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

Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
According to The Athletic, a straight trade of Collins for Armstead was scuttled when the Texans instead signed edge rusher Danielle Hunter. Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 14 Mar. 2024 The first company to advertise this scuttled its cruise weeks before it was scheduled to set sail, leaving some passengers stranded. Chris Morris, Fortune, 13 Mar. 2024 The male deposits a package of sperm into the female’s abdominal cavity before scuttling off. Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 29 Feb. 2024 Then Kuechly scuttled off, without saying anything. Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 9 Feb. 2024 That said, White House officials also tried to scuttle passage of the spending needed to pay for the initiative. Julie Rovner, USA TODAY, 24 Jan. 2024 At least one Milwaukee employee received extra pay for 2020 Democratic National Convention Retroactive pay increases are not without precedent at the city, including during the DNC that the city planned to host four years ago before the event was largely scuttled by the coronavirus pandemic. Alison Dirr, Journal Sentinel, 27 Feb. 2024 The 95th Academy Awards snared an average audience of 18.7 million viewers, the Oscars’ best audience since the 2020 awards, which took place before the coronavirus pandemic that forced movie theaters to close and many Hollywood projects to be scuttled. Brian Steinberg, Variety, 22 Feb. 2024 Then this week, Republicans − at the urging of Donald Trump − scuttled the bipartisan border deal, four months in the making. Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 10 Feb. 2024
Noun
What crawls and scuttles around those lava rocks are crabs. Clark Collis, EW.com, 3 Nov. 2023 On today's The Excerpt podcast, the Israeli Supreme Court scuttles a key part of Netanyahu's judicial reform amid troop pullout. USA TODAY, 2 Jan. 2024 This Apple-Beeper scuttle has continued for a month, reports TechCrunch. Byalexandra Sternlicht, Fortune, 22 Dec. 2023 This little creature scuttles along the seafloor around Antarctica, and in new research, scientists use its genetics to argue that a major Antarctic ice sheet completely collapsed at a time in the past when temperatures were just one degree Celsius warmer than the preindustrial period. Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 21 Dec. 2023 The ruling scuttles Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s marquee policy to curb migration and offers a warning shot to other European nations considering similar plans. Max Colchester, WSJ, 15 Nov. 2023 Classical simulations can also control the noise that plagues real quantum processors and often scuttles quantum runs. IEEE Spectrum, 3 Oct. 2023 This snapping shrimp scuttles through the reefs around Ambon Island in Indonesia, creating a cacophony with its closing claw. Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 17 Oct. 2023 The deal scuttles city or county efforts to pursue higher wage boosts until the agreement expires in 2029. Suhauna Hussain, Los Angeles Times, 13 Sep. 2023

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 28 Mar. 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

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