1882. F. Anstey, Vice Versâ, ch. v. Bosher said, ‘Let’s cut it,’
and he and Peebles bolted. (They were neither of them funks, of
course, but they lost their heads.)
Verb. (common).—1. To smoke out. See Funk the cobbler.
1720. Durfey, Wit and Mirth, vi., 303. With a sober dose Of coffee
funks his nose.
1578. Grose, Vulg. Tongue. funk, to smoke, figuratively to smoke or
stink through fear.
1823. Moncrieff, Tom and Jerry, ii., 2. Tom. But, I say, only see
how confoundedly the dustman’s getting hold of Logic—we’ll funk
him. (Tom and Jerry smoke Logic), Log. Oh, hang your cigars, I
don’t like it; let’s have no funking.
1841. Punch, I., p. 172. Look here ... isn’t it considerable clear
they’re a all funking like burnt cayenne in a clay pipe, or
couldn’t they have made a raise somehow to get a ship of their own,
or borrow one to send after that caged-up coon of a Macleod.
2. (common).—To terrify; to shrink or quail through nervousness or
cowardice.
1858. A. Mayhew, Paved with Gold, Bk. III., ch. vi., p. 294.
Perhaps we’re only funking ourselves useless, and it mayn’t be the
farm chaps at all.
3. (colloquial).—To fear; to hesitate; to shirk; and (among pugilists)
to come it (q.v.).
1836. Smith, The Individual, ‘The Thieves’ Chaunt.’ But dearer to
me Sue’s kisses far Than grunting peck or other grub are, And I
never funk the lambskin men When I sits with her in the boozing
ken.
1846. Punch, X., p. 163. But as yet no nose is bleeding, As yet no
man is down; For the gownsmen funk the townsmen, And the townsmen
funk the gown.
1848. J. R. Lowell, Biglow Papers. To funk right out o’ p’lit’cal
strife ain’t thought to be the thing.
1873. M. Collins, Squire Silchester’s Whim, ch. xvii. Come along!
don’t funk it, old fellow.
English Synonyms.—To come it; to lose one’s guts; to shit one’s
breeches; to get the needle (athletic).
French Synonyms.—Paniquer (thieves’: Panique = sudden fright); blaguer
(familiar: = to swagger: Il avait l’air de blaguer mais il n’était pas
à la noce = he put on a lot of side, but he didn’t like it); avec la
cœur en gargousse (sailors’ = with sinking heart); avoir une fluxion
(popular: fluxion = inflammation); avoir la flemme (popular: also = to
be idle); avoir le trac or trak (general); foirer (popular: foire =
excrement); léziner (popular: also = to cheat).
Spanish Synonym.—Pajarear.
Italian Synonym.—Filare (= to run: Fr., filer).