▪ I. † lusk, n. Obs.
[f. lusk v.]
An idle or lazy fellow; a sluggard.
| c 1420 Lydg. Assembly of Gods 714 Vnthryftys, & vnlustes came also to that game, With luskes, & loselles that myght nat thryue for shame. 1470–85 Malory Arthur vii. v, What arte thou but a luske and a torner of broches and a ladyl wessher. c 1515 Cocke Lorell's B. 11 Luskes, slouens, and kechen knaues. 1600 Holland Livy xxi. xliv. 418 Well may they bee cowards, and play the idle luskes. 1647 Trapp Comm. Rev. ii. 26 That keepeth himself unspotted of the world, that foul lusk that lieth in that wicked one. 1694 Motteux Rabelais v. 236 Idle Lusks. |
| Comb. 1611 Cotgr., Estourdi, sottish, blockish..luske-like. |
▪ II. lusk, a.
(lʌsk)
[f. prec. n.]
Lazy, sluggish.
| 1775 Ash, Lusk, lazy, worthless, idle. 1890 Lippincott's Mag. Jan. 99 The lapses of lusk water heard apart. |
▪ III. † lusk, v. Obs.
[Of obscure origin.
The sense agrees with that of OHG. loscên (:—OTeut. *lut-skæ̂- L. root *lut-: see loiter v.), which would correspond to an OE. *loscian. For the phonology cf. dusk a.]
intr. To lie hid; to lie idly or at ease, to indulge laziness; to skulk.
| c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 9 Sibriht þat schrew as a lordan gan lusk, A suynhird smote he to dede vnder a thorn busk. 1532 More Confut. Tindale 131 Frere Luther and Cate calate hys nonne lye luskynge togyther in lechery. 1533 ― 2nd Pt. Confut. Tindale Wks. 526/1 He nothing seeketh, but corners to crepe in, where he may luske and lurke in the darke. 1591 Sylvester Du Bartas i. vii. 115 Not that I mean to fain an idle God That lusks in Heav'n and never looks abroad. 1621 T. Williamson tr. Goulart's Wise Vieillard 98 He lies lusking at home. 1662 J. Cotgrave Wits Interpr. (ed. 2) 311 Nay now you puff, lusk, and draw up your chin. |