sulk
verb
- mope
noun
No English definition recorded for this entry.
L328771 on Wikidata ↗Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /sʌlk/ / /sʊlk/
noun
Etymology: From Latin sulcus.
- A furrow.
verb
Etymology: 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), सर्जन (sárjana), सृक (sṛká)), possibly Hittite 𒊭𒀠𒀝𒍣 (ša-al-ak-zi /šalkzi/, “knead, mix”), although the semantic connection is weak.
- To express ill humor or offence by remaining sullenly silent or withdrawn.
“Mr. Riach, who had been to the college, spoke to me like a friend when he was not sulking, and told me many curious things, […]”
“You crossed her last wish in death and yet you sulk with me because I don’t whinge like some hired mute from Lalouette’s.”