slink

American  

[slingk] / slɪŋk /

verb (used without object)

slunk, slank, slunk, slinking

1. to move or go in a furtive, abject manner, as from fear, cowardice, or shame.

   Synonyms:

   lurk, sneak, skulk

2. to walk or move in a slow, sinuous, provocative way.

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verb (used with object)

slunk, slank, slunk, slinking

1. (especially of cows) to bring forth (young) prematurely.

noun

1. a prematurely born calf or other animal.

adjective

1. born prematurely.

   a slink calf.

slink British  

/ slɪŋk /

verb

1. (intr) to move or act in a furtive or cringing manner from or as if from fear, guilt, etc

2. (intr) to move in a sinuous alluring manner

3. (tr) (of animals, esp cows) to give birth to prematurely

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noun

1. 1. an animal, esp a calf, born prematurely

   2. ( as modifier )

      slink veal

Other Word Forms

• outslink
  verb (used with object)
• slinkingly
  adverb
• unslinking
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of slink

First recorded before 1150; Middle English slynken (verb), Old English slincan “to creep, crawl”; cognate with Low German slinken, German schlinken

Explanation

When you slink, you move in a deliberately quiet and sneaky way. You might slink into your physics class, hoping the teacher won't notice how late you are. Kids playing hide and seek will sometimes slink around the house, quietly searching for good hiding spots, and wild animals tend to slink through the woods or fields when they're stalking prey or trying to avoid becoming prey themselves. Slink comes from the Old English word slincan, "to creep or crawl," which was mostly used to describe the movements of reptiles.

Example Sentences

Generally supportive newspapers reflected the anger, with the Daily Mail proclaiming: “Shameless MPs Slink Back Into Sleaze.”

From Seattle Times • Nov. 8, 2021

At some point, she would also have to take care of her dog, a pug named Slink.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 2, 2021

We would tidy away the bonfire and wash the felt-tipped Slink logo off our hands before we went home.

From The Guardian • Feb. 16, 2019

Renee Cafaro, U.S. editor of the plus-size fashion magazine Slink, said the beauty of Fashion Nova is its ability to generate social media buzz.

From Washington Times • Mar. 6, 2018

Slink by name and Slink by nature, that’s wot’s the matter with him.

From The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson, Volume XV by Stevenson, Robert Louis

Related Words

• lurk
• meander
• prowl
• sidle
• skitter
• skulk
• slither
• sneak
• undulate