To move quietly and sneakily, trying not to be noticed, often with a sense of guilt or shame.
From Middle English 'slinken', possibly from Old Norse 'slyngva' meaning 'to sling' or 'to throw'. The meaning evolved to describe slinking or slithering movement.
Your cat doesn't 'walk'—it 'slinks'! The word perfectly captures that guilty, low-to-the-ground creeping animals do when they've done something wrong, which is why it's so satisfying to use in English.
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