funk¹

[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.

Origin of funk¹

1735–45; perhaps < early Dutch dialect fonck

Related formsfunk·er, noun

funk²

[fuhngk]

noun

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

Origin of funk²

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. 2018

Examples from the Web for funk

Contemporary Examples

The funk legend treats unsuspecting concertgoers to an impromptu show.
Prince Crashes Jazz Show, Produces Greatness
Jack Holmes, The Daily Beast Video
December 4, 2014
But even after the funk of the Bush years dispersed, we were left with a deeper truth.
The Strange World of Political Assassination Fantasies
James Poulos
September 24, 2014
This sends Pete into a funk, and he bails on a date to see Oh!
Mad Men’s ‘The Strategy,’ With Peggy and Don’s Late-Night Powwow, is S7’s Best Episode (So Far)
Marlow Stern
May 19, 2014
The Nevilles' music, inspired by the ancestral rhythms of their city, is mostly pop, funk, and soul.
The Stacks: The Neville Brothers Stake Their Claim as Bards of the Bayou
John Ed Bradley
April 27, 2014
Before the release of the fratastic film, America was in a funk.
How Harold Ramis Invented Baby Boom Comedy With ‘Animal House’
P. J. O’Rourke
February 27, 2014

Historical Examples

I suppose you have been asking yourself of late, what if you were to turn out to be a funk!'
Echoes of the War
J. M. Barrie
The word “funk” flashed through his mind, and left him wondering.
The Law-Breakers
Ridgwell Cullum
Bamtz in his funk was only too glad to see the Frenchman humoured.
Within the Tides
Joseph Conrad
These beggars by the boat had every reason to go distracted with funk.
Lord Jim
Joseph Conrad
It must be said, in justice to Schomberg, that he concealed his funk very creditably.
Victory
Joseph Conrad

British Dictionary definitions for funk

funk¹

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

C18: university slang, perhaps related to funk ²

funk²

noun

US slang a strong foul odour

Word Origin

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

funk³

noun

informal a type of polyrhythmic Black dance music with heavy syncopation

Word Origin

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.

funk in Medicine

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.

funk in Science

Funk

[fŭngk, fōōngk]

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.

funk.css-pdubzd{font-size:17px;vertical-align:super;}1

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}funk1

funk2

Origin of funk2

Funk

Related Words

Examples from the Web for funk

Contemporary Examples

The funk legend treats unsuspecting concertgoers to an impromptu show.

But even after the funk of the Bush years dispersed, we were left with a deeper truth.

This sends Pete into a funk, and he bails on a date to see Oh!

The Nevilles' music, inspired by the ancestral rhythms of their city, is mostly pop, funk, and soul.

Before the release of the fratastic film, America was in a funk.

Historical Examples

I suppose you have been asking yourself of late, what if you were to turn out to be a funk!'

The word “funk” flashed through his mind, and left him wondering.

Bamtz in his funk was only too glad to see the Frenchman humoured.

These beggars by the boat had every reason to go distracted with funk.

It must be said, in justice to Schomberg, that he concealed his funk very creditably.

funk1

Word Origin

funk2

Word Origin

funk3

Word Origin

Funk

Word Origin and History for funk

n.1

n.2

Funk

Funk

funk¹

Origin of funk¹

funk²

Origin of funk²

funk¹

funk²

funk³