sulky
sulky
Definition
sulky (sul′kē)
adjective sulk′i·er, sulk′i·est
- showing resentment or dissatisfaction by petulant or peevish withdrawal
- gloomy; dismal; sullen a sulky day
Etymology: prob. < OE -solcen (in comp.), idle, sluggish, pp. of -seolcan, to become slack < IE base *selĝ-, to let go, let loose > Sans sarjati, (he) releases
noun pl. sulk′·ies
a light, two-wheeled, one-horse carriage having a seat for only one person, esp. now, one used in harness races
Etymology: prob. < sulkythe , in the sense of keeping aloof, because the vehicle seats only one person
sulk′i·ly adverb
sulk′i·ness noun
sulky
Synonyms
sulky
Usage Examples
Converse of object
- look: When it was light I peeped through the portholes and saw Belfast's dull wharves and warehouses looking sulky in the gray morning mist.
- get: If I mention getting someone in to do these jobs he gets all sulky and hurt, so it's not worth it.
Modifies a noun
- silence: Suspicious looks, sulky silences, or sharp speeches had become the order of the day.
- teenager: Instead she just acted like a rather sulky teenager, whose boyfriend had deserted her.
- tone: So of course Nobody walks slower than you. ' ' I do my best, ' the Messenger said in a sulky tone.
- adolescent: The last time I'd been to that park was as a sulky adolescent on the number five bus.
- dog: Heaven forbid anyone should see him as a sulky dog in the manger over pensions.
- mood: When I spot him he gets up and almost in a sulky mood walks away to another spot to try again.
Modifying Another Word
- very: He is very sulky about a caricature in the Evening Standard.
- rather: Instead she just acted like a rather sulky teenager, whose boyfriend had deserted her.
Used with adjective complement
sulky Quotes
If I can but get the sulky Scottish spirit set up, the devil won't turn them.
Browse dictionary entries near sulky
- sulkiness
- sulk
- sulfuryl
- sulfury
- sulfurous acid
- sulfurous
- sulfurize
- sulfuric acid
- sulfuric
- sulfuret
- Sulla
- sullage
- sullen
- sullenly
- sullenness
- Sullivan
- Sullivan, Scott
- sully
- Sully-Prudhomme
- sulph-
