funk out

present singular third person funks out · participle present funking out · participle past funked out · past funked out

1. dateddialectalTo back out in a cowardly way; to chicken out.

   to funk right out o' p'lit'cal strife

   1848, James Russell Lowell, The Biglow Papers

   1 more example

   “What! why not? what's the meaning of this? are you funking out of it? You're all a set of cowards.”

   1887, Frederick Whsihaw (translator), Fyodor Dostoevsky (original), The Gambler

2. To malfunction.

   Jack did not like it when his technology funked out, but with forty-three Marines keeping careful watch, he could at least search with the Mark I eyeball.

   2013, Mark Shepherd, Kris Longknife: Defender

   1 more example

   “I don't know; we've lost line-of-sight, and I think my com is funking out, too. Maybe the static discharge shorted it out. We're gonna have to backtrack and find everybody.”

   2012, W. G. Marshall, Enormity

3. To rock out to funk music.

   Maupin shines, particularly at 4:48 where he funks out, completely eschewing the tempo and expanding the palette of the band.

   2018, Eric Wendell, Experiencing Herbie Hancock: A Listener's Companion

   1 more example

   Dancing, energized, smiling at Wes, who was dressed to the nines with his cuffs rolled and slacks ironed, funking out to the tunes.

   2022, Kelly Siskind, The Beat Match