Forms: (1 cearcian), 4–6 chirke, 5–6 chyrke, 5–7 cherk(e, 6 churke, 6– chirk. [In its origin, a variant of CHARK:—OE. cearcian, stridēre, with which sense 1 coincides. The change to chirk was not phonetic, but evidently a modification adapted to express a thinner sound: another (Sc.) variant CHORK, expresses a coarser sound.
It was in the form chirk that the word was applied to the voice of birds, for which the original chark was not used. (Here association with chirm may also have worked.) In this sense there further arose the variants CHIRT and CHIRP, the latter of which became the prevailing form.]
† 1. intr. To make a strident noise; to grate (or otherwise make a noise with the teeth; to creak as a door; to croak. Obs. exc. Sc. dial.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gram., XXVI. (Z.), 157. Strideo oððe strido ic cearcige oððe ic gristbitige.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Parson’s T., ¶ 531. Or hem that bileeuen in diuynailes as … by chirkynge of dores.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), I. 159. Makiþ hir noyse wiþ grisbaytynge and chirkynge of teeþ. Ibid. (1398), Barth. De P. R., XVI. xxxvii. (1495), 565. Electrum chyrketh and chaungyth ofte in to diuers colours [ed. 1535 maketh a great chyrkynge noyse].
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 76. Chyrkynge, sibilatus. Ibid., Chyrkyn’, sibilo.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., IX. (1682), 418. Lest the vehemency of Chirking Frogs, vex the wish’d for Repose of his fatigated Body.
1806. R. Jamieson, Pop. Ball., II. 338 (Jam.). The doors will chirk.
2. To chirp, chirrup (as a bird); to make a noise with the lips like a bird’s chirp; to squeak (as a mouse). arch. and dial. (Not in Sc.)
c. 1386. Chaucer, Summoner’s T., 96. [He] kist hir swete, and chirkith as a sparwe With his lippes.
1530. Palsgr., 484. I chyrke, I make a noyse, as myse do in a house.
1533. More, Apology, xlvii. Wks. 922/1. A few birdes … chirking and fleing from bushe to bushe.
1565–78. Cooper, Thesaurus, Gingrio, to churke or make a chirme as birdes doe.
1575. Turberv., Bk. Falconrie, 143. Chyrke wyth your voyce and use those other soundes which falconers do to their hawkes.
1865. Swinburne, Poems & Ball., Masque Q. Bersabe, 28. Ye chirk as starlings that be fed.
1885. A. Dobson, Sign Lyre, 201. The sparrow … chirketh lustily.
† b. trans. To incite by ‘chirking.’ Obs.
1486. Bk. St. Albans, B. iiij b. Cherke hir and whistyll hir [the hawk].
1601. Holland, Pliny, XXXV. x. A horse-rider cheering and cherking up his horse.
3. To become cheerful, cheer up. (U.S. colloq.; see CHIRK a.)
1860. Holland, Miss Gilbert, vi. 102. I ra’ally hope … she’ll chirk up, and git along comfortable.
