_sulk_

_sulk _

Intransitive verb.

Pronunciation: sʌlk.

Etymology: of uncertain origin. It is etymologically related to sulky.

Preterite tense, preterite participle: sulked.

Present participle: sulking.

It is dated from the end of 1700.

Definition: a. To become sulky (morose, sullen); to be moodily silent; to manifest ill-humour through a vocal abstinence rather than through inveighing. b. To manifest anger against someone, or, merely annoyance in consequence of an act or omission of hers or his, by eschewing the communication (mainly the talk) with her/him.

Translation: bouder, in French; imbronciarsi, in Italian; hacer mala cara, in Spanish.

Synonyms: be in a huff, pout, be sullen, mope, be disgruntled, scowl, frown, glower, look glum.

Antonyms: to smile, exult, sing, giggle, titter, snigger, snicker, sniggle.

A piece of banana, of which fruit he [chimpanzee] is very fond, was offered him by his keeper through the bars of the cage, and withdrawn as he approached to receive it. At first he sulked with pouted lips, and then uttered prolonged squeaks, drawing the upper lip tensely over the upper row of teeth. As the keeper essayed to go away with the banana, he became angry.

Journal of Comparative Medicine… vol. 6

-) With the preposition with + noun of the person who is the cause of one’s sulk and the object of one’s grimace of annoyance (one’s retaliative silence, etc.):

The morning-room or boudoir, or whatever you please to call it,' I returned, 'is for young Mrs. Chudleigh's use when she has sulked with her husband.

Rosa Nouchette Carey… Only the governess

“I will ride your horse with pleasure,” she said, in answer to Mr. Rolfe, and Derrick looked vexed, and sulked with her because he was not able to offer her his own mare.

Anna Steele… Broken toys

-) With the preposition at (implying direction) + noun of the person who is the cause of one’s sulk and the object of one’s grimace of annoyance (one’s retaliative silence, etc.):

She sulked at me when she saw me, and refused to speak.

Ballou’s monthly magazine, vol. 33

Primula […] sulked at Hetty, as if Hetty had been the aggressor.

Charles Dickens… All the Year Round, vol. 12

[…] he was angry, and I was angry; and first we quarrelled, and then we sulked at each other.

Margaret Oliphant… The quiet heart

They were sulking at one another now.

Macmillan's Magazine, vol. 15 1866

-) With the preposition at, followed either by a noun or by a gerund, designative of the cause:

When [it was] the time for him to leave, and he announced that the driver of his hired car had been instructed to return for him, there was protest, loud and earnest, from the Briskows, father and son. Buddy actually sulked at being denied the pleasure of driving his hero to town in the new car […]

Rex Beach… Flowing Gold

The whole task of making this journey to Lydford successful devolved, therefore, upon Mrs. Llewellyn, for her lord and husband had entered his protest against the expedition, and was already sulking at having been forced to join the party.

Frederick Robinson… Milly’s hero 1866

-) With the preposition about + noun of the cause:

[…] they didn’t like his marrying her, and they sulked about it, and they treated her badly.

Justin McCarthy… The comet of a season

[…] he asked us to dinner, and he was, I fancied, more than polite to my wife, and I sulked about it when we got home, and she petted and caressed me, and we were better friends than ever.

Charles Lever… A Day's Ride

“What are you sulking about?” mother and grandmother used to ask me; and it made me feel awkward when they asked this question, for I was not angry with them –it was simply that every one in the house had become a stranger to me.

Maxim Gorky… My childhood

-) With the preposition over + noun of the cause:

[…] Aurelius refused to procure his empress a silken robe because of the extravagant price and the bad example. Doubtless she pouted or sulked over the refusal […]

Report, Annual Report… Pennsylvania

I searched every available portion of my clothing, pulled my pockets inside out, but with no good result; [… the card] was not to be found. Then I sat down and sulked over it; what a fool I was not to have read the name and address before putting it away!

The Argosy, vol. 30

English words derived from SULK and SULKY: sulker, sulking, sulk (noun), sulkily, sulkiness.