colouring, usually growing on other plants or on decaying matter. Mushrooms and mildew are both fungi. EM (   ) 2 [U, C] a covering of mould

or a similar fungus, for example on a plant or wall M; fungus infections MM

fu nicu lar /fju:'mkjala(r)/ (also fu,nicular 'railway) noun a railway on a steep slope, used to transport passengers up and down in special cars by means of a moving cable funk /fArjk/ noun, verb

» noun 1 [U] a type of modern dance music with a strong rhythm (    ) £±Sf±*;

2 (also .blue 'funk) [sing.] (old-fashioned, informal) a state of fear or anxiety tfcJiS 3 [C, usually sing.] (NAmE) a strong unpleasant smell          SSE

m verb [VN] (BrE, informal) to avoid doing sth because you are afraid to or find it difficult (        ) jSsjH, Mm

funky /‘fArjki/ adj. (funkier, funkiest) (informal) 1 (of pop music E3s) with a strong rhythm that is easy to dance toEII'jSiitSilftllft: a funky disco beat (approving) fashionable and unusual 54 # ft : She wears really funky clothes. M^ftEMSJiW^3U4#o 3 (NAmE) having a strong unpleasant smell KEft

'fun-loving adj. (of people A) liking to enjoy them­selves #$ic&ft fun nel /'fAnl/ noun, verb

m noun 1 a device that is wide at the top and narrow at the bottom, used for pouring liquids or powders into a small opening M A — picture o laboratory 2 {BrE) (also smoke-stack NAmE, BrE) a metal chimney, for example on a ship or an engine, through which smoke comes out (          ) W0

■ verb (-II-, NAmE -I-) to move or make sth move through a narrow space, or as if through a funnel ( {<£ )

$ |a], ^      P A: [V] Wind was funnelling through

the gorge. M, oA ^ £r 0  0 [VN] Huge pipes funnel the

water down the mountainside. Eel M T lb o 0 Barricades funnelled the crowds towards the square. i£ g ft m MUSH AM Hi . 0 {figurative) Some $10 million in aid was funnelled into the country

SYNONYMS ifOPtfr

funny

amusing ♦ entertaining ♦ witty ♦ humorous ♦ comic ♦ hilarious

These words all describe sb/sth that makes you laugh or smile.           /itflfto

funny that makes you laugh jg^PEft, j“tftft: a funny story ftft ftk^f o He was a very funny guy. jtfejg; ^Atiio

amusing funny and enjoyable t&ilA^ft, EE;®

(ft, £?^ft: It’s a very amusing game to play,

>&ifeME1ftE®o

entertaining amusing and interesting jfEAift, EA JF A ft, ^Atir'IA(ft: It was a very entertaining evening. 3BJi-^$#4AE'6ftl!ft£. witty clever and amusing; able to say or write clever and amusing things jMUf (ft, x^fcbft, fcl>®]iMft, n SlAiSfft: a witty remark fill? ft o a witty public speaker igff

humorous funny and entertaining; showing a sense of humour lai#f<iE®ft, Effil^ift: a humorous look at the world of fashion ^N'^Jsr®i£ftEM comic that makes you laugh jtff ft ft, {£ A$:Eft: Many of the scenes in the book are richly comic, it. A 45

hilarious extremely funny jf f&^j#flft

FUNNY, AMUSING, HUMOROUS OR COMIC? funny, amusing, humorous xEjl comic ?

Amusing is the most general of these words because it includes the idea of being enjoyable as well as making

829   funny

through government agencies. ft 1 000 T) %W:Uj IA £ il

the fun-nies /'fAniz/ noun [pi.] {NAmE, informal) the part of a newspaper where there are several comic strips (= series of drawings that tell a funny story) ( jft M

ft )      SHIS

fun nily /'fAnali/ adv. in a strange way ^ g i rm funnily e'nough used to show that you expect people to find a particular fact surprising EE'S; ift5|<: tkxj: Funnily enough, I met her only yesterday, Affe

x5, ftftmm&Tmo

funny o-w/'fxni/ adj. (fun nier, fun-ni-est)

►                 AMUSING hf A 1 making you laugh; amusing pf ft ft;

£fEft: a funny story ft ft ft       0 That’s the funniest

thing I’ve ever heard. j^Jificiyfaftll/tfiE^ft^o 0 It’s not funny! Someone could have been hurt,

'A HEM ft ! E E A £ ^       * o 0 I was really

embarrassed, but then I saw the funny side of it. TScfil-E Iimt, <aS«^a»T¥1t»^ft-®o o {ironic) Oh very funny! You expect me to believe that? R$, Eft ft! iA A ic IP 'h <®r ? o What’s so funny?’ she demanded. “ -ft A =£ &          lE it „ i.MiJ Note

that funny does not mean ‘enjoyable’: The party was great fun. o The party was very funny. funny 7K enjoyable ft M S: The party was great fun. ^ jf The party was very funny.

►                 STRANGE EE 2 difficult to explain or understand EE ft; ®lAi?f?ft; jfJMft S3Z3 strange, peculiar:

A funny thing happened to me today. f*#

E'lft f o 0 It’s funny how things never happen the way you expect them to. EH^E, ^'If A

ft 0 o That’s funny—he was here a moment ago and now he’s gone. EE     fM

T o 0 The funny thing is it never happened again after that. ESftJi^Simfs&M&&E££Mo oThe engine’s making a very funny noise,          ^SE

ft^to o I’m pleased I didn’t get that job, in a funny

sort of way. wmnmmxft,

fti^7No

►                 SUSPICIOUS/ILLEGAL iff IT ; t A 3 {informal) suspicious

people laugh and can be used to describe events, activities and occasions. * amusing E&f&MAfijit] ,

k^sa^,        ee=®,

'If,      E: an amusing party/game/evening ftM

5£® ft3£2AE /       o aJurmy/humoFous/comk

party/game/evening Humorous is not quite as strong as funny or comic and is more about showing that you see the humour in a situation, than actually making people laugh out loud. Comic is used to talk especially about writing and drama or things that are funny in a deliberate and theatrical way. It is not used to describe people (except for comic writers). Funny can describe people, jokes and stories, things that happen, or anything that makes people laugh. * humorous funny ^ comic      frAft^tftA&il,

Il^ifAA^o comic AHifArm,

mm\ ) c funny E^EA,  ^Aft¥1fIA

PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS

■                  to be funny/amusing/entertaining/witty/humorous/ comic/hilarious

■                  to find sth funny/amusing/entertaining/witty/ humorous/comic/hilarious

■                  very/quite funny/amusing/entertaining/witty/ humorous/comic

■                  really funny/amusing/entertaining/witty/humorous/ comic/hilarious

extremely funny/amusing/entertaining/witty/ humorous/comic