slink

[slingk] /slɪŋk/
verb (used without object), slunk or (Archaic) slank; slunk; slinking.
1.
to move or go in a furtive, abject manner, as from fear, cowardice, or shame.
2.
to walk or move in a slow, sinuous, provocative way.
verb (used with object), slunk or (Archaic) slank; slunk; slinking.
3.
(especially of cows) to bring forth (young) prematurely.
noun
4.
a prematurely born calf or other animal.
adjective
5.
born prematurely:
a slink calf.
Origin
before 1150; Middle English slynken (v.), Old English slincan to creep, crawl; cognate with Low German slinken, German schlinken
Related forms
slinkingly, adverb
outslink, verb (used with object), outslunk, outslinking.
unslinking, adjective
Can be confused
sling, slink.
Synonyms
1. skulk, sneak; lurk.
Examples from the web for slink
  • Eventually you will have to slink away and become a hermit in the desert, far from the eyes of your fellow mortals.
  • Once inside, she would tuck her tail beneath her body and slink along the floor.
  • They are probing exotic salts able to slink through plants' barbed wires.
British Dictionary definitions for slink

slink

/slɪŋk/
verb slinks, slinking, slunk
1.
(intransitive) to move or act in a furtive or cringing manner from or as if from fear, guilt, etc
2.
(intransitive) to move in a sinuous alluring manner
3.
(transitive) (of animals, esp cows) to give birth to prematurely
noun
4.
  1. an animal, esp a calf, born prematurely
  2. (as modifier): slink veal
Word Origin
Old English slincan; related to Middle Low German slinken to shrink, Old Swedish slinka to creep, Danish slunken limp
Word Origin and History for slink
v.

Old English slincan "to creep, crawl" (of reptiles), from Proto-Germanic *slinkan (cf. Swedish slinka "to glide," Dutch slinken "to shrink, shrivel;" related to sling (v.)). Of persons, attested from late 14c. Related: Slinked; slinking.