Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Scuttle?

\Scut"tle\, n. [AS. scutel a dish, platter; cf. Icel. skutill; both fr. L. scutella, dim. of scutra, scuta, a dish or platter; cf. scutum a shield. Cf. {Skillet}.] 1. A broad, shallow basket. 2. A wide-mouthed vessel for holding coal: a coal hod.
\Scut"tle\, v. i. [For scuddle, fr. scud.] To run with affected precipitation; to hurry; to bustle; to scuddle. With the first dawn of day, old Janet was scuttling about the house to wake the baron. --Sir W. Scott.
\Scut"tle\, n. A quick pace; a short run. --Spectator.
\Scut"tle\, n. [OF. escoutille, F. ['e]scoutille, cf. Sp. escotilla; probably akin to Sp. escoter to cut a thing so as to make it fit, to hollow a garment about the neck, perhaps originally, to cut a bosom-shaped piece out, and of Teutonic origin; cf. D. schoot lap, bosom, G. schoss, Goth. skauts the hem of a garnment. Cf. {Sheet} an expanse.] 1. A small opening in an outside wall or covering, furnished with a lid. Specifically: (a) (Naut.) A small opening or hatchway in the deck of a ship, large enough to admit a man, and with a lid for covering it, also, a like hole in the side or bottom of a ship. (b) An opening in the roof of a house, with a lid. 2. The lid or door which covers or closes an opening in a roof, wall, or the like. {Scuttle butt}, or {Scuttle cask} (Naut.), a butt or cask with a large hole in it, used to contain the fresh water for daily use in a ship.
\Scut"tle\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Scuttled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Scuttling}.] 1. To cut a hole or holes through the bottom, deck, or sides of (as of a ship), for any purpose. 2. To sink by making holes through the bottom of; as, to scuttle a ship.