SKULK

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Dr. Goodword
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SKULK

Postby Dr. Goodword » Mon Aug 27, 2007 11:23 pm

• skulk •

Pronunciation: skêlk • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Verb, intransitive

Meaning: 1. To move about sneakily, trying not to be seen. 2. To lurk and sulk out of sight in a cowardly, resentful, and rather sinister way.

Notes: This word is easy to spell. Just remember that both the [k] sounds are spelled K: it is a rarity to find a word spelled so consistently in English. The noun and adjective are both skulking. Don't confuse this word with sulk "to be withdrawn and sullen". Sulking does not involve resentment or anything sinister as does skulking.

In Play: Skulking first and foremost arises from resentment: "Denny Graden has been skulking around Fictitia's office since she started going out with Manley Hunter." However, skullduggery (unrelated) could just as well motivate skulking: "I called 911 when I saw a tattooed man with spiked hair and a half pound of scrap metal in his face skulking about outside my house."

Word History: Today's Good Word was borrowed from Old Norse during the Viking visits to the coasts of England in the 9th-10th centuries. Norwegian still uses skulka "to skulk, shirk, skip work or school". In Danish we find skulke and Swedish skolka with more or less the same meaning. No one knows where the Scandinavians got this word.
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gailr
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Postby gailr » Wed Aug 29, 2007 12:37 am

I tried to post this last night, but a sudden thunderstorm avulsed my web connection. ouch.

I am familiar with skulking; I see it every day from the cat.
Word History: Today's Good Word was borrowed from Old Norse during the Viking visits to the coasts of England in the 9th-10th centuries. Norwegian still uses skulka "to skulk, shirk, skip work or school". In Danish we find skulke and Swedish skolka with more or less the same meaning. No one knows where the Scandinavians got this word.
They got it from the Mad Dane, silly!

Hamlet says "Marry, this is miching mallecho; it means mischief." Miching is from miche, synonymous with skulk.

Miching has ties to mooch, as in "Minnie the", invoked elsewhere on the board.

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Postby scw1217 » Wed Aug 29, 2007 9:06 am

I am still laughing at "Manly Hunter". I think I've met him...
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Postby Perry » Wed Aug 29, 2007 9:24 am

I tried to post this last night, but a sudden thunderstorm avulsed my web connection. ouch.
Sorry about your travails, but I was convulsed by the turn of phrase.
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Postby Bailey » Wed Aug 29, 2007 11:56 am

I am still laughing at "Manly Hunter". I think I've met him...
we do rather go on, don't we?

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