skulk

plural skulks

1. collectiveA group of foxes.

   A group of foxes is called a skulk.

   2019 June 6, “A gaggle, a confusion and a conspiracy - bizarre animal collective group names”, in BBC

   2 more examples

   A skulk of foxes, a cowardice of curs are tonight’s traffic whispering in the yards and lanes.

   1973, Thomas Pynchon, chapter 1, in Gravity's Rainbow, 1st US edition, New York: Viking Press, →ISBN

   A skulk of fox padded daintily over a stream-slashed meadow, and a herd of deer like iron ornaments stood stock still in their winter pelage.

   2007, Millard Kaufman, chapter 19, in Bowl of Cherries, San Francisco: McSweeney’s Books, page 128

2. figurativelyA group of people seen as being fox-like (e.g. cunning, dishonest, or having nefarious plans).

   […] they went on, down the road, staggering, and shouldering each other, like a skulk of Jacobean villains.

   2000, John Banville, Eclipse, New York: Knopf, published 2001, Part 5, p. 190

   3 more examples

   […] a skulk of priests flapped out of the Church of San Geronimo, and women kneeling at novena put away their beads […]

   1972, R. M. Koster, chapter 43, in The Prince,, New York: Morrow, page 320

   The law was served by a skulk of informers, who traded their whispers to the royal foresters and woodwards, who gilded their tales for the verderers and regarders, who presented the guilty to the forest Justices.

   1982, Richard Girling, “1160: Chivalry”, in The Forest on the Hill, New York: Viking, page 69

   Ten days after the attacks, a skulk of insurance executives met with President Bush and Commerce Secretary Donald Evans to press for the creation of a multibillion-dollar government safety net to limit their exposure to future terrorist incidents.

   2004, Micah L. Sifry, Nancy Watzman, chapter 24, in Is That a Politician in Your Pocket?, Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, pages 200–201

3. The act of skulking.
   1. The act of moving in a stealthy or furtive way.

      Willie knew that the time was propitious for a skulk across Hall, thence into the class-room of Mr. Beach.

      1920 December – 1921 September (date written), Henry Williamson, “Back Again”, in Dandelion Days, London; Glasgow: W[illiam] Collins Sons & Co., published 1922, →OCLC, page 120

      3 more examples

      A part of their company, who had been sent out on a skulk, had not returned, and great anxiety was felt lest they had fallen into an ambush and been captured.

      1857, Jacob S. C. Abbott, History of King Philip, Sovereign Chief of the Wampanoags, New York: Harper, Chapter , p. 369

      There was only the danger that his horse might lame himself in the night; but then he could go back in the hills and make a skulk on foot.

      1902, Frederic Remington, chapter 18, in John Ermine of the Yellowstone, New York: Macmillan, page 246

      That gave him three or four more hours of darkness in which to plan an escape more sensible than a skulk to the hut next door.

      2012, Katherine Boo, Behind the Beautiful Forevers, New York: Random House, Prologue, p. xix

   2. A stealthy or furtive gait or way of moving.

      His gait was something between a slouch and a skulk.

      1987, Lloyd Alexander, chapter 5, in The Illyrian Adventure, New York: Dell, page 32

      1 more example

      Romen had developed a kind of strut to replace his former skulk.

      2003, Toni Morrison, Love, New York: Knopf, page 109

   3. The act of avoiding an obligation or responsibility.

      “This nonsense won’t do for me, you know; if you want a skulk, you had better pack off back to the house.”

      1867, James Greenwood, chapter 15, in Humphrey Dyot, volume 1, London: Sampson Low, Son, and Marston, page 224

      2 more examples

      [They took] good care […] to swing their hammocks as far abaft as possible, for the twofold purpose of having a skulk in their watch below at night, and to keep clear of the sprays, which usually pour down the gratings […]

      1859, George Little, chapter 3, in The American Cruiser’s Own Book, Philadelphia: J.B. Smith, page 36

      Bidwell is not the only one who feigns paralysis; many poison their flesh by inserting in it copper-wire or worsted; others swallow ground glass, eat poisonous insects, swallow soap and soda, or slightly maim and disable themselves. Anything by which they can secure a skulk, and escape from what Mr. Carlyle has wisely called the “sacredness of work.”

      1879, anonymous author, chapter 7, in Convict Life; or, Revelations Concerning Convicts and Convict Prisons, London: Wyman & Sons

4. obsoletegovernmentOne who avoids an obligation or responsibility.

   .

   4 more examples

   "I shall do my duty, Mr. Jackson," replied Newton, "and fear no consequences." / "Indeed! you saw how I settled a skulk just now;—beware of his fate!"

   1832, [Frederick Marryat], chapter XVI, in Newton Forster; or, The Merchant Service. […], volume I, London: James Cochrane and Co., […], →OCLC, page 238

   Toward evening there was something to be done on deck, and the carpenter who belonged to the watch was missing. “Where’s that skulk, Chips?” shouted Jermin down the forecastle scuttle.

