noun

scuttle

SKUHT-l

noun

An open bucket or container used for carrying coal.

"He filled the coal scuttle before lighting the fire."

verb

To deliberately sink a ship by making holes in its hull.

"The crew scuttled the vessel rather than let it fall into enemy hands."

To run with short, hurried steps; to scurry.

"A crab scuttled sideways across the sand."

How to Use Scuttle

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishHas three unrelated meanings: a coal bucket, deliberately sinking a ship (also used figuratively for wrecking a plan), and scurrying quickly.

Common mistake

The verb "to scuttle a plan" (deliberately ruin or abandon it) comes from the ship-sinking sense, not the scurrying one.

Common pairings

scuttle the ship scuttle the deal coal scuttle

Word Forms

scuttled past tense, scuttled past tense, scuttles plural, scuttles plural, scuttles plural, scuttles singular, scuttles singular

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

He filled the coal _____ before lighting the fire.

Etymology

From Old English scutel ("dish, platter"), ultimately from Latin scutella; the "sink a ship" and "scurry" senses developed separately in Middle English.

Synonyms

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cowl

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Rhymes for scuttle

Tuttle shuttle

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