shirk

American  

[shurk] / ʃɜrk /

verb (used with object)

shirks, present (3rd person singular) shirked, past participle, past shirking present participle

1. to evade (work, duty, responsibility, etc.).

   Synonyms:

   dodge, avoid, shun

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verb (used without object)

shirks, present (3rd person singular) shirked, past participle, past shirking present participle

1. to evade work, duty, etc.

noun

1. a shirker.

shirk ¹ British  

/ ʃɪːk /

noun

1. Islam

   1. the fundamental sin of regarding anything as equal to Allah

   2. any belief that is considered to be in opposition to Allah and Islam

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shirk ² British  

/ ʃɜːk /

verb

1. to avoid discharging (work, a duty, etc); evade

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noun

1. a person who shirks

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unshirked
  adjective
• unshirking
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• shirking
  present
• shirked
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• shirk
  simple
• shirks
  simple
• have shirked
  perfect
• has shirked
  perfect
• are shirking
  progressive
• am shirking
  progressive
• is shirking
  progressive
• have been shirking
  perfect progressive
• has been shirking
  perfect progressive

Past

• shirked
  simple
• had shirked
  perfect
• was shirking
  progressive
• were shirking
  progressive
• had been shirking
  perfect progressive

Future

• will shirk
  simple
• will have shirked
  perfect
• will be shirking
  progressive
• will have been shirking
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of shirk

First recorded in 1625–35; obscurely akin to shark ²

Explanation

To shirk your responsibilities is to avoid dealing with them — like when you watch four consecutive hours of infomercials instead of facing your homework. A verb is an action word, so it's ironic that the verb shirk suggests inaction in the avoidance of work. To shirk carries with it a negative connotation of laziness. When Eleanor Roosevelt was asked how she conquered her shyness to become a powerful public figure, she responded, "I faced each problem as it came along. . . . I never tried to shirk. I tried never to evade an issue. When I found I had something to do — I just did it." Ah, Eleanor, why can't we all be a bit more like you?

Example Sentences

His visit could help improve dynamics between the two nations, said Susan Shirk, a political scientist who is the founding chair of the 21st Century China Center at UC San Diego.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 25, 2023

“It’s really quite a paradox if you think about it, because it’s the beginning of his third term,” Ms. Shirk added.

From New York Times • Feb. 6, 2023

Fear and loyalty has led to "over-compliance and over-implementation of what Xi himself originally wanted", Ms Shirk says.

From BBC • Oct. 23, 2022

In a recently published book, Shirk argues that Xi’s centralized power and top-down pressure on officials pushes cadres toward overenthusiastic praise and over-compliance with Xi’s objectives, which can lead to policy mistakes.

From Washington Post • Oct. 16, 2022

A force was despatched, under Commander Kilty, comprising, besides his own ship, the St. Louis, Lieutenant McGunnegle, with the Lexington and Conestoga, wooden gunboats, Lieutenants Shirk and Blodgett.

From The Gulf and Inland Waters The Navy in the Civil War. Volume 3. by Mahan, A. T. (Alfred Thayer)