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. 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 ² British  

/ fʌŋk /

noun

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

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Funk ³ British  

/ fʌŋk /

noun

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

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funk ⁴ British  

/ fʌŋk /

noun

1. slang  a strong foul odour

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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 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

“China could be heading into a deflationary funk similar to the one that Japan is starting to emerge from,” said Stephen Innes, managing partner at SPI Asset Management.

From Seattle Times

Set a decade ahead in the ’70s, the soundtrack is more funk and R&B than soul and jazz.

From Los Angeles Times

The genre-blurring group has morphed through a dizzying variety of iterations, touching on hip-hop, jazz, funk and spoken word.

From New York Times