Etymology unknown, apparently from Scots dirk.
First attested in 1602 as dork, in the later 17th century as durk. The spelling dirk is due to Johnson's Dictionary of 1755.
Early quotations as well as Johnson 1755 suggest that the word is of Scottish Gaelic origin, but no such Gaelic word is known. The Gaelic name for the weapon is biodag. Gaelic duirc is merely an 18th-century adoption of the English word.
A possible derivation is from the North Germanic/Scandinavian personal name Dirk (short for Diederik), which is used of lock-picking tools (but not of knives or daggers). Alternatively a corruption of Low German Dulk, Dolk (“dagger”), ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *dalk, from Proto-Germanic *dulkaz, *dalkaz (“knife, dagger”), related to Saterland Frisian Dolk (“dagger”), West Frisian dolk (“dagger”), Dutch dolk (“dagger”), German Dolch (“dagger”).
Meanings
A long Scottish dagger with a straight blade.
The Claymore is worn on the left side, the dirk on the right, and the Skean Dhu in the stocking […] 1898, W.D.F Vincent, The Cutters' Practical Guide:
A ceremonial dagger worn by naval or air force officers in some nations' militaries; formerly, a fighting dagger used by sailors as a boarding weapon.
In half a minute he had reached the port scuppers, and picked, out of a coil of rope, a long knife, or rather a short dirk, discolored to the hilt with blood. 1881–1882, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island, London; Paris: Cassell & Company, published 14 November 1883, →OCLC:
In this kit was the ‘Officer of the Watch’ telescope from Dolland and Sons, presented to me by my godmother, Inman's Nautical Tables, a parallel ruler, and, of course, a dirk. 1996, Frank Twiss, Social Change in the Royal Navy, 1924–1970:
uk ко́ртик (a ceremonial dagger worn by naval officers; formerly, a boarding weapon used by sailors) · ru ко́ртик (a ceremonial dagger worn by naval officers; formerly, a boarding weapon used by sailors) · et šoti pistoda (a long Scottish dagger with a straight blade) · es puñal (a long Scottish dagger with a straight blade) · et šoti pister (a long Scottish dagger with a straight blade) · ru дирк (a long Scottish dagger with a straight blade) · et mereväelase pistoda (a ceremonial dagger worn by naval officers; formerly, a boarding weapon used by sailors) · fr dirk (a long Scottish dagger with a straight blade) · pl kordzik (a ceremonial dagger worn by naval officers; formerly, a boarding weapon used by sailors) · et madruse pister (a ceremonial dagger worn by naval officers; formerly, a boarding weapon used by sailors) · ru кинжа́л (a long Scottish dagger with a straight blade) · et dirk (a long Scottish dagger with a straight blade) · es daga (a long Scottish dagger with a straight blade) · et dirk (a ceremonial dagger worn by naval officers; formerly, a boarding weapon used by sailors) · bg кинжа́л (a long Scottish dagger with a straight blade)
Etymology unknown, apparently from Scots dirk.
First attested in 1602 as dork, in the later 17th century as durk. The spelling dirk is due to Johnson's Dictionary of 1755.
Early quotations as well as Johnson 1755 suggest that the word is of Scottish Gaelic origin, but no such Gaelic word is known. The Gaelic name for the weapon is biodag. Gaelic duirc is merely an 18th-century adoption of the English word.
A possible derivation is from the North Germanic/Scandinavian personal name Dirk (short for Diederik), which is used of lock-picking tools (but not of knives or daggers). Alternatively a corruption of Low German Dulk, Dolk (“dagger”), ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *dalk, from Proto-Germanic *dulkaz, *dalkaz (“knife, dagger”), related to Saterland Frisian Dolk (“dagger”), West Frisian dolk (“dagger”), Dutch dolk (“dagger”), German Dolch (“dagger”).
Meanings
To stab with a dirk.
For these offenses, I was informed privately, by a worthy English settler, who had been like me seduced by Mr. Birkbeck, they had hired a man to dirk me for ten dollars, the usual price of blood in this country, as Mr. Chichester says. 1825, James Kirke Paulding, John Bull in America; or, the New Munchausen, page 127:
Roland Graeme has dirked Adam Woodstock — that is all.” ¶ “Good Heaven!” said the Lady, turning pale as ashes, “is the man slain?” 1820, Sir Walter Scott, The Abbot, archived from the original on 04 Jun 2014, Chapter the Fourth:
Forms
Spelling
Features
Labels
Source
dirks
Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres
lexicographic
dirked
Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part
lexicographic
dirked
Tense=Past
lexicographic
dirking
Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part
lexicographic
dirk en · VERB · etymology 2
Meanings
(obsolete) To darken.
Thy wast bignes but combers the grownd, / And dirks the beauty of my blossomes rownd. 1579, Edmund Spenser, The Shepheardes Calender, page 34:
Forms
Spelling
Features
Labels
Source
dirks
Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres
lexicographic
dirking
Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part
lexicographic
dirked
Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part
lexicographic
dirked
Tense=Past
lexicographic
dirk en · NOUN · etymology 3
Etymology
Unlikely not to have come from the same murky origins as dork, despite sound variation among dick-dirk-dork. Influence from der seems plausibly intermixed.
Meanings
(Midwestern-US, dated, slang) A penis.
The word dick itself serves as model for two variants which are probably Midwestern, dirk and dork, also meaning "penis"... May 1964, Lawrence Poston, "Some Problems in the Study of Campus Slang", American Speech volume 39, issue 2
(Midwestern-US, dated, slang) A socially unacceptable person; an oddball.
...on at least one Midwestern campus a dirk may be an "oddball" student, while a prick (more common) is of course an offensive one. May 1964, Lawrence Poston, "Some Problems in the Study of Campus Slang", American Speech volume 39, issue 2