1851–61. Mayhew, Lond. Lab. and Lond. Poor, i., p. 144. I’ve noticed them, too, playing at ring-taw, and one of their exclamations is ‘Knuckle down fair, and no funking.’ To funk the cobbler, verb. phr. (schoolboys’).—To smoke out a schoolmate: a trick performed with asafœtida and cotton stuffed into a hollow tube or cow’s horn; the cotton being lighted, the smoke is blown through the keyhole. 1698–1700. Ward, London Spy, Pt. IX., p. 197. We smoak’d the Beans almost as bad as unlucky schoolboys us’d to do the coblers, till they sneak’d off one by one, and left behind ’em more agreeable Company. 1785. Grose, Dict. of the Vulg. Tongue, s.v. See also Peter Funk. Funker, subs. (old).—1. A pipe; a cigar; a fire. [From funk = to smoke + er.] 2. (thieves’).—A low thief. 1848. Duncombe, Sinks of London, etc., s.v. 1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, or Rogue’s Lexicon. Funkers, the very lowest order of thieves. 3. (colloquial).—A coward. 4. (prostitutes’).—A girl that shirks her trade in bad weather. Funking-room, subs. (medical).—The room at the Royal College of Surgeons where the students collect on the last evening of their final during the addition of their marks, and whence each is summoned by an official announcing failure or success. 1841. Punch, I., p. 225, col. 2. On the top of a staircase he enters a room, wherein the partners of his misery are collected. It is a long, narrow apartment, commonly known as the funking-room. Funkster, subs. (Winchester College).—A coward; one that funks (q.v.). Funky, adj. (colloquial).—Nervous; frightened; timid. 1845. Naylor, Reynard the Fox, 46. I do seem somewhat funky. 1863. C. Reade, Hard Cash, I., 143. On his retiring with twenty-five, scored in eight minutes, the remaining Barkingtonians were less funky, and made some fair scores. 1876. Hindley, Life and Adventures of a Cheapjack, p. 237. The second round commences with a little cautious sparring on both sides, the bouncing Elias looking very funky. 1891. Hume Nisbet, Bail Up! p. 51. ‘I’ll noy funky,’ returned the Chinaman impressively. Funnel, subs. (common).—The throat. For synonyms, see Gutter Alley. 1712. Blackmore, Creation, Bk. VI. Some the long funnel’s curious mouth extend, Through which the ingested meats with ease descend. Funniment, subs. (colloquial).—1. A joke, either practical or verbal. 2. (venery).—The female pudendum. For synonyms, see Monosyllable. Funny, subs. (nautical).—A clinker-built, narrow boat for sculls. 1837. Barham, I. L., Sir Rupert the Fearless. Sprang up through the waves, popped him into his funny, Which some others already had half-filled with money. 1882. Field, 28 Jan. The only obtainable craft, besides funnies, pair-oars, and randans, were a couple of six-oars.