Word Study
funk
CIDE DICTIONARY
funk, n. [OE. funke a little fire; akin to Prov. E. funk touchwood, G. funke spark, and perh. to Goth. f fire.].
- An offensive smell; a stench. [1913 Webster]
- One who funks; a shirk; a coward. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
- a state of fear. [PJC]
- a mildly depressed state of mind; -- often used in the phrase
blue funk . [PJC]
funk, n.
an earthy, seemingly unsophisticated style of jazz music having elements of black American blues and gospel. [PJC]
funk, v. t.
- To envelop with an offensive smell or smoke. King. [1913 Webster]
- To funk at; to flinch at; to shrink from (a thing or person); as, to funk a task. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
- To frighten; to cause to flinch. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
funk, v. i.
- To emit an offensive smell; to stink. [1913 Webster]
- To be frightened, and shrink back; to flinch; as, to funk at the edge of a precipice. C. Kingsley. [1913 Webster]"To funk right out o' political strife."
funk, n.
A shrinking back through fear. De Quincey. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
funk, n. & v. sl.
--n.
1 fear, panic.
2 a coward.
--v. Brit.
1 intr. flinch, shrink, show cowardice.
2 tr. try to evade (an undertaking), shirk.
3 tr. be afraid of.
--n.
1 fear, panic.
2 a coward.
--v. Brit.
1 intr. flinch, shrink, show cowardice.
2 tr. try to evade (an undertaking), shirk.
3 tr. be afraid of.
funk, n. sl.
1 funky music.
2 US a strong smell.
1 funky music.
2 US a strong smell.
Etymology
funk blow smoke on, perh. f. F dial. funkier f. L (as FUMIGATE)
THESAURUS
funk
Milquetoast, abject fear, affright, alarm, awe, baby, back out, big baby, blench, blink, blue funk, boggle, change color, chicken, chicken liver, chicken out, consternation, coward, cowardice, craven, cringe, curdle the blood, dastard, desert under fire, dismay, disquiet, draw back, dread, falter, fear, flinch, fraid-cat, fraidy-cat, freeze, fright, frighten, funk out, funker, get cold feet, grow pale, horrification, horripilate, horror, invertebrate, jellyfish, lily liver, lose courage, make one tremble, milksop, mouse, pale, panic, panic fear, phobia, poltroon, quail, quitter, raise apprehensions, recoil, reek, scare, scaredy-cat, scuttle, shake, shrink, sissy, skedaddle, spook, stagger, stampede, startle, stench, stink, take alarm, take fright, terror, turn color, turn pale, unholy dread, unman, unnerve, unstring, weak sister, weakling, white feather, white liver, winceROGET THESAURUS
funk
Fear
VB fear, stand in awe of, be afraid, have qualms, apprehend, sit upon thorns, eye askance, distrust, hesitate, falter, funk, cower, crouch, skulk, let 'I dare not' wait upon 'I would' take fright, take alarm, start, wince, flinch, shy, shrink, fly, tremble, shake, shiver, shiver in one's shoes, shudder, flutter, shake like an aspen leaf, tremble like an aspen leaf, tremble all over, quake, quaver, quiver, quail, grow pale, turn pale, blench, stand aghast, not dare to say one's soul is one's own, inspire fear, excite fear, inspire awe, excite awe, raise apprehensions, be in a daze, bulldoze, faze, feeze, give an alarm, raise an alarm, sound an alarm, alarm, startle, scare, cry 'wolf', disquiet, dismay, fright, frighten, terrify, astound, fright from one's propriety, fright out of one's senses, fright out of one's wits, fright out of one's seven senses, awe, strike all of a heap, strike an awe into, strike terror, harrow up the soul, appall, unman, petrify, horrify, pile on the agony, make one's flesh creep, make one's hair stand on end, make one's blood run cold, make one's teeth chatter, take away one's breath, stop one's breath, make one tremble, haunt, prey on the mind, weigh on the mind, put in fear, put in bodily fear, terrorize, intimidate, cow, daunt, overawe, abash, deter, discourage, browbeat, bully, threaten.Cowardice
N cowardice, pusillanimity, cowardliness, timidity, effeminacy, poltroonery, baseness, dastardness, dastardy, abject fear, funk, Dutch courage, fear, white feather, faint heart, cold feet, yellow streak, coward, poltroon, dastard, sneak, recreant, shy cock, dunghill cock, coistril, milksop, white liver, lily liver, nidget, one that cannot say 'boo' to a goose, slink, Bob Acres, Jerry Sneak, alarmist, terrorist, pessimist, runagate, coward, cowardly, fearful, shy, timid, timorous, skittish, poor- spirited, spiritless, soft, effeminate, weak-minded, infirm of purpose, weak-hearted, fainthearted, chickenhearted, henhearted, lilyhearted, pigeon-hearted, white- livered, lily-livered, milk-livered, milksop, smock-faced, unable to say 'boo' to a goose, dastard, dastardly, base, craven, sneaking, dunghill, recreant, unwarlike, unsoldier-like, in face a lion but in heart a deer, unmanned, frightened, Int, sauve qui peut!, every man for himself!, devil take the hindmost!, ante tubam trepidat, one's courage oozing out, degeneres animos timor arguit.VB quail, be cowardly, be a coward, funk, cower, skulk, sneak, flinch, shy, fight shy, slink, turn tail, run away, show, the white feather.
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