Home UK English sook

Main meanings of sook in English

: sook1sook2

sook1

Pronunciation /su?k/ /s?k/

noun

US

  • A female crab.

Origin

1950s of unknown origin.

Main meanings of sook in English

: sook1sook2

sook2

Pronunciation /su?k/ /s?k/

noun

informal

  • 1Australian, New Zealand, Scottish A person lacking spirit or self-confidence.

    • ‘He was impatient with bores, sooks and nags; he was full of ideas and energies, and hopeless at small details.’
    • ‘Apparently tall thin men who have lost an arm in a machinery accident are not sooks.’
    • ‘I can be a moper and a downright sook if left to my own devices at times.’
    • ‘Says everyone's favourite sook - ‘When I break up with my girlfriend, everybody has to know about it.’’
    • ‘He was in fine sook form last year, blaming Brisbane for being better.’
    coward, weakling, namby-pamby, mouse

  • 2Australian, New Zealand A hand-reared calf.

    • ‘He tried to soothe the heifer's anxiety with a calm voice. "Sook now. Sook."’

Origin

Mid 19th century dialect variant of the noun suck.