function as
function as (something)
To have a particular purpose or fill a certain role. Mrs. Smith will function as your homeroom teacher for the rest of the year now that Mrs. Jones is on maternity leave.
See also: function
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
function as
v.
To serve a purpose or play a role similar to that of something else: The beaks of some wading birds function as spears for catching fish.
See also: function
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs. Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.