verb
shirk
shurk
verb
1
To avoid a duty or responsibility.
"He was accused of shirking his household chores."
"She never shirks her responsibilities at work."
noun
1
Someone who avoids their duties.
"Nobody wanted to work with a known shirk."
How to Use Shirk
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo dodge work or responsibility instead of doing it.
Common mistake
Shirk always takes an object — you shirk a duty or responsibility, you don't just "shirk" on its own with that meaning.
Common pairings
shirk responsibility
shirk one's duty
Word Forms
shirked past tense, shirks plural, Shirks plural, shirks singular
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Etymology
First recorded around 1633, likely linked to the word shark (as in a swindler) or borrowed from German Schurke, meaning "rogue" or "knave."