scrimshank
Oct. 2nd, 2025 07:05 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
prettygoodwordscrimshank (SKRIM-shangk) - (UK, slang) v., to shirk duty or obligations.
Especially in the military. This one dates to the 1880s, and as typical of Victorian slang, the origin is obscure. One theory from near the time it appeared is it's from scrimp + swanker, the latter being military slang for someone who works hard. Another is alteration of scrimshaw, the idea being going off to carve ivory or bone instead of working, but that's ... straining hard.
---L.
Especially in the military. This one dates to the 1880s, and as typical of Victorian slang, the origin is obscure. One theory from near the time it appeared is it's from scrimp + swanker, the latter being military slang for someone who works hard. Another is alteration of scrimshaw, the idea being going off to carve ivory or bone instead of working, but that's ... straining hard.
---L.