   1847 March 30, Herman Melville, chapter IV, in Omoo: A Narrative of Adventures in the South Seas; […], London: John Murray, […], →OCLC, page 32

   If you should ever need help, my son, let this be your rule—‘never ask it from the man who deserted his country in her hour of need.’ The soldier’s child will find no mercy from a skulk, depend on it.

   1872, Sallie F. Chapin, chapter 7, in Fitz-Hugh St. Clair, the South Carolina Rebel Boy, Philadelphia: Claxton, Remsen & Haffelfinger, page 75

   An exempt, a skulk, or one upon whom rested the faintest suspicion of evading duty or shrinking in the critical hour of impending battle, was the special object of his wrath.

   1906, Henry E. Shepherd, Life of Robert Edward Lee, New York: Neale, Part 3, p. 62

   Synonyms: shirk, shirker, skulker

present singular third person skulks · participle present skulking · participle past skulked · past skulked

1. To stay where one cannot be seen, conceal oneself (often in a cowardly way or with the intent of doing harm).

   […] vice skulks, with all its native deformity, from close investigation;

   1791 (date written), Mary Wollstonecraft, “The Rights and Involved Duties of Mankind Considered”, in A Vindication of the Rights of Woman: With Strictures on Political and Moral Subjects, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], published 1792, →OCLC, page 17

   4 more examples

   Is whispering nothing? Is leaning cheek to cheek? is meeting noses? Kissing with inside lip? stopping the career Of laughing with a sigh?—a note infallible Of breaking honesty—horsing foot on foot? Skulking in corners? wishing clocks more swift?

   c. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Winters Tale”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]

   Discover’d and defeated of your Prey, You sculk’d behind the Fence, and sneak’d away.

   1697, Virgil, “The Third Pastoral or, Palaemon”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, page 11

   Behind dingy blind and curtain, in upper story and garret, skulking more or less under false names, false hair, false titles, false jewellery, and false histories, a colony of brigands lie in their first sleep.

   1852 March – 1853 September, Charles Dickens, “26”, in Bleak House, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1853, →OCLC

   Stephen's craze for physical culture increased, and now it began to invade the schoolroom. Dumb-bells appeared in the schoolroom bookcases, while half worn-out gym shoes skulked in the corners.

   1928, Radclyffe Hall, chapter 6, in The Well of Loneliness, London: Jonathan Cape, →OCLC; republished New York, N.Y.: Covici Friede Publishers, October 1932, →OCLC, book 1, section 5, page 60

   Synonyms: hide

2. To move in a stealthy or furtive way; to come or go while trying to avoid detection.

   Fully a dozen of the citizens had seen him hastening toward the woods and noted his skulking air [...]

   1904, Paul Laurence Dunbar, “The Lynching of Jube Benson”, in The Heart of Happy Hollow, New York: Dodd, Mead, page 233

   5 more examples

   The residue like vnto the bare arssed rebels sculked to and fro; but in the end, they and the others were all dispersed, & durst not to appeare.

   1577, Raphaell Holinshed, The Firste Volume of the Chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande […], volume I, London: […] [Henry Bynneman] for Iohn Harrison, →OCLC, page 142

   He has been seen with her, by one whom he would not know, at Cuper’s Gardens; dressed like a Sea-officer, and skulking, like a thief, into the privatest walks of the place.

   1753, Samuel Richardson, The History of Sir Charles Grandison, London, Volume 4, Letter 38, p. 266

   Noble brother, I am Not one of those men who in words are valiant, And when it comes to action skulk away.

   1800, Friedrich Schiller, translated by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, The Piccolomini, or The First Part of Wallenstein, London: Longman and Rees, act V, scene 4, page 196

   Sir Francis Clavering made his appearance, and skulked for a while about the magnificent rooms; but the company and the splendour which he met there were not to the Baronet’s taste […]

   1848 November – 1850 December, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter 46, in The History of Pendennis. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1849–1850, →OCLC

   Generally, women can’t do this, but men retain the ancient ability to leave a family and a past. They just unhook themselves, like removing a fake beard, and skulk discreetly back into society, changed men. Unrecognizable.

   2000, Zadie Smith, White Teeth, London: Hamish Hamilton, →ISBN, page 16

   Synonyms: sneak, steal

3. To avoid an obligation or responsibility.

   Let discipline employ her wholesome arts, Let magistrates alert perform their parts, Not skulk or put on a prudential mask, As if their duty were a desp’rate task;

   1781 (date written), William Cowper, “Table Talk”, in Poems, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], published 1782, →OCLC, page 17

   1 more example

   They are paid about three shillings a day for ten hours’ work—it is hard work, especially in windy weather, and there is no skulking, for an inspector comes round frequently to see that the men are on their beats.

   1933 January 9, George Orwell [pseudonym; Eric Arthur Blair], chapter XXXIII, in Down and Out in Paris and London, London: Victor Gollancz […], →OCLC

   Synonyms: shirk