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DictionaryslinkStealthy movement
verb / noun

slink

SLINGK/slɪŋk/

Movement made quietly to avoid notice.

He begins to slink through the doorway, glancing back as he goes.

A worried man slinks out through a partly open doorway, keeping close to the wall with hunched shoulders, a cautious raised heel, and a backward glance.
Etymology
slinkOld Englishto creep, crawl

Old English slincan described reptiles creeping or crawling. Applied to people and other animals, this became quiet, furtive movement—the manner of someone trying to slip away unnoticed.

In context

Libranima434:52
I’d crawl somewhere to a cave, and slink there.
Moby Dick - Illustrated Audiobook for Focused Reading (Part 3/3)

More examples

  • He slunk out of the meeting before anyone noticed.
  • The fox slinks along the edge of the yard.
  • Her quiet slink toward the exit attracted a suspicious glance.

Forms

slink · slinks · slunk · slinking

Similar words

creep
Creep means move slowly or stealthily; slink often suggests avoiding notice out of shame or fear.
sneak
Sneak avoids detection generally; slink often suggests a furtive, shrinking posture.