Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Shirk

Shirk

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Shirked
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Shirking
.]
[Probably the same word as
shark
. See
Shark
,
Verb.
T.
]
1.
To procure by petty fraud and trickery; to obtain by mean solicitation.
You that never heard the call of any vocation, . . . that
shirk
living from others, but time from Yourselves.
Bp. Rainbow.
2.
To avoid; to escape; to neglect; – implying unfaithfulness or fraud;
as, to
shirk
duty
.
The usual makeshift by which they try to
shirk
difficulties.
Hare.

Shirk

,
Verb.
I.
1.
To live by shifts and fraud; to shark.
2.
To evade an obligation; to avoid the performance of duty, as by running away.
One of the cities
shirked
from the league.
Byron.

Shirk

,
Noun.
One who lives by shifts and tricks; one who avoids the performance of duty or labor.

Webster 1828 Edition


Shirk

SHIRK

, a different spelling of shark, which see.

Definition 2024


shirk

shirk

English

Pronunciation

Verb

shirk (third-person singular simple present shirks, present participle shirking, simple past and past participle shirked)

  1. (transitive) To avoid, especially a duty, responsibility, etc.; to stay away from.
    • Hare
      the usual makeshift by which they try to shirk difficulties
  2. (intransitive) To evade an obligation; to avoid the performance of duty, as by running away.
    If you have a job, don't shirk from it by staying off work.
    • Byron
      One of the cities shirked from the league.
  3. (transitive) To procure by petty fraud and trickery; to obtain by mean solicitation.
    • Bishop Rainbow
      You that never heard the call of any vocation, [] that shirk living from others, but time from yourselves.
Synonyms
  • See Wikisaurus:shirk
Translations

Noun

shirk (plural shirks)

  1. one who shirks

Etymology 2

Arabic شرك (širk, "idolatry").

Noun

shirk (plural shirks)

  1. (Islam) the unforgivable sin of idolatry

References

  1. shirk” in Douglas Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary (2001).