Pronunciation: /ˈskʌtəl/

Definitions of scuttle

noun a small hatch or opening in a ship's deck or hull

Example Sentences

A1 The scuttle was used to carry coal on the ship.

A2 The crab quickly moved across the sand and disappeared into a scuttle.

B1 I heard a scuttle in the attic and was afraid there might be a rat.

B2 The chef used a scuttle to transfer the hot soup from the pot to the serving bowls.

C1 The scuttle of the small animals could be heard as they ran through the underbrush.

C2 The antique scuttle on display at the museum was once used by servants to carry coal for heating.

verb to run with quick, hasty steps; scurry

Example Sentences

A1 The mouse scuttled across the floor.

A2 The crab scuttled away when I approached.

B1 The children scuttled off to play in the park.

B2 The thief scuttled down the alley to escape the police.

C1 The journalist scuttled to the scene of the breaking news story.

C2 The spy scuttled through the crowded marketplace, trying to evade detection.

Examples of scuttle in a Sentence

formal The crab used its pincers to scuttle across the sandy beach.

informal I saw a mouse scuttle across the kitchen floor last night.

slang Let's scuttle out of here before anyone notices we're gone.

figurative The rumors of a scandal caused the politician's reputation to scuttle.

Grammatical Forms of scuttle

past tense

scuttled

plural

scuttles

comparative

more scuttling

superlative

most scuttling

present tense

scuttle

future tense

will scuttle

perfect tense

have scuttled

continuous tense

is scuttling

singular

scuttle

positive degree

scuttle

infinitive

to scuttle

gerund

scuttling

participle

scuttling

Origin and Evolution of scuttle

First Known Use: 1250 year
Language of Origin: Middle English
Story behind the word: The word 'scuttle' originated from Middle English 'skottell', which came from Old Norse 'skutill' meaning a small dish or container.
Evolution of the word: Over time, 'scuttle' evolved to refer to a small opening or hatch in a ship's deck, used for accessing the lower levels of the ship or for disposing of waste. It later came to be used more broadly to mean to deliberately sink a ship by creating holes or openings in its hull.