But sometimes he veers into territory that could irk staunch patriots.
When he had apparently made all ready, he stooped down again and smoothed out a ruck, lest its discomfort should irk the dead.
I asked Strickland if it did not irk him to live in that promiscuity.
The school drew revenues from the mills on the irk in the days when that stream ran in limpid purity into the Irwell.
He was the founder and teacher of the body of legists known as 'the jurists of irk.'
His Grace owes a debt to the national institution, and it seems to irk his conscience until some equivalent be made.
The firmament possesses but one sun, and the land of irk but one king.
The electric shock of the young sunbeams and the unhuman beauty of the woods began to irk and daunt her.
The restrictions of the house began to irk her, and she was afraid of the garden.
But my disguise begins to irk me: who will lend me a good suit?
mid-15c., irken "be weary of, be disgusted with;" earlier intransitive, "to feel weary" (early 14c.). Of uncertain origin, perhaps related to Old Norse yrkja "work" (from PIE root *werg- "to work;" see urge (v.)), or Middle High German erken "to disgust." Modern sense of "annoy" is from late 15c. An adjective, irk "weary, tired" is attested from c.1300 in northern and midlands writing.