scud

¹

[ skuhd ]

verb (used without object)

, scud·ded, scud·ding.

1. to run or move quickly or hurriedly.
2. Nautical. to run before a gale with little or no sail set.
3. Archery. (of an arrow) to fly too high and wide of the mark.

noun

1. the act of scudding.
2. clouds, spray, or mist driven by the wind; a driving shower or gust of wind.
3. low-drifting clouds appearing beneath a cloud from which precipitation is falling.

scud

²

[ skuhd ]

verb (used with object)

, scud·ded, scud·ding.

1. to cleanse (a trimmed and roughly depilated skin or hide) of remaining hairs or dirt.

noun

1. the hairs or dirt removed by scudding.

Scud

³

or Scud missile

[ skuhd ]

noun

1. a surface-to-surface missile, especially one deployed on a mobile launcher.

scud

¹

/ skʌd /

verb

1. intr (esp of clouds) to move along swiftly and smoothly
2. intr nautical to run before a gale
3. tr to hit; slap

noun

1. the act of scudding
2. meteorol
   1. a formation of low fractostratus clouds driven by a strong wind beneath rain-bearing clouds
   2. a sudden shower or gust of wind
3. a slap

Scud

²

/ skʌd /

noun

1. informal.
   a Soviet-made surface-to-surface missile, originally designed to carry nuclear warheads and with a range of 300 km; later modified to achieve greater range: used by Iraq in the Iran-Iraq War and in the Gulf Wars

Word History and Origins

Origin of scud¹

First recorded in 1525–35; of obscure origin; possibly from Middle Low German or Middle Dutch schudden “to shake”

Origin of scud²

First recorded in 1780–90; of uncertain origin; perhaps from obsolete scud “dirt”

Origin of scud³

The NATO name for a missile developed by the Soviets in the 1960s; probably from scud in the sense “to move quickly”

Word History and Origins

Origin of scud¹

C16: probably of Scandinavian origin; related to Norwegian skudda to thrust, Swedish skudda to shake

Example Sentences

The scudding clouds above us threw cat-shaped shadows across the yard.

From Literature

The team looked at three types of freshwater animals -- two species of gammarid, or "scud," which is a small freshwater crustacean; one freshwater snail; and three aquatic insect species.

From Science Daily

Fighter jets scudded over the horizon and a stray bomb landed nearby, killing members of a family in their home, they said.

From New York Times

But in summer the view from the opposite side is equally spectacular: the approach of moisture-laden monsoon clouds, scudding across the sky.

From Seattle Times

The sky was full of low scudding clouds when I landed in early December.

From New York Times