sulk
1781, back-formation of sulky (adj.).
My six-year-old has perfected the art of sulking when told he cannot have or do something he wants.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").
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'kē
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'kē
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 Sullenly aloof or withdrawn. 2.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.