scuttle

scuttle

scut·tle1 / ˈskətl/ • n. (in full coal scut·tle) a metal container with a sloping hinged lid and a handle, used to fetch and store coal for a domestic fire. ∎  the amount of coal held in such a container: carrying endless scuttles of coal up from the cellar. scut·tle2 • v. [intr.] run hurriedly or furtively with short quick steps: a mouse scuttled across the floor. • n. [in sing.] an act or sound of scuttling: I heard the scuttle of rats across the room. scut·tle3 • v. [tr.] sink (one's own ship) deliberately by holing it or opening its seacocks to let water in. ∎  deliberately cause (a scheme) to fail: some of the stockholders are threatening to scuttle the deal. • n. an opening with a lid in a ship's deck or side.

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"scuttle." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"scuttle." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-scuttle.html

"scuttle." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-scuttle.html

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scuttle

scuttle.
1. A circular window cut in the side of a ship to admit light and air, also known in the Royal Navy as a sidelight and in the merchant service as a porthole or portlight. It consists of a circular metal frame with a thick disc of glass which is hinged on one side and which can be tightly secured to the ship's side from inside by butterfly nuts. A deadlight is the part of the scuttle which is let down and secured with a butterfly nut to protect the glass in heavy weather.

2. As a verb, it means the deliberate sinking of a ship by opening its seacocks or by blowing holes in its bottom. The origin of the word, as in the synonymous verb to scupper, presumably is to make the ship sink to the level of its scuttles at which point the sea will pour in through them and finish the job of sinking it.

3. A cask is said to be scuttled when its staves are stove in or broken.

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"scuttle." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"scuttle." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O225-scuttle.html

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scuttle

scuttle, or scuttled, butt, a cask lashed in a convenient part of the ship to hold water for daily use before the days when ships were fitted with fresh water tanks. All water in those days had to be carried on board in large casks and, on a long voyage, had to be used very sparingly to make it last until the next opportunity to land and refill the casks. To prevent more than half a butt full of water being available daily, the butt was, in effect, ‘scuttled’ by having a square piece sawn out of the widest part of its side, or bilge. The grog-butt from which grog was dispensed was a scuttle butt.

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scuttle

scuttle1 †dish, trencher (OE.), XV; (dial.) cornbasket, grain-shovel XIV: wide-mouthed basket XV; bowl-like vessel for coal XIX. Late OE. sċutel does not seem to have survived; ME. scutel is — ON. skutill, corr. to OS. skutala = MLG. schötele, MDu. schotele (Du. schotel), OHG. scuzzila (G. schüssel): all — L. scutula or scutella, rel. to scutra dish, platter.

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T. F. HOAD. "scuttle." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

T. F. HOAD. "scuttle." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-scuttle.html

T. F. HOAD. "scuttle." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-scuttle.html

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scuttle

scuttle2 opening in a ship's deck XV; trap-door XVIII. perh. — F. †escoutille (mod. écoutille) hatchway — Sp. escotilla, dim. of escota cutting out of cloth, f. escotar cutout, f. L. EX-1 + Gmc. *skaut- SHEET.
Hence scuttle vb. cut a hole in sides, bottom, or deck of (a ship). XVII.

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T. F. HOAD. "scuttle." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

T. F. HOAD. "scuttle." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-scuttle1.html

T. F. HOAD. "scuttle." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-scuttle1.html

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scuttle

scuttle v. sink (one's own ship) deliberately by holing it or opening its seacocks to let water in.
n. an opening with a lid in a ship's deck or side.

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"scuttle." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"scuttle." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O63-scuttle.html

"scuttle." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O63-scuttle.html

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scuttle

scuttle3 run with quick hurried steps. XV. Parallel with synon. (dial.) scuddle XVII. frequent. of SCUD; see -LE3.

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T. F. HOAD. "scuttle." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

T. F. HOAD. "scuttle." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-scuttle2.html

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scuttle

scuttlebattle, cattle, chattel, embattle, prattle, rattle, Seattle, tattle •fractal •cantle, covenantal, mantel, mantle, Prandtl •pastel • Fremantle • tittle-tattle •startle, stratal •Nahuatl •fettle, kettle, metal, mettle, nettle, petal, Popocatépetl, settle •dialectal, rectal •dental, gentle, mental, Oriental, parental, rental •transeptal •festal, vestal •gunmetal •antenatal, fatal, hiatal, natal, neonatal, ratel •beetle, betel, chital, decretal, fetal •blackbeetle •acquittal, belittle, brittle, committal, embrittle, it'll, kittle, little, remittal, skittle, spittle, tittle, victual, whittle •edictal, rictal •lintel, pintle, quintal •Bristol, Chrystal, crystal, pistol •varietal • coital • phenobarbital •orbital • pedestal • sagittal • vegetal •digital • skeletal • Doolittle •congenital, genital, primogenital, urogenital •capital • lickspittle • hospital • marital •entitle, mistitle, recital, requital, title, vital •subtitle • surtitle •axolotl, bottle, dottle, glottal, mottle, pottle, throttle, wattle •fontal, horizontal •hostel, intercostal, Pentecostal •greenbottle • bluebottle • Aristotle •chortle, immortal, mortal, portal •Borstal •anecdotal, sacerdotal, teetotal, total •coastal, postal •subtotal •brutal, footle, pootle, refutal, rootle, tootle •buttle, cuttle, rebuttal, scuttle, shuttle, subtle, surrebuttal •buntal, contrapuntal, frontal •crustal • societal • pivotal •hurtle, kirtle, myrtle, turtle

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"scuttle." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

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Free newspaper and magazine articles

Divers want to scuttle old Navy frigate to produce Britain's first artificial...
Newspaper article from: The Birmingham Post (England); 8/21/2000
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