From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishscuttlescut‧tle1 /ˈskʌtl/ verb 1 [intransitive always + adverb/preposition]RUN to move quickly with short steps, especially because you are afraid and do not want to be noticed A little lizard scuttled across the path.2 [transitive] American English to ruin or end someone’s plans or chance of being successful – used especially in news reports SYN scupper British English The incident threatens to scuttle the peace process.3 [transitive]TTWDESTROY to sink a ship by making holes in the bottom, especially in order to prevent it being used by an enemy→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
scuttle• They found a boat in San Remo, scuttled.• A loud bang sent all the crabs scuttling across the sand.• The pigeons wheel and scuttle around us.• Something scuttled away into some dark recess.• Corbett threw him a coin, raised his sword, and the beggar scuttled away.• The scuttled boat in San Remo had never been found.• I let out a terrified scream and scuttled down the stairs.• He spotted a cockroach as it scuttled out from under a bin bag.• Surely millions more have been spent on scuttled plans by companies around the world.• The offices were small, and apparatchiks scuttled round between rooms.• The senator did his best to scuttle the tax increase.scuttlescuttle2 noun [countable] DHa container for carrying coalExamples from the Corpus
scuttle• An old coal scuttle to the side of the fireplace holds a can of paraffin, almost full.• She wished her to dust the furniture, burnish the coal scuttle, and clean the windows.• We can certainly prefer not carrying endless scuttles of coal up from the cellar.Origin scuttle1 1. (1400-1500) Probably from scud + shuttle2. (1600-1700) scuttle “opening in the side of a ship” ((15-21 centuries)), probably from Old Spanish escotilla scuttle2 (1400-1500) Latin scutella “drinking bowl”, from scutra “large plate” 