What is "shirked"

Usage examples of "shirked".

If a leaf of the paper, which I warily, thievishly, moved, made but one rustle, how did that reveille boom through the haunted halls of my heart, and there was a cough in my swallow which for long I shirked to cough, till it burst with pitiless turbulence from my lips, sending crinkles of cold through my very soul: for with the words which I read were all mixed up visions of hearses crawling, palls, and wails, and crapes, and piercing shrieks of distraction pealing through vaults of catacombs, and all the mournfulness of that valley of shadow, and the tragedy of corruption.

Over the last few sevendays, she had seen how seriously he took responsi­bilities, exuding an optimism that could fire those around him, and how he never shirked tasks, like the Benini Hold planting, which he could have delegated to another rider.

No-one - except someone on sick call - shirked assigned duties, and everyone took a turn at hunting, preparing food, sentry and whatever other duty they were thought capable of managing.

Hanrahan had never shirked hard work and did as much time on the stonecutters or the borer--the hardest of the machines to use--as he did in the fields or the breeding yard.

I could not tell her I was sorry that I had shirked in the harness, trying to let others work for me.

It was well known in the pens that we had shirked the cleaning of our cage.

After that I seldom shirked my work, and I made, generally, much effort to do my work well.

I don't think anyone could accuse me of having shirked my responsibilities often, but on this occasion I was not prepared to shoulder them until I had had a further opinion.

If he shirked and didn't take his share of the load, they squashed him.

Duty was never shirked, but each pursued a life full of interests and richness as a woman.