scuttle

1 of 5

verb (1)

scut·​tle ˈskə-tᵊl How to pronounce scuttle (audio)
scuttled; scuttling ˈskə-tᵊl-iŋ How to pronounce scuttle (audio)
ˈskət-liŋ

scuttle

2 of 5

noun (1)

1
: a quick shuffling pace
2
: a short swift run

scuttle

3 of 5

verb (2)

scuttled; scuttling

transitive verb

1
2
: to cut a hole through the bottom, deck, or side of (a ship)
specifically : to sink or attempt to sink by making holes through the bottom

scuttle

4 of 5

noun (2)

1
: a small opening in a wall or roof furnished with a lid: such as
a
: a small opening or hatchway in the deck of a ship large enough to admit a person and with a lid for covering it
b
: a small hole in the side or bottom of a ship fitted with a covering or glazed
2
: a covering that closes a scuttle

scuttle

5 of 5

noun (3)

1
: a shallow open basket for carrying something (such as grain or garden produce)
2
: a metal pail that usually has a bail and a sloped lip and is used especially for carrying coal

Examples of scuttle in a Sentence

Verb (1) mice scuttling across the barn floor to escape the cats
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The company has a $3.4 billion contract with the federal government to build a new spacecraft to scuttle astronauts to and from the moon’s surface. Brian Stelter, CNN, 25 Oct. 2024 At first glance, the mantis shrimp is an unassuming crustacean that spends its days scuttling along the seafloor. Scott Travers, Forbes, 20 Oct. 2024 At one point, COVID restrictions scuttled plans to shoot in Europe; at another, the war in Ukraine prevented the filmmakers from shooting the movie in Poland, which shares a border. Brent Lang, Variety, 3 Oct. 2024 Trump, who had vowed to scuttle Roe, appointed three of the five conservative justices behind the majority opinion. Noah Bierman, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for scuttle 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'scuttle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

perhaps blend of scud and shuttle

Noun (2)

Middle English skottell lid of a scuttle

Noun (3)

Middle English scutel, from Latin scutella drinking bowl, tray, diminutive of scutra platter

First Known Use

Verb (1)

1657, in the meaning defined above

Noun (1)

1623, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

1642, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (3)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of scuttle was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near scuttle

Cite this Entry

“Scuttle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scuttle. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

scuttle

1 of 5 noun
scut·​tle ˈskət-ᵊl How to pronounce scuttle (audio)
: a metal pail for carrying coal

scuttle

2 of 5 noun
: a small opening (as in the deck of a ship or the roof of a house) with a lid or cover
also : its lid

scuttle

3 of 5 verb
scuttled; scuttling ˈskət-liŋ How to pronounce scuttle (audio) -ᵊl-iŋ How to pronounce scuttle (audio)
1
: to sink by cutting holes through the bottom or sides
scuttle a ship
2
: to put an end to by a deliberate act
scuttle a conference

scuttle

4 of 5 verb
scuttled; scuttling
ˈskət-liŋ,
-ᵊl-iŋ
: scurry

scuttle

5 of 5 noun
1
: a quick scuffing pace
2
: a short swift run
Etymology

Noun

Middle English scutel "a shallow basket for carrying things," from Latin scutella "drinking bowl"

Noun

Middle English skottell "lid of a scuttle"

Verb

probably a combination of 1scud and 2shuttle

More from Merriam-Webster on scuttle

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