shirk

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle)

CIDE DICTIONARY

shirk, v. t. [Probably the same word as shark. See Shark, v. t.].

•  To procure by petty fraud and trickery; to obtain by mean solicitation.  [1913 Webster]

  "You that never heard the call of any vocation, . . . that shirk living from others, but time from Yourselves."  [1913 Webster]
•  To avoid; to escape; to neglect; -- implying unfaithfulness or fraud; as, to shirk duty.  [1913 Webster]

  "The usual makeshift by which they try to shirk difficulties."  [1913 Webster]

shirk, v. i. 

•  To live by shifts and fraud; to shark.  [1913 Webster]
•  To evade an obligation; to avoid the performance of duty, as by running away.  [1913 Webster]

  "One of the cities shirked from the league."  [1913 Webster]

shirk, n. 

 One who lives by shifts and tricks; one who avoids the performance of duty or labor.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

shirk, v. & n.
--v.tr. (also absol.) shrink from; avoid; get out of (duty, work, responsibility, fighting, etc.).
--n. a person who shirks.

Derivative

shirker n.

Etymology

obs. shirk (n.) sponger, perh. f. G Schurke scoundrel

THESAURUS

shirk

abandon, avoid, bilk, burke, bypass, creep, cut, dodge, dog it, double, duck, duck duty, eschew, evade, fence, get around, get out of, goldbrick, goof off, gumshoe, jump, leave, leave loose ends, leave undone, let alone, let be, let dangle, let go, lurk, malinger, miss, not pull fair, omit, parry, pass over, pass up, pretermit, procrastinate, pussyfoot, shrink from, shun, sidestep, skip, skive, skulk, slack, slide out of, slink, slip, slip out of, snake, sneak out of, soldier, steal, trifle, welsh

ROGET THESAURUS

shirk

Avoidance

VB abstain, refrain, spare, not attempt, not do, maintain the even tenor of one's way, eschew, keep from, let alone, have nothing to do with, keep aloof keep off, stand aloof, stand off, hold aloof, hold off, take no part in, have no hand in, avoid, shun, steer clear of, keep clear of, fight shy of, keep one's distance, keep at a respectful distance, keep out of the way, get out of the way, evade, elude, turn away from, set one's face against, deny oneself, shrink back, hang back, hold back, draw back, recoil, retire, flinch, blink, blench, shy, shirk, dodge, parry, make way for, give place to, beat a retreat, turn tail, turn one's back, take to one's heels, runaway, run for one's life, cut and run, be off like a shot, fly, flee, fly away, flee away, run away from, take flight, take to flight, desert, elope, make off, scamper off, sneak off, shuffle off, sheer off, break away, tear oneself away, slip away, slink away, steel away, make away from, scamper away from, sneak away from, shuffle away from, sheer away from, slip cable, part company, turn one's heel, sneak out of, play truant, give one the go by, give leg bail, take French leave, slope, decamp, flit, bolt, abscond, levant, skedaddle, absquatulat, cut one's stick, walk one's chalks, show a light pair of heels, make oneself scarce, escape, go away, abandon, reject, lead one a dance, lead one a pretty dance, throw off the scent, play at hide and seek, Adj, unsought, unattempted, avoiding, neutral, shy of, elusive, evasive, fugitive, runaway, shy, wild.

Disobedience

VB disobey, violate, infringe, shirk, set at defiance, set authority at naught, run riot, fly in the face of, take the law into one's own hands, kick over the traces, turn restive, run restive, champ the bit, strike, rise, rise in arms, secede, mutiny, rebel.