dirk

Etymology

Etymology unknown, apparently from Scots drik. 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 Scandinavian personal name Dirk (short for Diederik), which is used of lock-picking tools (but not of knives or daggers).

noun

1. 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
2. (nautical) 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 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
3. (Midwestern US, dated, slang) A penis; dork.
   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
4. (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

verb

1. To stab with a dirk.
   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 2014-06-04, Chapter the Fourth
   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
2. (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