verb / noun

flunk

FLUNK/flʌŋk/

Failure to meet the passing standard in an exam or course.

The student flunks the exam marked with an F.

A teacher hands a young adult student a graded mathematics test bearing a large red F.

Etymology

Originally college slang for backing out or giving up through fear or incompetence, it came to mean academic failure and assigning a failing mark. Its deeper origin is obscure.

In context

Libertarianism.org8:17

you can flunk it I know somebody flunked this French test about three times before they finally passed it

Murray Rothbard Gives a Tribute to Ludwig von Mises

More examples

He flunked the course.
She is flunking mathematics.
A flunk meant repeating the class.

Forms

flunk · flunks · flunked · flunking

Similar words

fail: The standard general term.
bomb: An informal term for performing very badly.