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Scuttle

//ˈskʌt.l̩// noun, verb

Definitions

Noun

1
A container like an open bucket (usually to hold and carry coal).
"All through dinner—which was long, in consequence of such accidents as the dish of potatoes being mislaid in the coal skuttle and the handle of the corkscrew coming off and striking the young woman in the chin—Mrs. Jellyby preserved the evenness of her disposition."
2
A small hatch or opening in a boat, sometimes one used for draining water from open deck.
"My knife was at my hip. I returned to my hut for the shotgun, made sure it was loaded, and went down to the Ghost. With some difficulty, and at the expense of a wetting to the waist, I climbed aboard. The forecastle scuttle was open. I paused to listen for the breathing of the men, but there was no breathing."
3
A quick pace; a short run.
"She scarce gave me time to return her salute, before she quitted the shop with an easy scuttle, and stepped again into her coach"
4
an entrance equipped with a hatch; especially a passageway between decks of a ship wordnet
5
A broad, shallow basket.

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6
A drained trough between the windscreen and bonnet of a motor vehicle, forming the intake to the heating/air-conditioning system, often also containing the windscreen wiper motor.
7
container for coal; shaped to permit pouring the coal onto the fire wordnet
8
A dish, platter or a trencher. Northern-England, Scotland, obsolete
9
A drained trough between the windscreen and bonnet of a motor vehicle, forming the intake to the heating/air-conditioning system, often also containing the windscreen wiper motor.; By extension, the bulkhead at the front of the passenger compartment.
10
A hatch that provides access to the roof from the interior of a building.

Verb

1
To cut a hole or holes through the bottom, deck, or sides of (as of a ship), for any purpose. transitive
2
To move hastily, to scurry. intransitive
"With the first dawn of day, old Janet was scuttling about the house to wake the baron."
3
to move about or proceed hurriedly wordnet
4
To deliberately sink one's ship or boat by any means, usually by order of the vessel's commander or owner. transitive
"The Vichy French fleet in Toulon in 1942 scuttled itself as a final "fuck you" to the invading Germans."
5
To deliberately wreck one's vehicle (of any sort). broadly, transitive
"The third and equally important fact is that at the time of gear retraction more than ample runway remained to brake to a successful stop and even had there been a fire in the left engine no necessity existed for scuttling the aircraft."

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6
To undermine or thwart oneself or one's position or property, especially deliberately. broadly, transitive
"The candidate had scuttled his chances with his unhinged outburst."

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English scuttel, scutel, from Old English scutel (“dish, platter”), from Latin scutella, diminutive form of Latin scutra (“flat tray, dish”), perhaps related to Latin scutum (“shield”); compare Dutch schotel and German Schüssel.

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Middle French escoutille (compare French écoutille), from Old Norse skaut (“corner of a cloth, of a sail”), or alternatively from Spanish escotilla, ultimately from Gothic 𐍃𐌺𐌰𐌿𐍄𐍃 (skauts, “projecting edge, fringe”), from Proto-Germanic *skautaz (“corner; wedge; lap”). Compare German Schoß, Old English sċēat. More at sheet.

Etymology 3

Etymology 4

See scuddle.

Etymology 5

See scuddle.

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