noun
Meaning 1
A group of foxes.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: collective
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
skulk
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
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/skʌlk/
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Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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Northern-England: /skʊlk/
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rhymes with -ʌlk
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CMU ARPABET: S K AH1 L K Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
noun
Meaning 2
A group of people seen as being fox-like (e.g. cunning, dishonest, or having nefarious plans).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 3
The act of skulking.
The act of moving in a stealthy or furtive way.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 4
The act of skulking.
A stealthy or furtive gait or way of moving.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 5
The act of skulking.
The act of avoiding an obligation or responsibility.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 6
One who avoids an obligation or responsibility.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
Topics: government, military, nautical, politics, transport, war
Examples
- .
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: shirk, shirker, skulker
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 7
To stay where one cannot be seen, conceal oneself (often in a cowardly way or with the intent of doing harm).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: hide
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 8
To move in a stealthy or furtive way; to come or go while trying to avoid detection.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: sneak, steal
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 9
To avoid an obligation or responsibility.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: shirk
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 10
move stealthily
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- The lonely man skulks down the main street all day
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: walk
verb
Meaning 11
avoid responsibilities and duties, e.g., by pretending to be ill
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: malinger
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: fiddle, shirk, shrink from, goldbrick
verb
Meaning 12
lie in wait, lie in ambush, behave in a sneaky and secretive manner
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: lurk
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: hide, conceal
History
Etymology
From Middle English sculke, skulke, skulken, of North Germanic origin; compare Danish skulke (“shirk”), Swedish skolka (“play truant”).
Across languages
Translations
35 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Bulgarian: спотайвам се (spotajvam se) — to conceal oneself; to hide
- Bulgarian: крия се зад гърба на някого (krija se zad gǎrba na njakogo) — to conceal oneself; to hide
- Catalan: rondar — to conceal oneself; to hide
- Catalan: dardar — to conceal oneself; to hide
- Chinese Mandarin: 躲藏 (duǒcáng) — to conceal oneself; to hide
- Czech: potulovat se — to conceal oneself; to hide
- Dutch: verbergen — to conceal oneself; to hide
- Dutch: verstoppen — to conceal oneself; to hide
- Finnish: piileskellä — to conceal oneself; to hide
- Finnish: lymyillä — to conceal oneself; to hide
- French: se cacher — to conceal oneself; to hide
- Galician: esculcar — to conceal oneself; to hide
- Galician: asexar — to conceal oneself; to hide
- German: sich verstecken — to conceal oneself; to hide
- Italian: imboscarsi — to conceal oneself; to hide
- Italian: nascondersi — to conceal oneself; to hide
- Latin: lateō — to conceal oneself; to hide
- Māori: whakatarapeke — to conceal oneself; to hide
- Māori: motutoke — to conceal oneself; to hide
- Polish: kryć się — to conceal oneself; to hide
- Polish: ukrywać się — to conceal oneself; to hide
- Polish: ukryć się — to conceal oneself; to hide
- Polish: czaić się — to conceal oneself; to hide
- Polish: przyczajać się — to conceal oneself; to hide
- Polish: przyczaić się — to conceal oneself; to hide
- Polish: podkradać się — to conceal oneself; to hide
- Polish: podkraść się — to conceal oneself; to hide
- Portuguese: esgueirar — to conceal oneself; to hide
- Russian: пря́таться (prjátatʹsja) — to conceal oneself; to hide
- Russian: затаи́ться (zataítʹsja) — to conceal oneself; to hide
- Spanish: merodear — to conceal oneself; to hide
- Swedish: lurpassa — to conceal oneself; to hide
- Welsh: llechu — to conceal oneself; to hide
- Welsh: llercian — to conceal oneself; to hide
- Russian: кра́сться (krástʹsja) — to move in a stealthy way