This week’s theme
Double-duty words

This week’s words
stymie
sluice
chirk
skeeve
souse

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A.Word.A.Day

PRONUNCIATION:

(chuhrk)

MEANING:

verb tr.: To cheer.
verb intr.: To make a shrill noise.
adjective: Lively; cheerful.

ETYMOLOGY:

From Old English cearcian (to creak). Earliest documented use: verb: 1000, adjective: 1789.

USAGE:

“He seemed so kind o’ blue and lonesome I couldn’t help trying to chirk him up.”
Hamlin Garland; The Forester’s Daughter; Harper; 1914.

“I don’t guess I’m feeling quite chirk enough for reading anyhow.”
Peg Kingman; Original Sins; Norton; 2010.

See more usage examples of chirk in Vocabulary.com’s dictionary.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: