skulk

• POS: Noun, Verb (intransitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

skulk, v. i. [Of Scand. origin; cf. Dan. skulke to spare or save one's self, to play the truant, Sw. skolka to be at leisure, to shirk, Icel. skolla. Cf. Scowl.].

 To hide, or get out of the way, in a sneaking manner; to lie close, or to move in a furtive way; to lurk.  W. C. Bryant.  [1913 Webster]
"Discovered and defeated of your prey,
You skulked behind the fence, and sneaked away."  [1913 Webster]

skulk, n. [Cf. Icel. skollr, skolli, a fox, and E. skulk, v.i.].

 A number of foxes together.  Wright.  [1913 Webster]

skulk, n. 

 One who, or that which, skulks.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

skulk, v. & n.
--v.intr.
1 move stealthily, lurk, or keep oneself concealed, esp. in a cowardly or sinister way.
2 stay or sneak away in time of danger.
3 shirk duty.
--n.
1 a person who skulks.
2 a company of foxes.

Derivative

skulker n.

Etymology

ME f. Scand.: cf. Norw. skulka lurk, Da. skulke, Sw. skolka shirk

THESAURUS

skulk

army, bunch, clock watcher, colony, couch, cower, creep, cringe, crouch, dodge, dog it, drift, drive, drove, duck, duck duty, eye-servant, flock, gam, gang, get out of, goldbrick, goldbricker, goof off, gumshoe, herd, host, kennel, lay wait, lie in wait, litter, lurk, malinger, malingerer, nightwalk, not pull fair, old soldier, pack, pod, pride, prowl, pussyfoot, quail, school, shadow, shirk, shirker, shoal, skulker, slack, slacker, slide out of, slink, slip, slip out of, sloth, snake, sneak, sneak out of, soldier, stalk, steal, tax dodger, tiptoe, trip, troop, truant, welsh, welsher

ROGET THESAURUS

skulk

Fear

VB fear, stand in awe of, be afraid, have qualms, apprehend, sit upon thorns, eye askance, distrust, hesitate, falter, funk, cower, crouch, skulk, let 'I dare not' wait upon 'I would' take fright, take alarm, start, wince, flinch, shy, shrink, fly, tremble, shake, shiver, shiver in one's shoes, shudder, flutter, shake like an aspen leaf, tremble like an aspen leaf, tremble all over, quake, quaver, quiver, quail, grow pale, turn pale, blench, stand aghast, not dare to say one's soul is one's own, inspire fear, excite fear, inspire awe, excite awe, raise apprehensions, be in a daze, bulldoze, faze, feeze, give an alarm, raise an alarm, sound an alarm, alarm, startle, scare, cry 'wolf', disquiet, dismay, fright, frighten, terrify, astound, fright from one's propriety, fright out of one's senses, fright out of one's wits, fright out of one's seven senses, awe, strike all of a heap, strike an awe into, strike terror, harrow up the soul, appall, unman, petrify, horrify, pile on the agony, make one's flesh creep, make one's hair stand on end, make one's blood run cold, make one's teeth chatter, take away one's breath, stop one's breath, make one tremble, haunt, prey on the mind, weigh on the mind, put in fear, put in bodily fear, terrorize, intimidate, cow, daunt, overawe, abash, deter, discourage, browbeat, bully, threaten.

Cowardice

VB quail, be cowardly, be a coward, funk, cower, skulk, sneak, flinch, shy, fight shy, slink, turn tail, run away, show, the white feather.

Concealment

VB conceal, hide, secrete, put out of sight, lock up, seal up, bottle up, encrypt, encode, cipher, cover, screen, cloak, veil, shroud, cover up one's tracks, screen from sight, screen from observation, drawing the veil, draw the curtain, close the curtain, curtain, shade, eclipse, throw a view over, be cloud, be mask, mask, disguise, ensconce, muffle, smother, befog, whisper, keep from, keep back, keep to oneself, keep snug, keep close, keep secret, keep dark, bury, sink, suppress, keep from, keep from out of view, keep from out of sight, keep in the shade, throw into the shade, throw into background, stifle, hush up, smother, withhold, reserve, fence with a question, ignore, keep a secret, keep one's own counsel, hold one's tongue, make no sign, not let it go further, not breathe a word, not breathe a syllable about, not let the right hand know what the left is doing, hide one's light under a bushel, bury one's talent in a napkin, keep in the dark, leave in the dark, keep in the ignorance, blind, blind the eyes, blindfold, hoodwink, mystify, puzzle, bamboozle, be concealed, suffer an eclipse, retire from sight, couch, hide oneself, lie hid, lie in perdu, lie in close, lie in ambush (ambush), seclude oneself, lurk, sneak, skulk, slink, prowl, steal into, steal out of, steal by, steal along, play at bopeep, play at hide and seek, hide in holes and corners, still hunt.