SULK

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tcward
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SULK

Postby tcward » Mon Jul 04, 2005 4:44 pm

sulk
1781, back-formation of sulky (adj.).
sulky (adj.)
"sullen," 1744, probably from O.E. asolcen "idle, lazy, slow," from pp. of aseolcan "become sluggish, be weak or idle" (related to besylcan "be languid"), from P.Gmc. *seklanan (cf. M.H.G. selken "to drop, fall").
My six-year-old has perfected the art of sulking when told he cannot have or do something he wants.

-Tim

Stargzer
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Postby Stargzer » Wed Jul 06, 2005 9:55 am

Just hope he doesn't ask for his own sulky when you want to isolate him in a time-out.
sulky (n.)
"light carriage with two wheels," 1756, apparently a noun use of sulky (adj.), on notion of "standoffishness," because the carriage has room for only one person.

sulky (adj.)
"sullen," 1744, probably from O.E. asolcen "idle, lazy, slow," from pp. of aseolcan "become sluggish, be weak or idle" (related to besylcan "be languid"), from P.Gmc. *seklanan (cf. M.H.G. selken "to drop, fall").
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.

sulky[sup]2[/sup]

SYLLABICATION: sulk·y

PRONUNCIATION: sŭl'

NOUN: Inflected forms: pl. sulk·ies
A light, open two-wheeled vehicle accommodating only the driver and drawn by one horse, used especially in harness racing.

ETYMOLOGY: From sulky[sup]1[/sup] (from its having only one seat).


sulky[sup]1[/sup]

SYLLABICATION: sulk·y

PRONUNCIATION: sŭl'

ADJECTIVE: Inflected forms: sulk·i·er, sulk·i·est
1. Sullenly aloof or withdrawn. 2. Gloomy; dismal: sulky weather.

ETYMOLOGY: Perhaps alteration of obsolete sulke, sluggish, perhaps ultimately from Old English āsolcen, from past participle of āseolcan, to become sluggish.

OTHER FORMS: sulki·ly —ADVERB
sulki·ness—NOUN


The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Regards//Larry

"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."
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