scuttle

Etymology

Definitions

1. 1

   A container like an open bucket (usually to hold and carry coal).

2. 2

   A broad, shallow basket.

3. 3

   A dish, platter or a trencher.

4. ›+ 9 more definitionsshow fewer

   1. 4

      A small hatch or opening in a boat, sometimes one used for draining water from open deck.

   2. 5

      A drained trough between the windscreen and bonnet of a motor vehicle, forming the intake…

      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.

   3. 6

      A hatch that provides access to the roof from the interior of a building.

   4. 7

      To cut a hole or holes through the bottom, deck, or sides of (as of a ship), for any…

      To cut a hole or holes through the bottom, deck, or sides of (as of a ship), for any purpose.

   5. 8

      To deliberately sink one's ship or boat by any means, usually by order of the vessel's…

      To deliberately sink one's ship or boat by any means, usually by order of the vessel's commander or owner.

      • The Vichy French fleet in Toulon in 1942 scuttled itself as a final "fuck you" to the invading Germans.
      • "My men, the schooner coming up on our weather quarter is a Portuguese pirate. His character is known; he scuttles all the ships he boards, dishonours the women, and murders the crew."
      • In this version, the Patriot was boarded by pirates (or the crew and passengers were overpowered by mutineers), who murdered everyone and then looted and scuttled the ship.
   6. 9

      To deliberately wreck one's vehicle (of any sort).

      • 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.
   7. 10

      To undermine or thwart oneself or one's position or property, especially deliberately.

      • The candidate had scuttled his chances with his unhinged outburst.
      • The proposed merger of the Morgan Stanley Group and the S. G. Warburg Group collapsed today, scuttling plans by the companies to create one of the world's most powerful investment banks.
      • But the $3.5 billion ignition facility, derided by some critics as taxpayer-financed science fiction, is running into new challenges that may further delay and perhaps scuttle its goal.
   8. 11

      To move hastily, to scurry.

      • With the first dawn of day, old Janet was scuttling about the house to wake the baron.
      • there was a wisp or two of fine seaweed that had somehow got in, and a small crab was still alive and scuttled across the corner, yet the coffins were but little disturbed.
      • Morel scuttled out of the house before his wife came down.
   9. 12

      A quick pace

      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

The neighborhood

• synonymcowlcar air-conditioning intake