Meaning & Definition of word "Shirk"
Shirk
/ʃɜrk/
verb:
- 1. to evade work, duty, or responsibility
- Example: He tried to shirk his responsibilities by blaming others for his mistakes.
- 2. to avoid a task or duty, especially out of laziness or fear
- Example: She always shirks her chores, leaving them for her siblings to complete.
- 3. to escape or avoid (something undesirable)
- Example: The student attempted to shirk the exam by claiming to be sick.
Etymology
●Middle English shirken, from shirk (verb) 'to evade or shrink from'.
Common Phrases and Expressions
shirk one's responsibilities:
to avoid fulfilling one's duties.
shirk and shirk:
to constantly avoid responsibilities.
Related Words
evade:
to escape or avoid something, especially by cleverness or trickery.
neglect:
to fail to care for or attend to something properly.
Slang Meanings of shirk
Meaning: Cutting corners
● Example Sentence: He was cutting corners on his project, trying to shirk work.
Meaning: Slacking off
● Example Sentence: She was just slacking off instead of studying for the exam.