/ flʌŋk; NAmE / verb ( informal , especially NAmE )
1.
to fail an exam, a test or a course :
[ vn ]
I flunked math in second grade.
[also v ]
2.
[ vn ] to make sb fail an exam, a test, or a course by giving them a low mark / grade :
She's flunked 13 of the 18 students.
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PHRASAL VERBS
- flunk out (of sth)
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WORD ORIGIN
early 19th cent. (in the general sense back down, fail utterly ; originally US): perhaps related to funk state of fear or panic or to US flink be a coward , perhaps a variant of flinch .