skulk
/skʌlk
/verb [no object]
1Keep out of sight, typically with a sinister or cowardly motive: don’t skulk outside the door like a spy!...
- Unlike the absconding narrators who skulk out of sight in most modern novels, James refuses to hide behind the mask of authorial anonymity.
- McCabe apparently got all his information by skulking in the bushes outside the Goldstein's place night after night.
- I skulk outside the crematorium gates in that suit, which I've borrowed again from my housemate Paul.
1.1 [with adverbial of direction] Move stealthily or furtively: he spent most of his time skulking about the corridors...
- While the others slept peacefully, I was slinking and skulking around in the dark.
- It looked to be another clear day, so he'd spend most of it outside, skulking about the forest as usual.
- I strode out of the room, and slammed the door, before skulking off upstairs again.
Synonyms
lurk, loiter, hide, conceal oneself, lie in wait, keep out of sight;
creep, sneak, slink, move furtively, sidle, slope, pad, prowl, tiptoe, pussyfoot
noun
A group of foxes: the skulk howls away into the night
Derivatives
skulker
- Though they are skulkers, they ‘sing’ in a constant chatter or mew, sounding rather like a cat, alerting one to their presence.
- But she was a rogue - a thief, a skulker, a shadow of the streets.
- The best, in my opinion at least, was the Siberian rubythroat, a ground-dwelling skulker with a jewel-like ruby throat.
Origin
Middle English: of Scandinavian origin; compare with Norwegian skulka 'lurk', and Danish skulke, Swedish skolka 'shirk'.