fright, alarm, despondency, misery, panic, trembling

Nearby words

  1. funiculitis,
  2. funiculopexy,
  3. funiculus,
  4. funiform,
  5. funis,
  6. funk hole,
  7. funk, casimir,
  8. funked,
  9. funkia,
  10. funkster

Origin of funk

1
1735–45; perhaps < early Dutch dialect fonck
Related formsfunk·er, noun

funk

2
[fuhngk]

noun

music having a funky quality.
the state or quality of being funky.
a strong smell; stench.

Origin of funk

2
1615–25; perhaps < North French dialect funquier, funquer give off smoke, Old North French fungier < Vulgar Latin fūmicāre, alteration of Latin fūmigāre; see fumigate

Funk

[foo ngk, fuhngk]

noun

Cas·i·mir [kaz-uh-meer] /ˈkæz əˌmɪər/, 1884–1967, U.S. biochemist, born in Poland: discovered thiamine, the first vitamin isolated.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for funk

British Dictionary definitions for funk

funk

1

noun

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

verb

to flinch from (responsibility) through fear
(tr; usually passive) to make afraid
Derived Formsfunker, noun

Word Origin for funk

C18: university slang, perhaps related to funk ²

funk

2

noun

US slang a strong foul odour

Word Origin for funk

C17 (in the sense: tobacco smoke): from funk (vb) to smoke (tobacco), probably of French dialect origin; compare Old French funkier to smoke, from Latin fūmigāre

funk

3

noun

informal a type of polyrhythmic Black dance music with heavy syncopation

Word Origin for funk

C20: back formation from funky 1

Funk

noun

Casimir (ˈkæzɪˌmɪə). 1884–1967, US biochemist, born in Poland: studied and named vitamins
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for funk
n.1

"depression, ill-humor," 1743, probably originally Scottish and northern English; earlier as a verb, "panic, fail through panic," (1737), said to be 17c. Oxford University slang, perhaps from Flemish fonck "perturbation, agitation, distress," possibly related to Old French funicle "wild, mad."

n.2

"bad smell," 1620s, from dialectal French funkière "smoke," from Old French fungier "give off smoke; fill with smoke," from Latin fumigare "to smoke" (see fume (n.)). In reference to a style of music, it is first attested 1959, a back-formation from funky.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Medicine definitions for funk

Funk

[fŭngk, fōōngk]Casimir 1884-1967

Polish-born American biochemist whose research of deficiency diseases led to the discovery of vitamins, which he named in 1912.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Science definitions for funk

Funk

[fŭngk, fōōngk]Casimir 1884-1967

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.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.