sulk

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English

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /sʌlk/
  • Audio (US)(file)
  • Rhymes: -ʌlk

Etymology 1

Back-formation from sulky, of uncertain origin. Probably from Middle English *sulke, *solke (attested in solcenesse (“idleness; laziness”), from Old English āsolcennys (“idleness; slothfulness; sluggishness; laziness”), from āsolcen (“sulky, languid”), from past participle of Old English āseolcan (“be slow; be weak or slothful; languish”), from Proto-Germanic *selkaną (“to fall in drops; dribble; droop”), from Proto-Indo-European *sélǵ-o-nom, from *selǵ- (“to let go, send”). Cognate with several Indo-Iranian words deriving from Proto-Indo-Iranian *sarȷ́- (such as Sanskrit सृजति (sṛjáti), सर्जति (sarjati), सर्जन (sárjana), सृक (sṛká)), possibly Hittite 𒊭𒀠𒀝𒍣 (ša-al-ak-zi /⁠šalkzi⁠/, “knead, mix”), although the semantic connection is weak.

Verb

sulk (third-person singular simple present sulks, present participle sulking, simple past and past participle sulked)

  1. (intransitive) To express ill humor or offence by remaining sullenly silent or withdrawn.
Usage notes

Not to be confused with skulk.

Synonyms
Related terms
Translations

Noun

sulk (plural sulks)

  1. A state of sulking.
    • 1986, John le Carré, A Perfect Spy:
      He thanks our miserable Liberal agent, an unbeliever called Donald Somebody, see the caption, who since the court's arrival on his territory has retired into a fuming sulk from which he has only tonight emerged.
    • 2012, Harriet S. Caswell, Walter Harland Or, Memories of the Past, tredition, →ISBN:
      " […] home during the holidays," said the Doctor with a good-humoured laugh, "but a fit of the sulks is no very uncommon thing for him;" and then he added, […]
    Leo has been in a sulk all morning.
  2. (in the plural, preceded by definite article) A fit of sulking; a sulking mood.
    • 1918, Norman Lindsay, The Magic Pudding, page 82:
      The Puddin', who had got the sulks over Sam's remark that fifteen goes of steak and kidney were enough for any self-respecting man, protested against the singing, which, he said, disturbed his gravy.
  3. A person who sulks
    Don't be such a sulk, Leo!
Translations

References

  1. ^ Cheung, Johnny (2007) “*harz-”, in Etymological Dictionary of the Iranian Verb (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 2), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN
  2. ^ Kloekhorst, Alwin (2008) “šalk-zi”, in Etymological Dictionary of the Hittite Inherited Lexicon (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 5), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 821

Etymology 2

Latin sulcus.

Noun

sulk (plural sulks)

  1. A furrow.

References

Anagrams

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