shirk

American  

[shurk] / ʃɜrk /

verb (used with object)

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

   Synonyms:

   dodge, avoid, shun

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verb (used without object)

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

• unshirked adjective
• unshirking adjective

Etymology

Origin of shirk

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

Example Sentences

There’s a spiritual community that uses spirituality to shirk responsibility.

From Los Angeles Times

Courts can step in, he said, only if prosecutors have bad-faith reasons for such decisions, such as taking bribes or wanting to shirk their work.

From The Wall Street Journal

England did not shirk from the challenge, but Australia had more quality when it mattered and eased through the gears in the second half to win comfortably.

From BBC

After that is when the singer noticed that kindly dad shirking his duties in “Hot to Go!”

From Los Angeles Times

Heather Oliver, for Mr Berrill, said he had "not shirked the reality of his own misconduct" and had not resigned like the others.

From BBC