To avoid or escape a duty, responsibility, or difficult task by neglecting it or passing it to someone else.
Origin uncertain; possibly from German 'schurke' (rogue) or a variant of 'shark.' Emerged in English in the 1600s with the sense of avoiding duty.
Shirking has an uncertain origin, which is fitting—it's hard to pin down exactly who introduced this word, much like how shirkers try to avoid being pinned with responsibility!
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