to shirk duty

  • 1Shirk — Shirk, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Shirked}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Shirking}.] [Probably the same word as shark. See {Shark}, v. t.] 1. To procure by petty fraud and trickery; to obtain by mean solicitation. [1913 Webster] You that never heard the call of… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 2shirk one's duty — {v. phr.} To be negligent or irresponsible. * /If you continue to shirk your duty, you can expect to be fired./ …

    Dictionary of American idioms

  • 3shirk one's duty — {v. phr.} To be negligent or irresponsible. * /If you continue to shirk your duty, you can expect to be fired./ …

    Dictionary of American idioms

  • 4shirk´er — shirk «shurk», verb, noun. –v.t., v.i. to avoid or get out of doing (work or a duty): »He lost his job because he shirked his work. Common men cannot shirk world politics and at the same time enjoy private freedom (H. G. Wells). SYNONYM(S): evade …

    Useful english dictionary

  • 5shirk one's duty — index default Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …

    Law dictionary

  • 6Shirk — Shirk, v. i. 1. To live by shifts and fraud; to shark. [1913 Webster] 2. To evade an obligation; to avoid the performance of duty, as by running away. [1913 Webster] One of the cities shirked from the league. Byron. [1913 Webster] …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 7Shirk — Shirk, n. One who lives by shifts and tricks; one who avoids the performance of duty or labor. [1913 Webster] …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 8shirk — ► VERB ▪ avoid or neglect (a duty or responsibility). DERIVATIVES shirker noun. ORIGIN from obsolete shirk «sponger», perhaps from German Schurke scoundrel …

    English terms dictionary

  • 9shirk — 1630s, to practice fraud or trickery, also a noun (1630s, now obs.) a disreputable parasite, perhaps from Ger. schurke scoundrel, rogue, knave, villain (see SHARK (Cf. shark)). Sense of evade one s work or duty first recorded 1785, originally in… …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 10shirk — [shʉrk] vt. [? akin to Ger schurke, scoundrel, rascal] to neglect or evade doing (something that should be done) vi. to neglect or evade work, duty, etc. shirker n …

    English World dictionary