Word
scuttle
Phoneticsscut·tle, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈskətəɫ/
UK/skˈʌtəl/
Definition
v. to sink a ship on purpose by cutting holes in it. It can also mean to run with quick, short steps like a crab or a small animal.
v. to deliberately sink a vessel by opening its hull or opening seacocks; by extension, to thwart or cause a plan to fail. Also describes moving with short, rapid steps.
Examples
“The captain decided to scuttle the ship to prevent its capture.”
“The crew had to scuttle the damaged vessel before the enemy fleet could reach the harbour.”
“Leaked documents threatened to scuttle the delicate peace negotiations just as both parties were nearing a final agreement on the border dispute.”
Examples
simple
“The captain decided to scuttle the ship to prevent its capture.”
contextual
“The crew had to scuttle the damaged vessel before the enemy fleet could reach the harbour.”
complex
“Leaked documents threatened to scuttle the delicate peace negotiations just as both parties were nearing a final agreement on the border dispute.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “scuttle” in context.
Verb
01. attempt to scuttle
“Opposition lawmakers attempted to scuttle the bill by introducing hundreds of amendments.”
verb + inf
02. deliberately scuttle
“The crew was ordered to deliberately scuttle the vessel to prevent it from falling into enemy hands.”
adv + verb
03. scuttle across
“We watched a small crab scuttle across the sand and disappear into a hole.”
verb + prep
04. scuttle away
“The beetles scuttle away as soon as you lift the rock.”
verb + adv
Noun
05. scuttle deal
“Last-minute disagreements over intellectual property rights could scuttle the deal.”
verb + noun
06. scuttle plan
“A sudden withdrawal of funding threatened to scuttle the entire development plan.”
verb + noun
07. scuttle ship
“The captain made the difficult decision to scuttle the ship after the engines failed.”
verb + noun
08. scuttle along the floor
“I saw a large spider scuttle along the floor and hide under the sofa.”
09. scuttle back and forth
“The mice scuttle back and forth behind the kitchen wainscoting all night.”
10. scuttle the chances of
“The scandal served to scuttle his chances of winning the upcoming election.”
Usage
In its nautical sense, the verb is transitive; in its sense of movement, it is typically intransitive.
Real-World Examples
“The U.S. Supreme Court begins its new nine-month term on Monday with arguments in a major case involving a bid by oil companies ExxonMobil and Suncor Energy to scuttle a lawsuit by officials in Boulder, Colorado, seeking monetary damages for harms caused by climate change.” “In September 1944, German Rear Admiral Paul-Willy Zieb ordered more than 200 vessels scuttled as the Red Army closed in.” “The number of horseshoe crabs, which have been scuttling around shallow coastal waters since the age of dinosaurs, has plunged.” “June 9 (Reuters) – U.S. renewable energy developers have delayed or scrapped several big battery projects meant to store electrical power on the grid in recent months, scuttling plans to replace fossil fuels with wind and solar energy.” Etymology
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.
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.
See scuddle.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C2 ProficiencyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.8.5–9.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 6.0114–120
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C2 · Proficiency
- Updated
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