shirk

shirk
    v 1: avoid (one's assigned duties); "The derelict soldier
         shirked his duties" [syn: {fiddle}, {shirk}, {shrink from},
         {goldbrick}]
    2: avoid dealing with; "She shirks her duties"
    

Shirk \Shirk\, v. i.
   1. To live by shifts and fraud; to shark.
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   2. To evade an obligation; to avoid the performance of duty,
      as by running away.
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            One of the cities shirked from the league. --Byron.
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Shirk \Shirk\, n.
   One who lives by shifts and tricks; one who avoids the
   performance of duty or labor.
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Shirk \Shirk\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Shirked}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Shirking}.] [Probably the same word as shark. See {Shark},
   v. t.]
   1. To procure by petty fraud and trickery; to obtain by mean
      solicitation.
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            You that never heard the call of any vocation, . . .
            that shirk living from others, but time from
            Yourselves.                           --Bp. Rainbow.
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   2. To avoid; to escape; to neglect; -- implying
      unfaithfulness or fraud; as, to shirk duty.
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            The usual makeshift by which they try to shirk
            difficulties.                         --Hare.
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56 Moby Thesaurus words for "shirk":
      abandon, avoid, bilk, burke, bypass, creep, cut, dodge, dog it,
      double, duck, duck duty, eschew, evade, fence, get around,
      get out of, goldbrick, goof off, gumshoe, jump, leave,
      leave loose ends, leave undone, let alone, let be, let dangle,
      let go, lurk, malinger, miss, not pull fair, omit, parry,
      pass over, pass up, pretermit, procrastinate, pussyfoot,
      shrink from, shun, sidestep, skip, skive, skulk, slack,
      slide out of, slink, slip, slip out of, snake, sneak out of,
      soldier, steal, trifle, welsh