🐭 To hurry away 🪣 A coal container 🚢 A small hatch

to scuttle

31 5.5

To move quickly with short hurried steps, often to hide or escape

verb
/ˈskʌtəl/

: escabullirse

A shiny, rust-colored beetle, only 1/8-inch long, scuttles across a kitchen countertop.

Scuttling, scuttling, scuttling, scuttling, blah blah.

Examples

At this sign of sympathy, they immediately scuttle their chairs closer to him.

Fiction book (1991)
In a couple of seconds, it got its bearings and scuttled off into the weeds.

Fiction book (1991)
You can scuttle off into the night

Ready or Not (2019)
You made a fortune out of him, and then you scuttled off to America.

The Luzhin Defence (2000)
But this seemingly peaceful world, where insects scuttle across plant leaves, is far from tranquil.
Alvin looks behind himself and scuttles backward into one of the nearest chairs.

Fiction book (1990)
The monster was the size of an ox, and it scuttled about with a speedy, crablike gait.

Fiction book (1992)
Tiny hermit crabs scuttled in a moat we had dug and lined with rocks and shells.

Fiction book (1994)
The rabbit scuttled across the garden to hide from the cat.
After hearing the noise, the mouse quickly scuttled under the kitchen cabinet.

Synonyms

to hurry

vsto scuttle

∞ 1.0

To move or act quickly because there is little time

is about short hurried steps often with fear or stealth rather than general quickness

to bolt

vsto scuttle

69 2.3

To run away suddenly to escape danger

moves with short hurried steps aiming to be unnoticed rather than sudden sprinting

to scurry

vsto scuttle

54 3.1

To move quickly with short, hurried steps because you feel afraid or rushed

moves to avoid being seen rather than only from fright

to scoot

vsto scuttle

Informal

29 2.8

Move a short distance quickly, often to make room or hurry

uses short hurried steps and aims to avoid being seen rather than sudden speed

to scamper

vsto scuttle

22 3.2

To move quickly with small, light, playful steps

moves similarly but often with fear or stealth rather than playfulness

to flit

vsto scuttle

18 6.1

To move quickly and lightly from one place to another

moves with short hurried steps and aims to avoid notice rather than moving about

to skedaddle

vsto scuttle

Informal

14 9.3

To run away quickly because you are afraid

is often in short hurried steps and more furtive than open running

to skitter

vsto scuttle

9 6.1

To move lightly and quickly, often in short quick steps like a leaf or small animal

moves with short hurried steps aiming to stay unnoticed rather than skipping

to make tracks

vsto scuttle

Informal

5 7.2

Leave quickly to go somewhere or to avoid trouble

moves with short hurried steps in place or nearby rather than leaving outright

to whisk by

vsto scuttle

1 5.1

Move past someone or something very quickly and smoothly

moves with short hurried steps and often tries to slip away rather than pass smoothly

to leg it

vsto scuttle

1 9.0

Move quickly on foot to escape or reach a place fast

uses short hurried steps and often aims to be unseen rather than full running

to scat

vsto scuttle

Archaic

1 9.1

Leave quickly, often because you are scared

uses short hurried steps and often focuses on hiding rather than just fleeing openly

to scutter

vsto scuttle

1 8.2

To move quickly with short, hurried steps when you feel nervous

is done more to slip away unseen rather than just being nervous

to skitter away

vsto scuttle

1 5.8

To move quickly and lightly away, often because something scares you

moves with shorter hurried steps and more intent to avoid notice

to beetle

vsto scuttle

1 8.4

To go away quickly because you are in a hurry

moves in short hurried steps mainly to be unseen rather than simply leaving

to take to one's heels

vsto scuttle

Informal

1 6.1

Run away quickly to escape danger or trouble

moves with short hurried steps and tries to slip away rather than full flight

to pelt down

vsto scuttle

Informal

1 7.2

To run or move very quickly without control

uses short hurried steps and often moves more cautiously to stay unseen rather than headlong

scurrying

vsto scuttle

5.2

To move quickly with short, hurried steps because of fear

moves to avoid being noticed rather than only from urgency

to show a clean pair of heels

vsto scuttle

8.3

Run away quickly to avoid danger or trouble

uses short hurried steps and prefers slipping away unseen rather than open flight

to skidoo

vsto scuttle

Archaic

9.1

To leave quickly to avoid trouble or attention

moves with short hurried steps and often aims to stay unseen rather than simply leaving

to skiddoo

vsto scuttle

Archaic

9.9

To leave quickly to escape trouble

moves with short hurried steps and often tries to avoid being noticed rather than leaving

to absquatulate

vsto scuttle

Archaic

9.9

To leave a place quickly and secretly, often taking things or someone

uses short hurried steps mainly to avoid notice rather than to take things along

to pelt along

vsto scuttle

Informal

8.0

Move very fast along a street or path

uses short hurried steps and tries to slip away unseen rather than fast direct travel

Antonyms

to walk

∞ 1.0

To move on foot at a normal speed

to stroll

122 1.8

To walk slowly and enjoy it

Compounds

coal scuttle

Archaic

9.1

A metal container with a sloping front for holding and pouring coal into a fire

How Fast

to dash

73 1.0

to scurry

54 3.1

to scuttle

31 5.5

to scamper

22 3.2

to scoot

Informal

29 2.8

Surface Forms

scuttle infinitive

scuttled past

scuttled past participle

scuttling present participle

scuttles third person singular

Etymology

The verb scuttle comes from an old word meaning 'run quickly' and gives the image of tiny, hurried steps like a mouse or crab. A helpful way to remember it is that scuttle sounds like scurry, so to scuttle is to move away fast and quietly.