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.

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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.

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Funk ³ American  

[foongk, fuhngk] / fʊŋk, fʌŋk /

noun

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

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Funk ¹ British  

/ fʌŋk /

noun

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

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funk ² British  

/ fʌŋk /

noun

1. slang a strong foul odour

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funk ³ 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

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verb

1. to flinch from (responsibility) through fear

2. (tr; usually passive) to make afraid

funk ⁴ British  

/ fʌŋk /

noun

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

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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.

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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 funk²

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

And the musical setting, provided by his band the Dark Clouds, retains a country-rock core but infuses it with a heavy dose of funk that occasionally tips over into disco.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026

The slightest hint of conflict sends him marching off in a silent funk, actually.

From Salon • Mar. 8, 2026

B.J. insists, underscoring his point about the influence of funk and rock music by squeezing in an Earth, Wind & Fire concert during which he finagles an excuse to join them onstage.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 26, 2026

The exchange of ideas between the two would later be seen as formative to the development of Afrobeat, a political cocktail blending highlife with funk, jazz and soul.

From Barron's • Feb. 9, 2026

Anyway, some of us were too busy with more important things, like saving parents from a funk, to be thinking about the science fair.

From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas